We’ve been notified of several instances where charities, community organisations, and university researchers have been contacted by people who claim to be seeking project proposals for private philanthropic foundations, including Paul Ramsay Foundation.
The agents offer help with developing an application, for a fee.
PRF takes a targeted approach to grantmaking, and in most instances a member of our team will co-develop funding proposals directly with not-for-profit organisations. We do not use third-party brokers to seek potential applicants on our behalf, nor do we solicit the use of third-party application developers on behalf of potential applicants. Official correspondence pertaining to be from PRF will come from a legitimate @paulramsayfoundation.org.au domain.
Where PRF is seeking applications for open grant rounds, fellowships, investment, partnership, requests for services, and other opportunities, these will be publicly listed on our website and shared through our social media channels.
Potential grant seekers should be wary of people offering to connect them with a PRF funding opportunity for a fee.
It is important to note that the perpetrators of the scam are often using known names or entities in their approach, making verification difficult. We are listing the detail below in the hope that people doing quick verification searches may find this information. There is no suggestion that any actual individuals or organisations mentioned are involved, nor are they even aware that their name has been used.
Known scams
Below are known scams. Please get in touch if you’ve been contacted with a suspicious offer, or to verify a potential opportunity.
- An agent claiming to be a specialist from ‘Omidyar Network’ offering paid application support for the Paul Ramsay Foundation - Digital Innovation & Blockchain Research Programme. This is a scam.
- An agent claiming to be a representative of ‘Cleveland Foundation’ with an invitation to participate in a private round of funding with an Australian-based funder (Paul Ramsay Foundation) seeking to fund youth mental health and LGBTQIA+ programs. This is a scam.
- An agent using the pseudonym John Appleton who is 'working on behalf of' PRF, with the offer of introduction to an 'alignment agent' called Sammy Clarke to help facilitate access to a grant, for a significant fee. This is a scam.
- An agent using the pseudonym Linda Tobey Jensen working on behalf of Global Hezzor Grants Foundation, who claims to have a relationship with PRF and has identified alignment with PRF funding, with the offer of paid application support. This is a scam.
