Media releases: 11 September 2023
56 projects funded thanks to the Future Drought Fund
FRRR has awarded $3.65 million in grants to 11 agriculture-dependent regions across Australia, for projects that will better prepare their communities for the impacts of drought and a changing climate.
The $3,654,124 in grants is funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, and delivered as part of the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative’s Community Impact Program. To date, $9,115,583 in grants has been awarded to 27 agriculture-dependent regions, through the Program.
Delivered in partnership with ARLF, the Program aims to strengthen the ability of agriculture-dependent communities to work together to prepare for future drought or other disaster.
Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead for FRRR, said that the collaborative nature of the Community Impact Program means locals in each region have come together to identify and act on their communities’ drought preparedness priorities, at a grassroots level.
“The beauty of this program is that it’s so flexible. It can support events, initiatives, training and even small-scale infrastructure. But at their core, each project is about fostering the growth of stronger networks to encourage shared learning and more collaboration. We’re already seeing that happen among the program facilitators, who are leading by example, having established a community of practice, and mentoring one another across the regions.
“We recognise that co-design in each region has taken significant effort and we particularly thank the Community Partner Lead Organisations for stepping up and taking the lead in bringing everyone together. It’s been wonderful to be able to harness local knowledge and expertise and to have a cross-section of the community collaborate and create solutions. We know that these projects will strengthen the networks, support, engagement and wellbeing of people across their region.
“We look forward to seeing the continued growth of these networks and to seeing the impacts of these projects as they roll out over the next two years,” Ms O’Brien said.
Funded projects include a youth community hub and film festival on Mitakoodi Country, Cloncurry in Queensland. The Mitakoodi Community and Housing Aboriginal Corporation will use a $76,809 grant to develop the hub and festival, which will build a depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose, and longer-term community belonging that locals can draw upon in future drought.
In Boyup Brook, Western Australia, Blackwood Basin Group Incorporated has been awarded a $40,730 grant to run a series of land management workshops, as well as produce written resources and provide accidental counselling. These capacity building activities will provide local people and communities with opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought.
As part of the program, each region will also access tailored leadership development activities, delivered by ARLF.
ARLF Chief Executive, Matt Linnegar, says the leadership development supports the delivery of local projects and yields long-term benefits for the regions.
“We know that a multimodal approach of leadership development increases the impact the investments have in each region. In addition to the project funding, these leadership development activities build social capital required to support the project and people in each region. We get to connect local networks, create a deeper sense of shared purpose and develop capability that helps people to take action and address challenges and make the most of opportunities.”
Participants also gain access to the wider alumni network of the ARLF. “It’s these connections that prove invaluable to people. When they’re stuck, there’s someone to ask for advice,” Mr Linnegar said.
Other elements of the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative are also underway, including a Mentoring program and an online network connecting community members involved in projects in each of the regions, both led by ARLF.
FRRR has also launched a portal providing access to experts to support delivery of their projects, if local expertise isn’t available. A small grants funding round will also open before the end of the year to support projects in areas not covered by the Community Impact Program.
