Grants support COVID recovery, Black Summer bushfire recovery and Small & Vital projects

FRRR has awarded $1,448,968 in grants to 121 projects across remote, rural and regional Australia as part of their Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

This program awards grants to community-led initiatives that directly benefits those living in remote, rural and regional Australia. There are three streams of funding: the Small & Vital stream, 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire recovery and the Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream, which supports recovery from COVID-19.

Small and Vital stream

Through the Small & Vital stream, $368,227 in grants will be awarded to 43 community groups and NFPs. This stream funds grassroots initiatives that locals in remote, rural and regional areas feel are a priority when it comes to strengthening their community. One example of a project being funded in this stream in this round is the Meandarra Primary P&C Association in Queensland, which is using their grant to boost community wellbeing and encourage socialising by opening the school pool to the community free of charge.

Black Summer grants

Also included in this round are 44 grants that will go towards initiatives that are supporting the ongoing recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires. These projects will share in $792,136, with initiatives like the Country Fire Authority’s Yackandandah Fire Station Readiness being funded to increase the capacity of volunteers to support bushfire preparedness by installing a workstation and storage units.

Rebuilding Regional Communities – supporting COVID-19 recovery

In this round, 34 grants will go towards recovery from the pandemic. Funded by the Australian Government, the Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) grants total $288,604. Among the recipients in this stream is (It’s no) drama, a physical theatre ensemble for people living with and without disability. This community group will reduce social isolation in South Gippsland, Victoria by delivering an accessible community dance project designed and facilitated by disabled and non-disabled artists.

Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that the diversity of projects put forward by communities highlights the importance of offering flexible funding that can respond to local needs and priorities.

“More than half of the funding in this round is going towards recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires which really highlights the need for ongoing support to disaster-impacted areas. Three years on, it’s clear that community groups and local NFPs need additional resources to continue showing up for their communities to the best of their ability.

“Many of these bushfire-impacted communities have also been affected by flooding, drought or the mice plague in recent years, on top of COVID, so the physical and emotional toll of these multiple events is making the recovery process even more difficult.

“When it came to RRC this round, we started to see more focus on the recovery process and rebuilding, alongside mental health and social isolation as the focus. This is an encouraging sign as it indicates that remote, rural and regional communities are increasingly looking towards the longer-term.

“Elsewhere, in the Small & Vital stream of the program, we continue to see a focus on food security and energy efficiency with requests for funding for solar installation, energy efficient equipment in local amenities and support for community gardens. These recurring themes are no surprise given the current cost of living crisis,” Ms Karena said.

Some more of the 129 projects funded include:

• Workways Australia Limited -Clarence Valley, NSW – Cool (Mosaic) burning in the Clarence Valley – Build resilience in the Taloumbi community by teaching locals to use the cool (mosaic) burning land management practice, a tool to reduce future bushfire risk, promote biodiversity, build resilience, and regenerate habitat for endangered native species. $20,456 (Bushfire Recovery)
• MJD Foundation Limited – Ngukurr, NT – Development of MJDF ‘in place’ service – phase 1 – Enable people to live well ‘on Country’ by developing a plan to establish a permanent medical support presence in community for people impacted by Machado-Joseph Disease. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
• Atherton Performing Arts Inc – Atherton, QLD – 12 Air purifiers to protect our performers, audiences and others – Enhance the process of community recovery from COVID-19 by improving public safety at the theatre with the purchase of air purifiers to remove airborne pathogens. $7,103 (Rebuilding Regional Communities)
• Snowtown Centenary Park – Snowtown, SA – Centenary Park Mural – Improve the appearance of a public amenity, and boost tourism and community engagement in Snowtown through the installation of a mural. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
• Lower Barrington Community Hall – Lower Barrington, TAS – Lower Barrington Hall: Disability Friendly Bathroom Project, Stage 2 – Increase community access for all abilities and enhance social engagement opportunities by improving disability access at a local hall. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
• Tatura Civic Halls Committee – Tatura, VIC – Mechanics’ Hall Floor Rejuvenation – Preserve local heritage and provide a comfortable facility for community members to connect by replacing flooring that is beyond repair. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
• Marribank Aboriginal Corporation – Marribank, WA – Marribank Mission Cleanup – Create a space for healing of Noongar people and past residents of the old mission through the rejuvenation of the site into an Aboriginal managed training and cultural learning centre. $10,000 (Small & Vital)

A full list of grant recipients is available on FRRR’s website.

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, which are acknowledged on FRRR’s website.

This program always accepts applications. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the expanded program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

On Ngadju Country

Late 2019 / early 2020 saw 13 bushfires devastate approximately one million hectares of Ngadju country in southern WA, including large tracts of the Great Western Woodlands, the largest temperate woodland remaining on Earth. It is estimated that the extent of the area of Ngadju country impacted by the fires was equivalent to about half the size of Victoria. The bushfires burnt tracts of old growth forest, overran spiritual sites and destroyed the habitat and nests of threatened species.

Ngadju Conservation Aboriginal Corporation (NCAC) works with the Ngadju community to increase the understanding of conservation and land management opportunities and assist in building capacity to achieve them. Ngadju Rangers use cultural knowledge, refined over thousands of years, to care for the environment and work on Country to manage fire, feral animals and weeds, and to protect mijalkarru (rockholes), the Granites, water places and the flora and fauna of the Great Western Woodlands and the Nullarbor plains.

