Exploring new governance models through participatory grantmaking.
At the Menzies Leadership Foundation, we believe leadership must evolve to meet the complexity of the challenges we face—climate uncertainty, social disconnection, and growing mistrust in our institutions. This evolution calls for bold, experimental models that shift power, foster civic agency, and invest in local capability.
As part of our systems leadership agenda, we’ve partnered with Regen Melbourne and The Wellbeing Protocol to support a pioneering participatory governance pilot—trialling a new tool called Hum, which enables communities to make collective funding decisions.
This work forms part of Regen Melbourne’s New Urban Governance stream, a key pillar within their Systems Lab. With Menzies’ catalytic support, the team set out to test how distributed grantmaking could function as a lever for democratic innovation—placing decision-making directly in the hands of communities.
The Experiment: Hum in Action
The pilot explored Hum, a digital app that allows community members to vote on funding allocations for local projects. Three community-led initiatives participated:
- Village Zero in Sandringham
- Greening Cromwell in Collingwood
- IRREGULAR from the North West Melbourne Precinct Association
Each group brought a unique context and challenge. While two pilots paused prior to launch due to readiness factors, the third—Village Zero—progressed to full implementation.
With support from Community Bank Sandringham, Village Zero invited residents to vote on a pool of sustainability-focused ideas. The result was the selection and activation of two projects: a local Eco Expo and a pollinator corridor aligned with council plans. The pilot not only secured community-backed outcomes—it also provided a clear mandate, broader engagement, and a deepened sense of shared purpose.
What We’re Learning
The pilot revealed several critical enablers for this kind of innovation to succeed:
- Trust is foundational – Tools alone aren’t enough. Pre-existing relationships and local buy-in accelerated adoption.
- Timing matters – Tools like Hum work best when communities are actively seeking new ways to engage.
- Data builds legitimacy – Transparent voting results created clarity, focus and alignment.
- Mindsets must shift – New models can be met with hesitation. Education and support are essential.
- Intermediaries are vital – The role of trusted actors in facilitating, convening and interpreting change cannot be underestimated.
- Catalytic funding unlocks momentum – Community Bank Sandringham’s commitment was a game-changer in translating concept into action.
What’s Next
This is just the beginning. Building on these insights, Regen Melbourne is now preparing a second series of pilots, expanding to new communities and refining the Hum platform based on what’s been learned. The Menzies Foundation remains a committed partner in this journey, continuing to explore how leadership, governance and capital flows can be reimagined to support the greater good.
Our focus is not just on the tools themselves, but on the conditions that enable local leaders to lead differently—and more effectively.
Because at Menzies, we know that leadership today isn’t defined by titles or authority. It’s defined by courage, collaboration and the ability to share power in service of stronger communities.
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Learn more about Regen Melbourne’s Systems Lab
🌐 www.regen.melbourne
At the Menzies Leadership Foundation, we believe leadership must move beyond representation and into participation. In an age marked by complexity and disconnection, the future belongs to those bold enough to reimagine how decisions are made—and who gets to make them.
That’s why we back leaders and communities experimenting at the edges of governance—those willing to share power, test new models, and build trust from the ground up. Because democratic innovation isn’t just a mechanism. It’s a mindset.
This work with Regen Melbourne and Hum is part of a broader shift—toward leadership that listens, adapts, and includes.
We invite you to consider: what does it mean to lead at the frontier of community, capital, and courage?
