• Home > 
  • News > 
  • Grants continue to support Black Saturday recovery

Grants continue to support Black Saturday recovery

Categories

Media releases: 14 July 2020

More than $580,000 in grants awarded

22 July 2020: The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has awarded $584,971 in grants to support twenty-eight projects that will assist the continued recovery of communities impacted by the Black Saturday Bushfires in February 2009.

The funds come from its Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W), GR&W Kinglake Ranges and Community Group Futures (CGF) programs, thanks to the support of the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF), which the general public generously contributed to in the immediate aftermath of the Black Saturday fires. More than a decade on from the tragedy, nearly $4 million in grants has been provided to community groups through these programs.

The GR&W program focuses on community-strengthening and resilience-building projects for communities. This is the 16th round of the program, confirming that recovery does take time. This round sees 13 projects share in $195,234 in grants. Projects funded this round will help to strengthen community connectedness, create a sense of place and enhance community identity.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that creating spaces for the community to meet and feel safe continues to be a priority for the ongoing recovery of many communities impacted by the Black Saturday bushfires.

“When communities have lost so much, having a safe, comfortable space to come together is so important. It facilitates opportunities for people to reconnect, maintain good mental health and prevent isolation. It’s therefore important that these spaces are in good condition, are comfortable and have the appropriate amenities and levels of accessibility.

“Communities continue to look for ways to build resilience, particularly when it comes to their young people. Activities such as workshops and training provide these young people with the chance to come together and share their experiences while building their skills and resilience,” continued Ms Egleton.

“Other communities are finding ways to continue their recovery through the arts, such as Marysville’s Singing Saturday Choir or Bruarong‘s place-based oral and visual history gathering project.

“The diversity of these needs, more than 10 years on from the initial bushfire events, highlights the importance of having flexible funding available in the medium to long-term.”

Some of the projects funded in this round of the GR&W program include:

  • Flowerdale Hall Reserve Committee of Management received a $20,000 grant to increase community pride and continued access to local meeting space due to an upgrade to the exterior of Flowerdale Community Hall. 
  • Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce & Industry received a $5,380 grant to increase youth involvement in volunteering and provide training and support through delivery of La Fiera Festival Young Ambassador Scheme.

In addition, a further $289,252 has been awarded through the GR&W Kinglake Ranges program. In this second round of funding, eight projects have been awarded grants, with several also pointing to the importance of increasing connection with others and the region’s environment.

Among the GR&W Kinglake Ranges awarded grants are:

  • Toolangi District Community House received a $59,649 grant to increase social connection and community participation in Toolangi Castella, through the purchase of resources and delivery of a 24-month program of engaging activities.
  • Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House received a $4,917 grant to increase the collaboration of the arts community in Kinglake Ranges through community consultation and development of a project plan for a local Art Trail.

Another stream of VBAF funding, known as Community Group Futures (CGF), is designed to strengthen the capability of local community groups and not-for-profit organisations to ensure they remain viable and sustainable. This is the ninth round of CGF, with seven projects sharing in $100,485 in grants. These projects will provide support and funding for skilled support to develop marketing materials and tools to increase community engagement, as well as support to undertake and implement plans into the future.

Ms Egleton said that it’s been a long road for many local not-for-profits supporting the recovery of their communities, and it’s important that these organisations can access support to explore their longer-term role within the community, as needs continue to evolve.

“That’s why the Community Group Futures program is so important. It helps not-for-profit organisations to think beyond day-to-day operations and short-term needs and look ahead to what is required to be sustainable and viable to meet the needs of the community in the years to come.”

Some of the projects funded through the CGF program include:

  • St Andrews Community Centre received a $20,000 grant to increase St Andrews Community Centre’s capacity to implement a Growth and Stainability Plan through increasing staff hours.
  • Whittlesea Men’s Shed received a $14,000 grant to increase direction and purpose for Whittlesea Men’s Shed members through the development and implementation of a Strategic Plan and an annual Action Plan.

The next round of GR&W, GR&W Kinglake Ranges, and CGF opens on 26 August and closes 23 September 2020. Applications for the GR&W Kinglake Ranges program are now invited from all community groups in the wider Kinglake Ranges, not just those that participated in the initial consultation process in 2017.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

Jump to : GR&W | GR&W Kinglakes Ranges | CGF

Organisation

Project

Location

Awarded

GRANTS FOR RESILIENCE & WELLNESS

Alexandra Community Shed / Eildon and District Woodworkers Guild Inc. 

Sherry’s First Wish
Increase access to functional space for community activities through upgrade to former government offices currently leased by the Alexandra Community Shed / Eildon and District Woodworkers Guild Inc.  

Alexandra

$19,894 

Bruarong Community Centre 

‘Capturing History – Bruarong Stories Remembered’
Improve social cohesion and build strong local cultural identity through place based oral and visual history gathering project.  

Bruarong

$9,420 

Coleraine & District Development Association Inc. 

Grasslands Walk
Increase local wellbeing and tourism attractions through completing construction of a 10km section of the Coleraine – Hamilton Rail Trail. 

Coleraine

$20,000 

Embassy of Ideas Inc. 

Community Feeding it Forward Food Garden
Increase local food security and community wellbeing through establishment of a community garden in Alexandra. 

