About us

who are we?

At Gardiner Foundation, our vision is thriving, vibrant Victorian dairy communities where people and businesses want to be.

Victorian dairy communities are more than the sum of their parts, they are places of opportunity for families and industry, and for investment that creates prosperity for all.

Gardiner was established to support the Victorian dairy industry and communities by the Victorian Government in partnership with Victorian dairy farmers, processors and manufacturing groups under Section 65 of the Dairy Act 2000.

Since 2000, we’ve been investing in change that benefits everyone in Victorian dairy, helping people to make places where they want to live, work and invest. We welcome opportunities to work with people, communities, businesses and organisations to make this happen.

Our purpose

To manage the investment of funds to maximise the benefits to all sectors of the Victorian dairy industry and Victorian dairy communities.

Our vision

Thriving, vibrant Victorian dairy communities where people want to live, work and invest.

Our Approach

Gardiner Foundation collaborates across the dairy supply chain, providing independent, flexible investment to support industry-wide progress.

We co-invest with partners like Dairy Australia and Agriculture Victoria to drive profitability, growth and sustainability through targeted initiatives.

Guided by our Constitution, we invest in projects that address stakeholder needs across five strategic priorities: Financial Stewardship, People in Dairy, Community Development, Research and Innovation, and Industry Support.

We back collaboration, leadership and the translation of research into action, delivering real outcomes at farm, factory, consumer and community levels.

Gardiner remains agile and responsive to emerging industry priorities.

Governance

Gardiner Foundation’s Constitution guides our responsibilities. The Board’s principal activity is to take an active role in investing in research, supporting industry and managing the investment of funds to maximise the benefits to all sectors of the Victorian dairy industry and its communities. The Board must:
  • Invest prudently, not speculatively
  • Diversify investments
  • Maintain the real value of capital while managing risk
  • Consider the liquidity and marketability of investments
To learn more about the role of our Board, read Board Governance Charter Gardiner Foundation’s tripartite structure ensures representation from across the dairy sector in the form of the following members: To read our full constitution, read Gardiner Foundation Constitution.

Gardiner can be agile and flexible in its response to emerging priorities.

Gardiner Foundation seeks opportunities to collaborate with industry, leveraging resources and knowledge to maximise the impact for farmers and communities. Gardiner supports projects that link research and development with adoption, to deliver real outcomes at farm, factory, consumer and community level. Gardiner also invest in current and emerging leaders through programs integrated across the dairy value chain.

$2.3

million invested

574

organisations supported

25

years
service

$95

million in projects

$2.3 million invested in community organisations across Victoria through the Community Grants Program.

The 574 community organisations supported by the Gardiner Foundation have played a crucial role in strengthening Victorian dairy communities.

The foundation has been supporting the Victorian dairy industry since 2000, funding research, innovation, and community development.

Since its inception, the Gardiner Foundation has contributed over $95 million to projects that benefit the dairy industry and communities in Victoria.