Learn more about the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative at www.frrr.org.au/drought-preparedness.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales: Region 05 Northern Tablelands | ||||||
| Glenrac Incorporated | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 05 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Northern Tablelands region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Northern Tablelands NSW Region | $30,146 | |||
| Glenrac Incorporated | Growing Social Capital, Glen Innes Enhance awareness of and attitude toward drought preparedness and build local leadership, networks and social support through a diverse series of community events, activities and delivery partners. | Glen Innes | $70,508 | |||
| Gwymac Incorporated | Connecting our Community for Resilience in Tough Times Enhance awareness of and attitudes toward drought preparedness through building local leadership, networks and social support through a series of collaborative events. | Inverell | $51,290 | |||
| Southern New England Landcare Ltd | SNEL HELP – Preparing Communities for Drought Increase the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks and organisations driving action on drought resilience through the delivery of a series of community activities and events that will share information on the local impacts of drought, drought preparation activities and strengthen local connections, networks and relationships. | Armidale, Inverell, Uralla and Walcha | $62,214 | |||
| Granite Borders Landcare Committee Incorporated | Drought Community Impact Program Enable communities to identify and adopt innovative and transformative ways to build drought resilience through a series of collaborative workshops targeting innovation in drought preparation information and knowledge sharing. | Tenterfield | $70,936 | |||
| Queensland: Region 07 South-West | ||||||
| Southern Queensland Natural Resources Management Ltd | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 07 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the South-West region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | South-West QLD Region | $20,500 | |||
| Thallon Progress Association Inc | PODDS 4 Thallon & Bollon (Place of Diversity & Development) Increase the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks and organisations driving action on drought resilience through the development of shared workspaces in Thallon and Bollon. | Thallon and Bollon, Balonne Shire | $126,800 | |||
| Wyandra and District Progress and Recreation Association Inc | Wyandra & Surrounds Drought Resilience Leadership Network – Empower Paroo & Murweh Increase the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks and organisations driving action on drought resilience across Paroo and Murweh through the delivery of community events, minor community infrastructure upgrades, leadership network establishment and connection to local support services. | Wyandra, Cunnamulla, Charleville | $83,615 | |||
| Queensland: Region 10 North-West | ||||||
| Southern Gulf NRM Ltd | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 10 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the North-West region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | Queensland North-West Region | $33,007 | |||
| Southern Gulf NRM Ltd | Proactively Improving Mental Health Preparedness in Northwest QLD Enable capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through the delivery of mental health first aid training across the region. | Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Richmond, Hughenden, Normanton, Burketown, Mount Isa | $66,209 | |||
| Southern Gulf NRM Ltd | Community Group Development Facilitator for Northwest QLD Improve capability, coordination and collaboration between networks, other community organisations and sectors that can be drawn upon in future drought through delivery of governance, volunteer management, communications and project management training. | Mount Isa, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Richmond, Flinders, Burke, Carpentaria | $148,538 | |||
| Mitakoodi Community and Housing Aboriginal Corporation | The Cloncurry Community Hub and Film Festival Build a depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought through the development of a youth community hub and film festival. | Mitakoodi Country,Cloncurry | $76,809 | |||
| Western Australia: Region 21 South-West | ||||||
| South West Catchments Council | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 21 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the South-West region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | WA South-West Region | $23,768 | |||
| Warren Catchments Council | Green Spaces Counter the Blues Enable capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through a coordinated series of water efficient landscaping / gardening workshops. | Shire of Manjimup | $75,661 | |||
| Southern Forest Arts Inc | Rivers of Thirst Build depth of social connection, awareness of and constructive attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level through community development of seven public artworks across towns in the region. | Manjimup, Boyup Brook, Nannup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes | $49,908 | |||
| South West Catchments Council | Community Resilience Network Improve the capability, coordination and collaboration between networks, other community organisations and sectors that can be drawn upon in future drought through the establishment of a Community Resilience Network of local groups in Community Resource Centres. | Manjimup, Boyup Brook, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Donnybrook-Balingup, Augusta- Margaret River, Harvey, Dardanup, Busselton | $86,935 | |||
| Blackwood Basin Group Incorporated | Boyup Brook Community Drought Preparedness Enable capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought, through a series of land management workshops, production of written resources and accidental counselling training. | Boyup Brook | $40,730 | |||
