Media releases: 12 November 2024
FRRR and ANZ have awarded $250,000 in grants to 22 community groups and not-for-profit organisations through the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program.
Now in its 22nd year, the program provides grants to community groups across remote, rural and regional Australia. The awarded funds will support projects that align with one of four key areas: improving access to housing; increasing financial wellbeing; advancing environmental sustainability; or helping communities to thrive.
ANZ Head of Agribusiness, Mark Bennett said, “For over two decades, Seeds of Renewal has provided more than $6 million to approximately 930 projects, helping around 870 communities in remote and regional Australia build their resilience, sustainability and vibrancy.
“We are proud to provide funding for a diverse mix of projects that will support lasting economic and social growth for rural communities. These targeted and well-informed grants allow local organisations to implement initiatives that will have a meaningful impact and ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.”
FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton said, “Across remote, rural and regional Australia, not-for-profit organisations play a vital role in helping address the critical environmental, financial, housing or wellbeing needs of their communities.
“Through partnerships, such as our longstanding association with ANZ, we can support and fund these groups to lead local initiatives and continue to strive for, and celebrate, the liveability, sustainability and vibrancy of Australia’s remote, rural and regional communities,” Ms Egleton said.
Some examples of the projects funded this year include:
Improving access to housing:
- Gnowangerup Community Resource Centre on behalf of GNP360 Co-operative Ltd, Universal Access for Gnowangerup Accommodation and Family Hotel Precinct, Gnowangerup, WA – Redesign and construct an all-abilities-access entrance and provide correctly-designed toilet facilities at the 100-year-old Gnowangerup Hotel. $15,000.
- PlusCommunity Limited, Wirree Crisis Refuge Laundry Upgrade, Orange, NSW – Repurpose the existing laundry space at Wirree Crisis Refuge, allowing people sleeping rough to access private, free, and safe laundry, shower and bathroom facilities. $15,000.
Improving environmental sustainability:
- Dalby Family Support Association Inc, Increasing Sustainability, Reducing Footprint, Dalby, QLD – Install solar panels in the office building to increase organisational sustainability and decrease electrical expenses, releasing funds to benefit the local community. $15,000.
- Trentham Sustainability Group Inc, Energy Resilient Trentham, Trentham, VIC – Construct an energy resilience hub, so that key businesses and residences in the Trentham township have electricity during extreme weather events. $15,000.
Improving Financial Wellbeing:
- Mooghalin Performing Arts Incorporation on behalf of Kids Get Money Pty Ltd, Increasing Financial Literacy in the Brewarrina Shire, Goodooga, NSW – Deliver a school holiday financial literacy program for First Nations children and families in Brewarrina Shire, teaching skills that will directly improve financial wellbeing. $15,000.
- Oceania Indigenous House of Ecommerce Limited, Oceania DigitalX Pathways Workshop, Kununurra, WA – Provide women from the Kimberley region with digital literacy and entrepreneurship skills to enable informed business decisions and enhance economic participation. $6,500.
Assisting local communities to thrive:
- Great Lake Community Centre Inc, Renewing Comfort: Empowering Our Community Hall with Smart, Sustainable Heating, Miena, TAS – Replace the more than 20 year-old heating systems, increasing capacity to open the meeting hall throughout the sub-Alpine winter months for community activities and special events. $15,000.
