Grace Tame Foundation announces closure due to funding challenges
Consensus Summary
The Grace Tame Foundation, established in 2021 by Australian of the Year Grace Tame to advocate for child sexual abuse survivors and push for legal reforms, announced its closure on April 9, 2026, due to ongoing funding challenges. The foundation’s board cited difficulties in sustaining long-term financial support, despite its achievements, including landmark legal reforms such as ending the classification of 'persistent child sexual abuse' as a 'relationship' across Australia. The closure comes amid heightened public scrutiny for Tame, who faced backlash in March 2026 for leading a chant of 'globalise the intifada' at a pro-Palestine protest, which she described as part of a smear campaign that led to lost speaking engagements. While the foundation will cease operations, its board emphasized that its mission to protect children and drive reform will continue through other advocates and organizations. Financial reports indicate the foundation operated at a loss in 2025, with expenses exceeding revenue by approximately $60,600.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The Grace Tame Foundation announced its closure on 2026-04-09, citing 'increasingly challenging' long-term funding as the reason
- The foundation was established in 2021 to advocate for child sexual abuse survivors and push for law reform, with Grace Tame as a board member
- The foundation’s board consists of four volunteers, including Grace Tame, Professor Michael Salter, Michael Bradley, and Scarlett Franks
- The foundation helped drive landmark legal reforms, including stopping the naming of 'persistent child sexual abuse' as a 'relationship' in all Australian jurisdictions
- Grace Tame was abused as a teenager by her high school teacher Nicolaas Ockert Bester
- The foundation’s 2025 financials show total revenue of $148,629 and total expenses of $209,269, resulting in a loss of about $60,600
- Grace Tame lost speaking engagements in 2026 due to a 'smear campaign' following a protest chant of 'globalise the intifada' in Sydney in March 2026
- The foundation’s closure process will be finalised in the coming weeks
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The foundation had more than 48,000 followers on Instagram (not explicitly stated in other sources)
- The foundation’s statement was posted to social media on 2026-04-09 at 06:20:45.150069
- Ms Tame was approached for comment but did not provide a response
- The foundation was named in 2021 as one of Time magazine’s next generation leaders
- The foundation’s social media post was made on Thursday (2026-04-09) but the exact time is not specified
- The foundation’s latest filings reported equity of $129,563, with major expenses covering psychological support, salaries, recruitment, and survivor legal assistance
- The foundation’s closure comes amid intense public scrutiny for Ms Tame, including calls to review her Australian of the Year honour
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labelled Ms Tame 'difficult' at a News Corp event in Melbourne
- The foundation’s statement described its mission as confronting 'one of Australia’s most uncomfortable truths – the prevalence of child sexual abuse'
- The NSW Labor government intends to ban the phrase 'globalise the intifada'
- The foundation’s 2025 financials were sourced from the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The ABC and Guardian mention Grace Tame’s abuse by 'Nicolaas Ockert Bester,' while the other sources do not specify the abuser’s name
- The ABC and Guardian state the foundation had 48,000 Instagram followers, but this number is not mentioned in the SMH or NEWSCOMAU
- The SMH and NEWSCOMAU mention Prime Minister Albanese calling Tame 'difficult,' but this is not reported in the ABC or Guardian
- The NEWSCOMAU and SMH provide specific financial details (revenue, expenses, equity) not mentioned in the ABC or Guardian
Source Articles
Grace Tame Foundation announces closure
The Grace Tame Foundation, established by the Tasmanian-born survivor of child sexual abuse, has announced it is closing because securing funding is becoming "increasingly challenging".
Grace Tame’s foundation announces closure over funding difficulties
Closure comes weeks after former Australian of the Year and advocate for abuse survivors says she lost speaking engagements because of a ‘smear campaign’ against her Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Child sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame’s foundation has announced it is closing, citing challenges with long-term funding. The former Australian of the Year set up the foundation in 2021 – the year she carried the nati
Grace Tame’s charity to shut doors
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has suffered another blow after a charity she founded announced it would close its doors.
Grace Tame Foundation announces sudden closure
The foundation started by the former Australian of the Year said it had struggled to gain long-term funding.
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