| Goomburrup Aboriginal Corporation | Ni! Boodja Waangkiny (Noongar Seasonal Calendar) Enable depth of social and cultural connection, awareness of and constructive attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level through the development of a place-based, locally developed Noongar seasonal calendar that captures the knowledge and resilience of the people and culture with storytelling. | Bunbury | $66,000 | |||
| South Australia: Region 24 Northern and Yorke | ||||||
| Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains Incorporated | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 24 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Northern and Yorke region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | SA Northern and Yorke Region | $56,893 | |||
| Lochiel Progress Association | Diner en Rose Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose, and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought through a community event celebrating the local landscape. | Lochiel– Pink Lake (Wakefield Regional Council) | $21,170 | |||
| Wirraminna Care | Scone / Coffee Times Bringing Neighbourhoods Together to Share Socially Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought by addressing social isolation within the community. | Williamstown, Eden Valley | $7,000 | |||
| WoTL Ltd | Managing Yourself and Your Business Through Drought and Other Disruption Enable capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through leadership workshops specifically designed for women. | Riverton, Clare, Kadina | $67,000 | |||
| Two Wells Regional Action Team | Drought Resilient Greening for Community Wellbeing Enable a change in awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level and enhance the public good by planting drought-tolerant trees at three entrances to the township of Two Wells. | Two Wells | $3,000 | |||
| Barossa Improved Grazing Group Incorporated | Building Local Human Capacity to Support Drought Preparedness Across the Barossa Generations and Community Enable capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through supporting and training young farmers. | Barossa, Light, Mid Murray | $55,000 | |||
| Victoria: Region 27 Mallee | ||||||
| Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 27 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Mallee region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | VIC Mallee Region | $76,818 | |||
| First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation | Community Impact Program – Mallee Region Build depth of social connection and increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought and climate change through land management training and mentorship of young First Nations people. | Neds Corner Station, Mildura | $41,200 | |||
| Birchip Cropping Group Inc | Mallee BCG Young Farmer Network Enable capacity building activities where young farmers have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural, and regional Australia through the growth of a Young Farmers Network. | Quambatook, Birchip, Manangatang | $32,960 | |||
| Mallee Sustainable Farming Inc | The Mallee Matters Build awareness of and changed attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level through the production of short videos that showcase local resilience. | Northern Mallee areas | $65,920 | |||
| Food Next Door Cooperative | Food Next Door Co-op: Sustainable CALD Market Gardening Build the capacity of local people and communities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural and regional Australia through irrigation management training for CALD communities. | Mildura, Merbein, Nichols Point and Red Cliffs | $56,856 | |||
| Rural Business and Community Limited | Shared Shop Increase economic diversification in an agriculture-dependent community through the establishment of a cooperative ‘shared shop’ for micro businesses in Donald. | Donald | $32,960 | |||
| Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria Wimmera South West Inc | Resilient Small Businesses Deliver capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought in remote, rural and regional Australia through the establishment of a small business resilience network targeted at new, young and Indigenous business owners. | Mildura | $41,200 | |||
| Millewa Advisory Group | Millewa SHIM Shed Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose, and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future droughts through the establishment of a community gathering space in the Millewa district. | Millewa | $17,304 | |||
| Victoria: Region 29 Wimmera Southern Mallee | ||||||
| Wimmera Southern Mallee Development Limited | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 29 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Wimmera Southern Mallee region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | VIC Wimmera Southern Mallee Region | $44,228 | |||
| Wimmera Southern Mallee Development Limited | Community Connector Program Improve the capability, coordination and collaboration between networks, other community organisations and sectors through service mapping, gap analysis, resource development and network capability building and service promotion before the next drought hits. | Whole of WSM | $133,700 | |||
| Wimmera Southern Mallee Development Limited (Migrant Settlement Services) | Migrant Youth Support Build depth of social connection, shared cross cultural drought knowledge and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought through a drought resilience building program for young migrants. | Horsham, Nhill | $50,000 | |||
| Wimmera Catchment Authority | Ranch Billabong Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging through the revitalisation, and increased visitation of a culturally significant site by the local First Nations and wider community. | Barengi Gadjin Land Council | $40,000 | |||
| West Vic Business Incorporated | Community Placemaking Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought through capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through the establishment of a Place-making network. | VIC Wimmera Southern Mallee Region | $46,393 | |||
