While FRRR is well-known for its grantmaking, the work that we do is much more than simply getting money to the right places. But don’t just take our word for it. See what our donor partners and the community groups say they find most helpful about working with us and where they see that we add value.
FRRR’s value – for Communities
1. Community-Led
FRRR walks with and besidecommunities to listen,understand,amplify and support not-for-profit organisations to implement local solutions to local problems because we know that communities have the greatest understanding of their challenges and how they can overcome them.
2. Knowledge & Experience
The majority of FRRR’s team members live and work outside the big cities, and all staff have genuine understanding and empathy around the needs of remote, rural and regional communities. They volunteer for local community groups and service organisations, are involved with their kids’ schools and sporting clubs and importantly have a keen interest and desire to see remote, rural and regional communities thrive.
3. Building Capacity
FRRR builds capability and capacity in the communities we serve by:
Listening to and amplifying community needs;
Delivering grantseeker workshops and connecting community leaders with resources and networks;
Utilising networks and knowledge to direct communities to other funding bodies and navigate the funding environment in times of volunteer fatigue and crisis; and
Providing tailored feedback on project ideas and applications to upskill applicants and increase their success rate of accessing funding in the future.
4. Support
FRRR’s support leverages other funding for remote, rural and regional communities. Other funders recognise the quality of FRRR’s review process and due diligence, which instils confidence and our grants spur on others to provide funding and support. Last financial year, FRRR team members collectively spent more than 360 hours on the phone supporting applicants with their applications and providing feedback.
“Thank you for your support and flexibility in delivering this program in a challenging pandemic. It was really great to know that FRRR would be flexible with dates so that we could eventually see the program go ahead.“ Beechworth Kindergarten
“I have dealt with a lot of grants organisations but none of them come close to FRRR. You are the best at what you do and I just want to thank you so much! You just get it! Everyone I speak to is so helpful and most importantly I can tell that you genuinely understand and really care about us and the issues small rural communities face. It just makes such a difference.” South Purrumbete Recreation Reserve
“We have found working with FRRR a pleasure and FRRR is always ready to explain, assist and support us in our applications, final reports etc.” Koreah Soldiers Memorial Hall
“I have learnt a lot about how to go about asking for support for a tiny town like ours.” Mungallala Progress and Sporting Association Inc
“FRRR is amazing. It’s not just about the grant the community receives, but it’s the support provided over the phone and on emails that makes FRRR fantastic to work with, a true partner, not just funders.” Thallon Progress Association
“We really appreciate FRRR’s ability to understand the challenges faced by the community.“ Uniting Victoria and Tasmania
“The online grant workshop I attended gave me the confidence to understand what is the magic formula for a strong business case with supporting letters of endorsement suggestions. Attending this online session ‘changed our world’ and we are very honoured, privileged and proud to be a successful recipient in our following two FRRR grant applications… In the early days, it is very easy to ‘give up’ on the first attempt. Thanks to your guidance, I am pleased to advise we have successfully secured 10 grants since July last year with a 77% success rate. I have learnt so much from FRRR and will always be your advocate for other community organisations.” Glastonbury Hall & Recreation Association
FRRR’s value – for Funders
1. Governance & Transparency
FRRR has the governance, structures, protocols and a long track recordto ensure that the right funds get to those communities who need it most.
2. Knowledge & Experience
As a regionally-based team, with a long-history of working with remote, rural, and regional communities, FRRR has a unique understanding of the needs of these areas. We share our insights with Government and other sectors to advocate for remote, rural and regional organisations and communities.
3. Leverage
FRRR’s grants are known to leverage other sources of funding and in-kind support. FRRR has a unique position to be able topool funds from a number of different donors to invest more broadly and deeply.
4. Flexibility & Reach
Our long-standing relationships and unique knowledge of rural and remote communities means we can reach organisations and projects that other funders either are unlikely to know about or can’t support. We can also be flexible to the needs of funders, their areas of interest and corporate social responsibility strategy.
“We really wanted to partner with FRRR to support rural communities. We also knew that with FRRR the funds would get to where they needed to go in a timely fashion for the purpose we intended.” Lucy Watson AMP Foundation
“FRRR sits alongside communities and within community, it doesn’t dictate to communities how things should happen. They are very much there as a trusted partner and enabler. I knew FRRR would deliver and would do it in a way that respected the agency that communities need to have in these times of disaster.” Michelle Gortan CEO, Macdoch Foundation
“We would recommend FRRR to any donor wishing to reach small communities in regional Australia. The aspect of FRRR that allows funding of non-DGR projects is a distinct advantage, as is the reach into areas that metro-based entities cannot easily achieve. We have found the FRRR team flexible and accommodating in recommending projects that fit our charter, and importantly meet the needs and priorities of local communities.” Paula Thomson Portland House Foundation
“We recognise that FRRR will be able to get the funds to places that the Sidney Myer Fund wouldn’t be able to reach. FRRR has a deep understanding of needs on the ground. FRRR is very hands on and great at supporting applicants every step of the way.” KirstyAllen Senior Program Manager, Sidney Myer Fund
What it takes for FRRR to Engage & Deliver
When you make a donation to FRRR, you are supporting the aspirations of remote, rural and regional communities. Donations to our programs fund grants and the delivery & engagement costs of FRRR.
The delivery and engagement component enables FRRR to provide our grantees and applicants with a high level of support, and to undertake the necessary due diligence to ensure that our donors’ generous contributions get to where they are of most value. This component varies from program to program and covers a portion of our costs.
We regularly review the operation and delivery of our programs and consult with grantees, applicants and partners, to identify efficiencies to keep our costs to a minimum, without sacrificing our support for both donors and grantees.
For instance, for every $10 donated to our Strengthening Rural Communities program, $8 is granted out to communities, with $2 funding the delivery of the program, the support we provide to our applicants and grantees, and the information provided to our donors.
