Media releases: 13 August 2024
Seventy-nine community groups across remote, rural and regional Australia are sharing more than $730,000 in grants, thanks to FRRR’s flagship Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.
The grants are awarded through two streams of funding – one that focuses on ‘small and vital projects’ that enhance the vitality and liveability of these country communities, and another that focuses on disaster recovery and preparedness.
FRRR Place Portfolio Lead, Jill Karena, says that as in recent rounds, most projects are seeking to innovate or respond to local opportunities, or enhance community identity, wellbeing and a sense of place – but there are different priorities across the country.
“That’s the beauty of this program. It’s flexible, so it can respond to the priorities of each individual place. But there are some common themes, including building community resilience and local disaster preparedness, especially when it comes to having a self-sufficient centre that can support the community during or after a disaster; responding to increasing food insecurity as costs of living rises; filling gaps caused by more people moving into more rural and remote areas, which in turns drives up demand for community support services – especially specialist services like disability support, First Nations literacy or responding to neurodiversity.
“The focus we saw last round on support for small-scale infrastructure or equipment continued, as more local NFPs take on the management and maintenance of community facilities to ensure they aren’t lost. These kinds of facilities are critical to maintaining social connection, as well as being critical hubs from which visiting services such as mobile playgroups and regular exercise classes operate, or as a place to host critical meetings, so ensuring they are fit for-purpose is vital,” Ms Karena explained.
Some of the projects funded include:
The SRC program is collaboratively supported by donors, ranging from private individuals to larger foundations, who are acknowledged on the FRRR website. However, demand for funding continues to outstrip what FRRR has available, with this round seeing more than 60 ‘funding-ready’ and worthy small and vital projects seeking $680,000 in support missing out. If you would like to help, you can donate at www.frrr.org.au/donate.
FRRR always accepts applications to this program, which awards funds around four times a year. Local not-for-profit organisations and community groups are encouraged to review the program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRC Round 21 - August 2024 | ||||||
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Australian Ocean Laboratory Limited | Wagonga Inlet Monitoring Project Monitor environmental impacts on Wagonga Inlet's marine ecosystem with monitoring buoy built by students. | Narooma | $10,000 | |||
| Casinos Own Wireless Association Inc | Casino’s Own Wireless Partial Kitchen Renovation Renovate Casino’s community radio station's kitchen to enhance safety and accessibility for elderly and vision impaired volunteers. | Casino | $1,380 | |||
| Elm Grove Sanctuary Ltd | Out of Class Room Learning (OCL) Expand opportunities for students experiencing economic, social and psychological challenges with hands on learning activities over four terms. | Narooma | $7,739 | |||
| Lake Cargelligo District Community Children's Centre Assoc Inc | For Our Community Alleviate disadvantages and enhance the centre by painting the classrooms to create a welcoming and vibrant environment. | Lake Cargelligo | $10,000 | |||
| Mendooran Pre-school Incorporated | Community Governance Capacity Building Host a governance workshop for over 20 community organisations to enhance capacity and foster local connections. | Mendooran | $6,000 | |||
| Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW Ltd | PCYC Walgett School Holiday Activity Passes Promote social connections, exercise, and skill development for Indigenous children and those experiencing disadvantage through a free school holiday program. | Walgett | $9,900 | |||
| Sanctuary Point Public School lead by NSW Government Schools | SWAY: Sounds, Words, Aboriginal Language and Yarning Construct a yarning circle for families and educators to conduct children's learning sessions with a certified speech pathologist. | Sanctuary Point | $10,000 | |||
| Taree Universities Campus Ltd | Creating a Gloucester Community Study Hub Establish a study hub with computers, printers, and a welcoming kitchenette to foster educational and personal growth. | Gloucester | $10,000 | |||
| Urunga Business and Community | Air Conditioning the Urunga Literary Institute Hall Enhance organisational capacity by installing air conditioning units in the Urunga Hall. | Urunga | $10,000 | |||
