Donor & Volunteer Stories

It’s not by chance that the Quinn Femelle Foundation, a Queensland based private, family foundation chose to collaborate with Harding Miller. They were actively researching Australian scholarship programs that would focus on providing  educational support for girls across Queensland – high potential girls that is, who are from low socio economic circumstances. 

Harding Miller, established in 2015 is the premier scholarship program for girls across Australia. It is the most generous academic program of it’s kind, having awarded over 600, 4 year, $20,000 scholarships to girls since inception. HMEF has built a model that empowers philanthropists to make a valuable and evidence base difference through their giving. It is unquestionable and identified by the UN sustainable development goals, that supporting the next generation  of women to advance will see future systemic and societal improvements globally.

Harding Miller is focused on establishing formidable partnerships that aim to rewrite the future for Australian girls in need.  We are an Australian Public Benevolent organisation established with the clear purpose to show indisputable impact, both for our scholars and at the broader systemic and societal level. Deep, inter-generational, positive impact – we’re in it for the long haul, says Cara Varian, HMEF’s Executive Director.

2020 was the first year of the HMEF/Quinn alliance which resulted in 25 Queensland state school students beginning their 4 year, $20,000 scholarships in Year 9. In 2021 the Quinn’s supported 30 more girls and every year for the foreseeable future, Queensland will see at least 25 girls a year receive these life changing opportunities.

One of the Quinn Femelle scholars is Kya Dulhunty from Bribie Island State High School. “The school award I received for 2020 was the Academic Excellence Award. This is awarded to the top 10% of students at each year level. ” Kya wants to study Anthropology at University and is a straight A student.

Scholarship support begins with the essential tools and resources needed to make the most of their education. “It’s a fallacy that public education is free, says Cara, the cost of technology, data, textbooks, uniforms, school excursions, sport participation and other extra curricular activities all adds up and can easily enter the thousands of dollars. Multiply that by the number of siblings in the family and suddenly the financial strain for some families becomes untenable and its the kids that miss out who suffer the most.