- Price Progress Association Incorporated, Price Community Club Shed Upgrade, Price, SA – Upgrade existing facilities into an inclusive and accessible community hub that will cater for multi-purpose use and benefit the wider Price community. $15,000.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
| Coonamble Local Aboriginal Land Council | Kinship Clean Enhance community environments and connection with volunteer-run clean up events addressing rubbish removal cost barriers. | Coonamble | $12,000 | |||
| First Steps Count Incorporated | Grow In Our Community Support community to thrive with a therapeutic community garden for social connectedness and learning about environmental sustainability. | Taree | $9,966 | |||
| Mooghalin Performing Arts Incorporation on behalf of Kids Get Money Pty Ltd | Increasing Financial Literacy in the Brewarrina Shire Develop financial literacy across three Indigenous communities in remote NSW by supporting a program to build core financial knowledge. | Goodooga | $15,000 | |||
| Percolab Coop Ltd | Inverell Listening Festival Support a community to thrive with a Listening Festival to strengthen connections, vibrancy and sense of community in Inverell. | Inverell | $14,200 | |||
| PlusCommunity Limited | Wirree Crisis Refuge Laundry Upgrade Project Upgrade community facilities to ensure a clean and functional space that supports the alleviation of homelessness in a regional community. | Orange | $15,000 | |||
| Regional Counselling Limited | Redefine Your Future Enhance financial wellbeing of young adults by delivering workshops focussed on improving financial literacy, management and independence. | Bathurst | $15,000 | |||
| QUEENSLAND | ||||||
| Better Together Community Support Inc | Better Together Community Garden Strengthen community ties with a community garden project to foster learning and promote long-term health. | Atherton | $6,816 | |||
| Dalby Family Support Assn Inc | Increasing Sustainability, Reducing Footprint Build community sustainability with solar panels to enable local family support to afford greater opportunities. | Dalby | $15,000 | |||
| Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association | PCYC South Burnett Community Development Officer Engage and support young people by employing a development officer to program regular activities and provide structure and support for the organisation. | Murgon | $10,000 | |||
| Weeroona Association Inc | Accessible Community Day Centre Facility Enhance facilities for people with a disability with an accessible community day centre facility. | Gympie | $10,000 | |||
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Generations in Jazz Inc | Purchase of Landscape Equipment - Commercial Zero Turn Mower Build community capacity with a ride-on mower to maintain grounds at a local facility and festival site. | OB flat | $14,300 | |||
| Price Progress Association Incorporated | Price Community Club Shed Upgrade Boost community sustainability and vibrancy by upgrading facilities to ensure volunteer safety and event functionality. | Price | $15,000 | |||
| TASMANIA | ||||||
| Great Lake Community Centre Inc | Renewing Comfort: Empowering Our Community Hall with Smart, Sustainable Heating Support development of a community hub and improve visitor comfort by purchasing heating systems. | Miena | $15,000 | |||
| Lower Barrington Community Hall Inc | Welcoming Community Kitchen Revitalisation Project Enhance the community's social wellbeing and lessen isolation by helping with the kitchen renovation project. | Lower Barrington | $5,000 | |||
| VICTORIA | ||||||
| Kaiela Institute Limited | Dungala-Kaiela Indigenous Business Project Improve sustainability of First Nations organisations and lift community aspirations by delivering financial training. | Shepparton | $15,000 | |||
| Omeo Community Hall and Hub CoM Inc | Digitalising Omeo Hall for the Future Improve community connections and create digital opportunities by upgrading technology at a community centre. | Omeo | $10,000 | |||
| Orbost Exhibition Centre on the Snowyriver Inc | pARTicipate - A Better, More Accessible and Financially Sustainable Centre for Creative Arts and Venue Hire in East Gippsland Improve accessibility and sustainability of a centre for creative arts and community events by upgrading infrastructure. | Orbost | $10,000 | |||
| Ovens Landcare Network Inc | Common Myna Action in North East Victoria Protect natural environment and support local organisations to proactively manage pest numbers within the local area. | Wangaratta | $3,193 | |||
| Trentham Sustainability Group Incorporated | Energy Resilient Trentham – A Community Climate Resilience and Adaptation Project Boost community preparedness for extreme weather events by supporting development of a business plan to establish an energy resilience hub. | Trentham | $15,000 | |||
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Doors Wide Open Inc | First Aid Training Support volunteers by delivering first aid training so they can safely provide medical support to community members accessing the organisation's critical services. | Bunbury | $3,025 | |||
| Gnowangerup Community Resource Centre on behalf of GNP360 Co-operative Ltd | Universal Access for Gnowangerup Accommodation and Family Hotel Precinct Improve all-abilities access to a community facility that supports wellbeing and connection amongst community members. | Gnowangerup | $15,000 | |||
| Oceania Indigenous House of Ecommerce Limited | Oceania DigitalX Pathways Workshop Empower Indigenous women through training to build digital literacy and entrepreneurial skills. | Kununurra | $6,500 | |||