| Wauchope Regional Arts Project - WRAP Inclusive Arts lead by Wauchope Community Arts Council Incorporated | Fostering Inclusion through Art - A Community Mural Project Create a collaboration between local artists with disabilities and professional artists to create a mural on the Post Office wall. | Wauchope | $10,000 | |||
| Wentworth Military Collection Inc | Leaders Exhibition Purchase reproductions of Military Leaders' uniforms for a mobile exhibition fostering student leadership, engaging veterans, and providing historical education. | Wentworth | $9,191 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - 2019/2020 Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
| Capertee and District Progress Association Incorporated | Dinner Dance Enhance bushfire recovery and community connection through a dinner dance with live music entertainment. | Capertee | $800 | |||
| KidsXpress Limited | Tumut Community Partnership Provide free therapy for children, and workshops and trauma aware strategies for teachers and carers to address mental health issues from the 2019/20 bushfires. | Tumut | $25,000 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - Flood Recovery | ||||||
| Bellingen Community Arts Council Incorporated | The Bellingen Shire Arts Trail Weekend 2024 Contribute to flood recovery by purchasing Balinese flags to guide visitors around the Bellingen Shire Arts Trail Weekend. | Urunga | $349 | |||
| Burringbar District Sports Club Ltd | Capacity Building for a Community-led Disaster Response and Recovery Centre for Burringbar Support flood recovery and disaster preparedness by expanding the kitchen with a cool room and additional bench space to store perishables and prepare meals for those affected by disasters. | Burringbar | $25,000 | |||
| Central Tablelands Regional Landcare Network | Art of Hosting Workshop for the Central Tablelands Regional Landcare Network Enhance flood recovery and resilience by improving planning, communication, collaboration and leadership through a workshop for 30 participants. | Wyangala | $10,000 | |||
| Cobar Public School P&C Association | Spring Fair - Partnership with Local Groups Initiative Enhance flood recovery and reduce volunteer fatigue through activities to attract new helpers for the biennial Spring Fair. | Cobar | $2,400 | |||
| Forster Neighbourhood Centre Inc | Recovery and Reactivation of the Forster Community Garden Engage a landscape architect and conduct community consultations to rebuild the community garden destroyed by the 2021 floods. | Forster | $15,239 | |||
| Man Alive Network Inc | M.A.N. 24 Men Inspiring and Supporting Men in a Changing World Enhance resilience and supportive connections for men in a flood-impacted community through facilitated sessions for self-reflection and growth. | Kangaroo Valley | $5,780 | |||
| PBB Media Incorporated | PBB Media Outreach Hub and Baby / Toddler Clothes Swap Support flood recovery by delivering facilitated parenting sessions, first aid training and storage. | Mullumbimby | $6,850 | |||
| Resilient Lismore Incorporated | Evacuation Planning for Community Services on the Lismore Floodplain Support flood recovery and preparedness by hiring a project manager for six months to identify, compile and share best practices in evacuation planning for community service organisations in disaster-affected Lismore. | Lismore | $25,000 | |||
| Stroud Road Community Hall and Progress Association Incorporated | Improving Internal Hall Acoustics Contribute to flood recovery by improving the acoustics in the community hall through installing acoustic panelling. | Stroud Road | $8,718 | |||
| Sussex Inlet RSL Sub-Branch | Strengthening Community Resilience Infrastructure Enhance disaster resilience by providing alternative electricity at the local hall, ensuring 24/7 operation. | Sussex Inlet | $1,827 | |||
| Taree and District Amateur Radio Club Incorporated | New UHF CB Repeater Boost flood preparedness by purchasing a UHF CB repeater to enhance communications for local and isolated communities. | Krambach | $4,363 | |||
| The Dramamatics lead by Regional Community Builders Inc | Unstop-Ability 2024 : Dreams Boost flood recovery and community connection by hosting the fourth annual performing arts ensemble for people with disabilities. | Inverell | $3,780 | |||
| Wildlife Recovery Australia Ltd | Strengthen the Volunteer Program at Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Improve flood preparedness to provide veterinary care to injured and orphaned native wildlife through a volunteer program focused on training, disaster response and community conservation efforts. | Ballina Shire | $23,500 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - General Disaster Preparedness & Recovery | ||||||
