Reports, Evaluations and Continuous Learning

A key part of our model is to try new approaches, then to evaluate and share what we learn. Earlier this year, we published Art Resides Here, which examined how five Victorian communities embraced the arts in different ways.

We also worked with Resilience NSW and University of Sydney to evaluate the action research approach of the Disaster Resilient: Future Ready model. This report, released in September 2021, contains several practical recommendations on how to increase resilience. We also reached mid-point in the Investing in Rural Community Futures program, which has a continuous evaluation element. We will collate those learnings and share then next year.

Our approach to continuously learning extends internally too and this year, we had 12 guest speakers join our Teams check-ins, including community leaders, providing insights from the ground, leaders from our community foundation partners, and from other organisations that also work with remote, rural and regional communities. We also invested in cultural competency and continued to deepen our engagement with and learning from First Nations communities.

Looking ahead, we are undertaking a new flagship research project, Heartbeat of Rural Australia, to understand how community groups and not-for-profits are faring. This will be a critical baseline and help to quantify the critical role that community groups and not-for-profits play in a vibrant remote, rural and regional Australia.