| Victoria: Region 32 West Gippsland | ||||||
| Food & Fibre Gippsland Inc | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 32 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the West Gippsland region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | VIC West Gippsland Region | $96,050 | |||
| Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria - Gippsland Inc | Backbone Build awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level by producing two drought resilience special editions of the Rural and Regional Backbone magazine. | Latrobe Valley, South Gippsland, Wellington, Bass Coast | $99,880 | |||
| Food & Fibre Gippsland Inc | Gated Framework – Community Build capability in community leaders, networks and organisations to undertake strategic drought resilience planning and future drought preparedness activities through the development of a templated drought preparedness framework. | Baw Baw, Latrobe Valley, South Gippsland, Wellington, Bass Coast | $109,978 | |||
| Gippsland Women's Health Inc | Gendered Violence Prevention – Active Bystander Training Develop skills, knowledge and capacity to face the unique challenges caused by drought through Active Bystander (Family Violence) training. | Baw Baw, Latrobe Valley, South Gippsland, Wellington, Bass Coast | $44,122 | |||
| Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria - Gippsland Inc | ADAPT Increase the reach and activities of community leaders, mentors, networks and organisations driving action on drought resilience by subsidising the delivery of ADAPT wellness program including online training and ongoing mentoring supporting small to medium sized grassroots organisations to access informal wellness support mechanisms at a community level. | Baw Baw, Latrobe Valley, South Gippsland, Wellington, Bass Coast | $35,000 | |||
| Victoria: Region 33 Ovens Murray | ||||||
| AgBiz Assist Limited | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 33 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the Ovens Murray region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | VIC Ovens Murray Region | $30,000 | |||
| Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Fund Ltd | Community Capacity Building Support capacity building activities where local people and communities have opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through a community leadership program. | Indigo Shire | $95,000 | |||
| Startup Shakeup Ltd | Digital Work Skills Build capacity of local people and communities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through business digital skills training. | Indigo Shire and City of Wangaratta | $95,000 | |||
| AgBiz Assist Limited | Wellbeing and Social Connection Build capacity of local people and communities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through mental health awareness and support activities and training. | Indigo Shire and City of Wangaratta | $170,328 | |||
| Tasmania: Region 34 North and North West | ||||||
| Rural Business Tasmania Inc | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 34 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the North and North West region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | TAS North and North west Region | $47,000 | |||
| Southern Farming Systems Ltd | Empowering Rural Youth to Build Capacity in Tasmanian Rural Communities Build depth of social connection and increase skills, knowledge and understanding of the risks posed by drought and climate change through tailored drought related events for three distinctive climates in the region. | Scottsdale, Ulverstone, Campbell Town | $102,000 | |||
| Rural Business Tasmania Inc | Local Communities Volunteer Project Build depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and long-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought by connecting volunteer-based community organisations with young people in the region. | Fingal, Deloraine, Scottsdale, Whitemark | $114,084 | |||
| Tasmanian Leaders | Drought Resilient Impact Preparedness (DRIP) Build capacity of local people and communities to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through a targeted leadership program. | TAS North and North West Region | $99,709 | |||
| RANT Arts | Close Up: Drought Preparedness Build awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level through the creation of accessible educational videos. | Devonport, Burnie, Latrobe, Meander Valley | $31,059 | |||
| Tasmania: Region 35 South Region | ||||||
| University of Tasmania | Community Partner Lead Organisation (CPLO): Region 35 Strengthen drought preparedness and drive local action in the South region through the coordination of Community Impact Program activities and evaluation administration. | TAS South Region | $38,778 | |||
| Rural Business Tasmania Inc | Local Community Volunteer Project Build a depth of social connection, a shared sense of purpose and longer-term community belonging that can be drawn upon in future drought by connecting volunteer-based community organisations with young people in the region. | TAS South Region | $100,000 | |||
| Southern Regional Natural Resource Management Association | Igniting Community Build culturally informed drought preparedness and social connection through a shared sense of purpose, which can be drawn upon in future drought through a series of cultural burn workshops. | Southern Tasmania | $100,000 | |||
| Reconciliation Council of Tasmania Limited | Youth Mob Build depth of social connection, awareness of and attitudes to drought preparedness at the community level by developing land management skills of young First Nations people. | Clarence and Sorell Municipality | $82,960 | |||
| Tasmanian Small Business Council Inc | Tasmania Small Business Community Resilience Project Build the capacity of local people and small business to develop the skills and knowledge to face the unique challenges caused by drought through a series of business workshops and field trips. | Dunalley, Triabunna, Swansea | $90,000 | |||