| Lithgow and District Volunteer Rescue Squad | Future-Ready Rescues: Enhancing Lithgow's Emergency Response Purchase specialist recovery remote access and complex terrain equipment to enhance disaster preparedness and emergency response in remote, inaccessible areas to reduce reliance on helicopters and other external resources. | Lithgow | $23,714 | |||
| Orara Valley Community Action Network lead by Nana Glen Food Collective Inc | Orara Valley Local Community Information & Emergency 2-way Radio Network Establish a UHF Emergency Radio Network to ensure vital communication for residents during natural disasters. | Coramba | $9,945 | |||
| NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Careflight Limited | Building the Capacity and Resilience of Kalkarindji with respect to Emergency Healthcare Provide emergency healthcare training for a very remote community, improving local capacity to respond to life threatening medical events involving infants and children. | Kalkarindji | $10,000 | |||
| Indigenous Community Television Limited | Festival of Remote Australian Indigenous Moving-Image Travel Bursary Promote local economic development and showcase Indigenous culture by upskilling remote film makers with support to attend professional development workshops. | Alice Springs | $10,000 | |||
| Weedwalkers Top End Landcare Group lead by Landcare NT Incorporated | Capacity Building - Weedwalkers Top End Landcare Group Volunteers Enhance the capacity of volunteers in a remote community to tackle Gamba Grass by providing them with equipment and access to training. | Batchelor | $3,113 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - General Disaster Preparedness & Recovery | ||||||
| Kalano Community Association Inc | Kalano Bush and Grass Fire Preparedness Project Increase community safety by building local capacity to fight fires with the purchase of two purpose-built firefighting trailers in a remote community. | Katherine | $10,000 | |||
| QUEENSLAND | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Baralaba Primary P & C Association | Baralaba Bulls and Barrels Rodeo Reduce social isolation and encourage visitors in a remote community by supporting the establishment of a new rodeo. | Baralaba | $10,000 | |||
| Blackwater North Primary P&C Association | Enhancing Outdoor Play at Blackwater North State School's Playgroup Support cognitive and social development of preschoolers by installing a mud kitchen in the outdoor play area. | Blackwater | $3,003 | |||
| Charleville & District Historical Society Incorporated | Charleville Oral History Electronic Kiosk Preserve local histories and celebrate place by purchasing the equipment to record stories of older residents and make them available to the wider community. | Charleville | $9,505 | |||
| Clermont Men's Shed Inc | Purchase New Bandsaw and Drum Sander for Men's Shed Support older men’s social engagement and community projects by equipping a Men’s Shed with a bandsaw and drum sander. | Clermont | $6,979 | |||
| Deeral QCWA lead by The Queensland Country Women's Association | Air Conditioning for Deeral QCWA Install air conditioning in a local CWA hall to provide a comfortable meeting space for community groups. | Deeral | $7,000 | |||
| Eacham Community Help Organization Inc | Uplifting Volunteers Ensure older residents have access to nutritious food by providing community volunteers with training to enable them to facilitate a meal preparation project with local high school students. | Malanda | $9,944 | |||
| Eva's Place Pregnancy and Early Parenting Support Inc | Air Conditioners and Awesome People Really are the 8th Wonder of the World Increase comfort for expecting and new parents by installing air-conditioning in new group activity space. | Kingaroy | $9,238 | |||
| Jericho Tourism Committee Inc | Jordan River Walk Improve local amenity and encourage tourism by adding additional picnic tables and chairs along a river walk. | Jericho | $10,000 | |||
| Killarney & District Senior Citizens Inc | A Sign for the Killarney Senior Citizens Hall Promote awareness of local events and activities by installing changeable signage outside a local hall. | Killarney | $7,150 | |||
| Malanda Men's Shed Incorporated | Resurface Car Park Repair a flood damaged car park enabling safe access to a facility for a variety of community user groups. | Malanda | $9,000 | |||
| Mission Beach Community Arts Centre Inc | Gallery Air Conditioning Foster community engagement with the arts by installing air conditioning to create a suitable environment for art works and visitors. | Mission Beach | $10,000 | |||
