Grants to fund 19 initiatives across rural and ag-dependent regions
Nineteen not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) helping people from farming and rural communities at risk of, or currently experiencing, mental health challenges are sharing in $334,501 in grants, thanks to FRRR’s In a Good Place (IAGP) program.
The grants will support these NFPs to raise awareness of positive mental health practices, promote broad discussion about mental health issues to combat stigma and provide opportunities for social connection to enhance both personal and community resilience.
Thanks to the support of FRRR’s donor partners, the IAGP program has been able to fund a wide range of general community wellbeing projects, as well as 10 initiatives specifically designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of farmers and the communities they live in.
Jill Karena, Head of Granting at FRRR, said that the continued demand for In a Good Place grants shows that there is a strong desire to overcome the perceived stigma around mental health in the bush.
“Equitable access to mental health services, training and support is a persistent concern for non-metro regions across the country, so supporting NFPs to help bridge this gap is something that FRRR, is incredibly passionate about. We are grateful to work with like-minded partners who share this mission.
“The In a Good Place program is becoming an increasingly critical source of funding for community organisations that are a vital lifeline of mental health support for people living in remote, rural and regional communities. The more that we can fund mental health projects and services in these places, the more farmers and rural people can see that it takes strength, not weakness, to reach out and accept help.
“To help break down these barriers, we’ve awarded grants to NFPs that will bring farmers and people from the country together in a safe space where they can listen to and engage with relatable guest speakers who will share their lived experiences. In Dookie, in Victoria, and Smithton in Tasmania, the Just a Farmer film will be a great catalyst for local farmers and other rural community members to join these frank, and sometimes challenging, conversations.
“In other communities, such as Queenstown in Tasmania, Kerang in Victoria, Wardell in New South Wales, Chapman Valley in Western Australia and Bowen in Queensland, locals are keen to do mental health training. Doing certifications and courses, such as Mental Health First Aid, safeTalk, Assist and other suicide prevention education programs, means that people that might be doing it tough will have better access to the resources and support they need.
“We’re supporting these kinds of initiatives because we know that education empowers local people to support and strengthen one another, which is a key factor in sustaining a vibrant and resilient rural Australia,” Ms Karena said.
“FRRR is also directing funding to disaster-affected remote, rural and regional communities where isolation and the loss of physical and social structures can exacerbate mental health issues, especially for more vulnerable people. In places like Rochester in Victoria, these funds will provide practical assistance and access to mental health support services as these regions continue to recover from flooding events.
“Extreme weather events, the changing climate and shifting industries and markets are also affecting agriculture-dependent communities like Mossman in Queensland. To support these regions, some of the grants will enable NFPs to support farmers and their communities to connect, relate, learn and share how their mental health has been affected by climate change, disasters and environmental disruption,” Ms Karena said.
The next round of the program will open in July 2025. Learn more at: https://frrr.org.au/funding/place/in-a-good-place/.
The In a Good Place program is collaboratively supported by FRRR’s partners APS Foundation and CCI Giving; Well Thanks Foundation; the Farmer & Farming Community Funder Collective consisting of Macdoch Foundation, Jibb Foundation, Morris Family Foundation, Norman Family Foundation and Rebecca Gorman & John Sevior; and general donations.