Alexandra

$20,000 

Flowerdale Hall Reserve Committee of Management 

Facelift for the Flowerdale Community Hall
Increase community pride and continued access to local meeting space due to an upgrade to the exterior of Flowerdale Community Hall.  

Flowerdale

$20,000 

Marysville & Triangle Business and Tourism Inc. 

Mira Shared Community Shed
Increase space for community activities and events through construction of a storage shed at Marysville’s Information and Regional Artspace. 

Marysville

$16,250 

Middle Kinglake Primary School 

The Challenge for the Future- Resilience and Wellbeing – Youth Out Loud
Increase resilience among students at Middle Kinglake Primary School through delivery of the Youth Out Loud Program to grade 5/6 students.  

Kinglake Central

$3,000 

Mitchell Community Resources and Advocacy Group 

Kids2School Program (k2sP)
Increase school engagement for students at Broadford and Upper Plenty Primary Schools through the delivery of a breakfast program and facilitated resilience-building workshop. 

Mitchell Shire

$18,690 

Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. 

 

La Fiera Italian Festival Myrtleford -Young Ambassador Scheme
Increase youth involvement in volunteering and provide training and support through delivery of La Fiera Festival Young Ambassador Scheme.

Myrtleford

$5,380 

Nillumbik Shire Council 

 

Nillumbik Youth Connect
Increase engagement from local youth in Council planning and development through formation of a Youth Council and Youth Strategy.

Hurstbridge

$17,340 

Singing Saturday
Triangle Arts Group Inc. 

Singing Saturday Choir
Enhance wellbeing and community spirit through funding a music director and accompanist for newly formed community choir. 

Marysville

$8,590 

St Andrews Primary School  

 

Library ‘Broadening’ and Upgrade
Increase access to educational resources through the purchase of new books for the St Andrews Primary School Library.  

St Andrews

$19,250 

St Andrews Primary School 

St Andrews Mental Health Training and Support
Increase community support for individuals with mental health issues through delivery of Mental Health First Aid training courses. 

St Andrews

$17,420 

GR&W KINGLAKE RANGES

Kinglake Friends of the Forests Inc

KFF Forest Surveys Project
Improve community awareness of the biodiversity of the region; increased social connection; increased connection to place; and support for environmental recovery through equipment to support monitoring and community tours.

Kinglake

$2,200

Kinglake Landcare Group
(Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc)

Community and the Local Environment
Increase awareness and management of the local environment through the delivery of a series of expert led community workshops and activities.

Kinglake

$28,736

Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc

Digital Archive for Arts Recovery Project
Celebration of the outcomes of arts-led 2009 bushfire recovery activities in the Kinglake Ranges, through development of a Digital Archive of art and its impact.

Kinglake Ranges and Online

$19,855

Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc

Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House
Increase comfort and resources at Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House through upgrade to heating and cooling and increase to Foodshare Program options.

Kinglake, Kinglake West, Pheasant Creek

$65,335

Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc

Be Well in the Ranges Extension
Reduce barriers to mental health support for the 2009 fire affected Kinglake Ranges community, via providing access to locally based mental health professionals.

Kinglake, Kinglake West, Pheasant Creek

$87,000

Toolangi District Community House Inc

Strengthening Our Community
Increase social connection and community participation in Toolangi Castella, through the purchase of resources and delivery of a 24-month program of engaging activities.

Toolangi

$59,649

Kinglake Ranges Arts
(Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc)

Kinglake Art Trail Planning Project
Increase collaboration for the arts community in Kinglake Ranges through community consultation and development of a project plan for a local Art Trail.

Kinglake

$4,917

Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges

A Home for Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges and A Walking Track below the Ranges
Increase evidence and planning support for Kinglake Ranges forest walking track extension project through contracting consultants to develop feasibility study.

Kinglake

$21,560

COMMUNITY GROUP FUTURES

Embassy of Ideas Inc.

Social Enterprise Project Officer
Increase support for development of local food security initiatives through employment of a dedicated worker at the Embassy of Ideas.

Alexandra

$20,000

Mitchell Community Resources and Advocacy Group

Kids2school Program (k2sP)
Increase support and viability for school breakfast program pilot programs in Mitchell Shire through employment of a Project Officer.

Broadford

$17,250

Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges

Onwards and Upwards for the Kinglake Produce & Artisan Markets
Increase efficiency of volunteers and improve management of the Kinglake Produce & Artisan Market through strategic planning and review of policies and procedures.

Kinglake

$11,500

St Andrews Community Centre Inc

Wadambuk Future Viability Project
Increase capacity to implement a Growth and Stainability Plan through increasing staff hours at St Andrews Community Centre.

St Andrews

$20,000

The Anglican Parish of Eaglehawk – Saltworks
Bendigo Diocesan Trusts Corporation

Saltworks Community Engagement
Increase effectiveness of communication and attract stakeholders through redevelopment of brand identity and update of communication tools for Saltworks Bendigo.

Bendigo

$15,000

Toolangi District Community House Inc

Community House Audit and Action Plan
Increase workplace health and safety through review of policies and procedures at Toolangi Castella, Flowerdale and Kinglake Community House’s.

Toolangi

$2,735

Whittlesea Men’s Shed Incorporated

Strategic Planning and Implementation Support
Increase direction and purpose for Whittlesea Men’s Shed members through the development and implementation of a Strategic Plan and an annual Action Plan.

Whittlesea

$14,000