| Native Plants Queensland - Kingaroy & Districts Branch lead by Society for Growing Australian Plants Queensland Region Incorporated | Carroll Nature Area Proposed Interpretive Sign Encourage visitation and promote environmental awareness with interpretive signage at a dry rainforest reserve. | Kingaroy | $7,281 | |||
| QCWA Bollon Branch | Bollon, Outback Queensland Book Preserve local history and foster community pride by creating a collectable coffee table book celebrating Bollon. | Bollon | $6,868 | |||
| Rotary Club of Innisfail Fitzgerald lead by Rotary Club of Innisfail Fitzgerald | RiverFest Innisfail Promote economic and social recovery from floods through a festival celebrating the local natural environment. | Innisfail | $10,000 | |||
| Yelarbon Workers Inc | Mowing Forward: A New Lawn Mower for a More Vibrant Yelarbon Purchase mowing equipment to provide lawn mowing for older residents to support them to live independently in the community. | Yelarbon | $9,735 | |||
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| District Council of Elliston | Elliston Play Gym Support the development of remote preschool children whilst reducing social isolation of their parents & carers by purchasing play equipment for a fun gym program. | Elliston | $5,900 | |||
| Edithburgh Institute Committee | Kitchen Upgrade Upgrade the hall’s electrical system to ensure the kitchen is a safe and compliant space for activities and events in a remote community. | Edithburgh | $10,000 | |||
| Genuine Support Services Australia lead by Silent Ripples Inc | 2024 Mental Health & Wellbeing Expo Promote positive mental health in Murray Bridge by engaging renowned key speakers for a forum fostering discussions on community wellbeing. | Murray Bridge | $10,000 | |||
| Stirling North Primary School | Seed to Plate: Giving Project Establish a school garden and healthy cooking program to enhance student education and to supply meals to a local community food relief program. | Stirling North | $6,875 | |||
| Tarcowie Progress Association Incorporated | New Amenities in the Soldiers Memorial Institute Sustain a pivotal hall and the work of its volunteers by upgrading the 1930’s toilet block to increase safety, accessibility and hygiene for locals and visitors. | Tarcowie | $10,000 | |||
| TASMANIA | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Tasmanian Producers Co-operative Ltd | Improving Infrastructure to Support Resilient Local Food Communities Build capacity of a food distribution service and improve community access to fresh food by providing an upright freezer to store produce supplied by local farmers. | Launceston | $7,358 | |||
| Westerway Community Hall Association Incorporated | Renovation of the Westerway Hall Enhance a community hall by upgrading external walls to provide a comfortable and welcoming space for events and activities that encourage social connection. | Westerway | $4,000 | |||
| Fingal Valley Neighbourhood House | St Marys Community Hub Enhance bushfire recovery and disaster preparedness by refurbishing two unused portable buildings and an outdoor space for Neighbourhood House programs to increase capacity and strengthen a key community asset. | St Marys | $22,861 | |||
| VICTORIA | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Alvie Primary School | Community Lunch Program Boost community health and cost of living relief and foster intergenerational social connections by delivering a school-led series of community lunches in Alvie. | Alvie | $8,370 | |||
| Berry Street Victoria Incorporated | The Gathering Place Support First Nations connection to community and Gunaikurnai Country by delivering social activities and events that promote healing through cultural engagement. | Morwell | $10,000 | |||
| Birregurra Pre-school Centre Incorporated | Equipment for a Safe Green Space Support early childhood development and improve safety and workload of volunteers by purchasing a lawn mower to maintain a grassland play area at a community kindergarten. | Birregurra | $1,499 | |||
| Casterton Memorial Hospital | Health Station at Casterton Show Promote physical health and support ageing well in a region challenged by GP-shortage, by providing a free heart check test-station at the Casterton Agricultural Show. | Casterton | $4,750 | |||
| Colac Otway Residents Action Group Inc | School Lunches for Children Support students' education, nutrition and wellbeing by providing school lunches for vulnerable children at six local primary schools. | Colac | $2,500 | |||
| Hopetoun & District Neighbourhood House Inc | Gym Update Enhance health and social wellbeing in an isolated community by updating a gym station with fit-for-purpose equipment. | Hopetoun | $5,751 | |||