FRRR would also welcome more partners for this program. Potential supporters should contact partnerships@frrr.org.au or call 03 5430 2399.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In a Good Place - Round 9 - 2025 | ||||||
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
| Corowa District Landcare Inc | Mental Health Matters: First Aid for Our Community Foster a more supportive and resilient community by building mental health awareness and reducing stigma through training. | Corowa | $10,045 | |||
| Openground - Australian Centre for Mindfulness and Compassion Ltd | Resilient Farmers and Families Deliver three adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction courses, customised specifically for farmers and the farming community in Young. | Young | $19,942 | |||
| Wardell Community Organised Resilience Effort Inc | Strengthening Men's Mental Health and Peer Support in Regional Communities Raise awareness and normalise mental health discussions and help-seeking for men living in a flood affected community by providing targeted mental health training. | Wardell | $20,000 | |||
| NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||||
| The Alannah & Madeline Foundation | Youth Mental Health First Aid Training for Katherine School of the Air Educators Increase supportive networks for remote students through targeted mental health training for educators. | Katherine | $20,000 | |||
| QUEENSLAND | ||||||
| Bowen Gumlu Growers' Association Inc | Harvesting Healthy Minds Improve mental health awareness and wellbeing among farmers and their workforce through Mental Health First Aid Training. | Bowen | $19,991 | |||
| Dirranbandi Arts Council Inc | From the Ground Up Harness the mental health benefits of creative and self-reflective activities through art to support disaster recovery and resilience. | Dirranbandi | $6,470 | |||
| Douglas Shire Community Services Association Ltd | Recovery Through Community Connections Strengthen resilience and renew sense of place through a variety of activities addressing industry change and disaster impacts and recovery. | Mossman | $20,000 | |||
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Shedway Ltd | Shedway to Sports Shear Nationals 2025 and Training Volunteers for the Future! Create a sustainable network of trained mental health advocates within the shearing industry and build a culture of mental health awareness and ongoing support. | Jamestown | $19,900 | |||
| TASMANIA | ||||||
| Circular Head Council | Connect, Circular Head Raise awareness, encourage open discussion, build capability and promote help-seeking in small communities through film screening, lived experience speakers, mental health training and social gatherings. | Smithton | $20,000 | |||
| Kentish Regional Clinic Inc | CORES Suicide Prevention Training and Self-Care and Mental Wellbeing Workshops Enhance mental health literacy and build practical skills in rural Tasmania through a series of training workshops to increase personal and community resilience. | Queenstown | $20,000 | |||
| VICTORIA | ||||||
| Boort Resource and Information Centre | BAgS-a-chat Improve resilience, social connection and mental health awareness by providing a variety of activities designed to build skills and provide opportunities for meaningful conversations. | Boort, Quambatook, Pyramid Hill | $20,000 | |||
| Fruit Growers Victoria Ltd | Health on The Hill for Farmers Raise awareness, encourage open discussion and promote help seeking in farming communities via an outdoor screening of Just A Farmer, community discussion, and wellbeing activities. | Dookie | $10,000 | |||
| Lifeline Loddon Mallee Ltd | Addressing the Mental Health Concerns of Young People in Regional Communities Support the delivery of safeTALK training workshops in schools to support young people to develop awareness skills, mental health knowledge, self-care and peer support. | Kerang | $20,000 | |||
| Rochester Community House Inc | Heart to Heart with Bern - One on One Mental Health Support at Rochester Community House Normalise mental health discussion and help-seeking in a flood affected community by providing continued access to local mental health support. | Rochester | $20,000 | |||
| Schizy Inc | Schizy Inc Rural Mental Health Lived Experience Creative Arts and Community Build the capacity and skill of local lived experience arts leaders to provide a variety of activities that promote inclusion and social connections for people will mental ill health. | Maldon, Castlemaine, Rheola, Bridgewater, Wedderburn | $18,000 | |||
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Coorow Community Resource Centre Inc | Coorow Catchup & Cuppa- Supporting Our Farming Community Cultivate meaningful social connections to reduce social isolation by providing a community space with targeted wellbeing activities and positive mental health messages. | Coorow | $20,000 | |||
| Gascoyne Catchments Group Inc | Pastoral Community Wellbeing and Resilience Program Provide a structured and accessible mental health support system for farming communities through workshops and interactive online platform. | Gascoyne, Exmouth, Canarvon | $18,000 | |||
| Northcliffe Family Centre Inc | Farm Health Matters Address farming isolation, build peer support networks and increase resilience of local farming communities through a series of mental health focussed workshops. | Northcliffe | $17,867 | |||
| Shire of Chapman Valley | The Mental Health First Aid Initiative Providing accessible, community-based support and increasing mental health literacy among farmers and pastoralists in Chapman Valley through the provision of Mental Health First Aid Training and peer network. | Chapman Valley | $14,286 | |||