| Lexton Rural Fire Brigade lead by Country Fire Authority | Remote Area Lighting Strengthen capability of an emergency service brigade with portable LED lighting to enable effective emergency response at night. | Lexton | $3,837 | |||
| Lions Club of Camperdown Inc | All Abilities Play Space Install an all-abilities wheelchair-accessible carousel at Camperdown's Apex Park to improve health and social inclusion of children living with a disability. | Camperdown | $10,000 | |||
| Mt Alexander Shire Accommodation & Respite Group Inc | Solar Panels Mellissa Court Respite House Build resilience for a vital disability respite service by installing solar panels to reduce costs and ensure energy supply during power outages. | Castlemaine | $10,000 | |||
| Murtoa Agricultural and Pastoral Society Incorporated | Grain Arcade - Harvest Simulator Support youth engagement in agriculture and sustain community events by providing a virtual reality farming game for the 2024 Murtoa Show. | Murtoa | $1,500 | |||
| Poowong Consolidated School | Storm Resilience Sanitation and Communications Upgrade Ensure continuous power during extreme weather for a community refuge at a school by modifying a switchboard and installing a generator. | Poowong | $9,860 | |||
| Prace Inc | Barista for Beginners Create employment pathways for young people living in Mitchell Shire by delivering Barista and front-of-house hospitality training workshops. | Broadford | $7,730 | |||
| Ultima Progress Association | RTC Cafe Commercial Cooking Equipment Boost a community-owned café's capacity to offer hospitality training, employment and provide a local meal service by purchasing commercial kitchen equipment. | Ultima | $9,880 | |||
| Waranga News Inc | Community News in the Digital Age Strengthen youth engagement, social wellbeing and audience reach by transitioning a community-owned newspaper to a digital platform. | Rushworth | $9,538 | |||
| Warracknabeal Playgroup Inc | Children's First Aid Course Provide first aid training to parents and carers volunteering for a pre-school program and safeguard the health and wellbeing of children aged 0-5. | Warracknabeal | $600 | |||
| Wedderburn Golf Club Inc | Access for All Upgrade toilets at a community facility to meet disability standards to improve accessibility for all users, including older residents. | Wedderburn | $10,000 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - 2019/2020 Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
| Cabbage Tree Mens Shed Inc | Clean Up Land Enhance community disaster readiness against bushfires and disasters by purchasing a mulcher for a volunteer led fuel-reduction safety program. | Cabbage Tree Creek | $21,875 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - Flood Recovery | ||||||
| Surf Lifesaving Lakes Entrance Inc | Rescue Boat for Disaster Readiness Enhance community safety and build volunteer capacity during flood emergencies by purchasing a rescue boat and lifesaving equipment. | Lakes Entrance | $15,290 | |||
| Prepare & Recover - General Disaster Preparedness & Recovery | ||||||
| Swifts Creek Hall Inc | Securing Our Community Hub Enhance disaster preparedness by replacing the corroded roof at Swifts Creek Hall, and maintain the facility as a safe community space. | Swifts Creek | $25,000 | |||
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Small & Vital | ||||||
| Gingin District Community Resource Centre Inc | Gingin's Meet Your Community Groups' Sundowner Encourage awareness of volunteering opportunities with local community groups through a meet and greet event. | Gingin | $2,500 | |||
| Narrogin Primary School Parents and Citizens Association Inc Canteen | Playground Improvements Phonenix Project Support the physical and mental development of children through the provision of updated playground equipment. | Narrogin | $10,000 | |||
| South West Group Affiliated Agricultural Associations Inc | The Thirst Quencher Station Reduce plastic waste and encouraging healthy drinking options across multiple community events by purchasing a portable rehydration station and trailer. | Dardanup | $10,000 | |||
| Warburton Community Inc | Let’s Talk About What Really Happens – Working Wellbeing Practice Framework for Wilurarra Creative Strengthen organisational capacity to work with Indigenous youth by developing a wellbeing framework to support and attract staff in a very remote community. | Warburton | $10,000 | |||
| Wyndham Historical Society Inc | Resurrecting Wyndham's Big Wheel Enhance community pride and encourage visitation by relocating a historically significant waterwheel to the Wyndham Museum. | Wyndham | $8,000 | |||