Following the fires, NCAC received a $25,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded by IKEA Australia through FRRR to help the Ngadju Rangers to both repair the damage and undertake work to protect the environment and cultural sites from the devasting impact of the bushfires. Their approach involves a detailed program of cultural burning to protect sites, old growth and water trees. The mosaic effect of landscape-scale burning benefits biodiversity by reducing the extent and severity of large-scale fire and creates a range of vegetation growth stages and habitats that suit different species. Prior to a burn, Ngadju Rangers and Elders walk through the planned burn site to survey for cultural and environmental values. However, access to the tracks leading to these sites were heavily impacted by the recent fires and also from years of neglect.

NCAC used the grant to commission a specially fabricated trailer with hydraulic tipping for use with their tractor to help the Rangers clear the tracks, enabling safe access to undertake their important cultural and environmental work. This improved access will also allow other Ngadju community members to attend sites and undertake voluntary maintenance and management, which will help them reconnect with Country and transfer knowledge across generations.

Helen Langley, NCAC’s CEO, said that the project wasn’t without its challenges.

“The challenge was the amount of time it took for the trailer to be fabricated and then wired. It took eight months for the trailer to be built and we have only recently received delivery. We are developing Safe Operating Procedures and have organised training for the Rangers so that we can commence clearing tracks and making fire breaks around areas of mosaic burns.

“We are proud that the Ngadju Rangers can now access their Country for cultural burning and they can use machinery to make fire breaks. The project has assisted in rebuilding the Ngadju community and provided healing for community who are mourning the loss of Country.”

For more inspiring stories like this, head to our FY 2021/22 Annual Review.

The devastating impacts of the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires were particularly harsh in the East Gippsland region of Victoria.

To help revive spirits and bring people back to the region, a group of locals came up with the idea of The East Gippsland Winter Festival, an event to be held over the Winter Solstice. It would bring people back to the region during the traditionally quieter period to celebrate and showcase the art, food, culture and nature, as well as help the community heal and recover.

Then COVID hit, making the challenges all the greater. However, the volunteer committee was determined to proceed – just 12 months later than originally planned.

FRRR supported this new Festival with a $25,000 grant. The grant funded a Community Engagement Manager to help connect artists, schools, community groups and individuals with local venues, galleries, businesses and organisations and to provide support to event organisers.

And what an event it was, with 85 local events plus 24 lantern-making workshops held in the lead up to the Festival. In total, it attracted nearly 20,000 people and more than 75 local businesses were involved, ensuring the impact was widespread.

Adam Bloem, Festival Founder and Committee Chair, said they were absolutely blown away by the response!

“It was much bigger and better than we ever expected for a first-year event. While COVID was still a big and stressful challenge, we were very lucky that the festival fell within a four week window of no lockdowns and Melbourne open to travel to regional Victoria!

“The community support and engagement was fantastic. Virtually every town across East Gippsland got involved and organised their own events or installations to be part of the program.

“I think the best thing was the free lantern making workshops. They were very popular and people loved them! They loved coming together and getting creative, making something with their hands and many people commented on the great sense of community that was felt at the workshops.

“The thing I am most proud of is the many comments that I have received from people saying the Winter Festival has helped the region to come together and heal after the devastating Black Summer bushfires,” Mr Bloem said.

Check out some of the amazing photos from the Festival.

The small regional town of Katanning, in the ‘heart’ of the Great Southern agricultural region, 287 kilometres south-east of Perth in WA, has a shire population of just 4,200 people. While the area is essentially known for agriculture, the town is a regional centre that offers a range of government, health and education services. The Katanning community also prides itself on its multicultural diversity. 

This small community was impacted by a bushfire in February 2020, with rebuilding efforts hampered by lockdowns soon after. The community identified that it needed to find ways to engage their younger residents and keep them connected and supported.

The Katanning and Districts Pool Association Incorporated partnered with the Katanning Hub Community Resource Centre (CRC) and the Shire of Katanning to run a Youth program, inviting young people on a Friday night to come to their pool hall to socialise, learn new skills and share a meal. The program has been an overwhelming success with 35-40 young people attending each week.

The hall opened in the late 80s and did not include any kitchen facilities. Requests to use the hall from other community groups had been slowly increasing, as it is one of only a few indoor spaces available in Katanning. Providing catering facilities would make the venue a more suitable location to support these additional groups and their events. With the changing nature of the activities held at the hall, it was time for a refresh. To create a more usable space for community groups to meet, it was decided to add a kitchen area to better support the Youth program in preparing and serving these meals.

Other groups that use the hall were also supportive, including the local men’s group who expressed support for a kitchenette to make a cuppa and make their own events more welcoming for its members.

Thanks to a $10,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by IKEA Australia, the Katanning and Districts Pool Association was able to revamp the ageing pool hall and add a meal preparation and serving area.

Local volunteers provided amazing support for the project, contributing more than 80 hours of labour to the renovations and 20 hours to fundraising each month, ensuring the project’s success.

Since finalising the renovation works, the association’s membership has increased, volunteers have been inspired to become more active and the use of the hall by other community groups has expanded. With the improved facilities making the hall more welcoming, friendly and a safe space for people of all ages, the Katanning community is feeling more connected with access to a space tailored to enjoy each other’s company.

The Katanning Police now drop by during the Youth program and challenge the young people to a game, further strengthening these important relationships. Badgebup Aboriginal cooperation is interested in partnering to deliver the Youth program into the future and the Katanning community are proud of what has been achieved, voicing it regularly in person and via social media.

The restoration of an historic jetty trolley has had unexpected benefits for men’s shed and community members on Kangaroo Island. The trolley was first used in the 1840s to transport basalt along the jetty onto waiting ships. The Kingscote Men’s Shed restoration project has seen the revival of rare trade skills using tools that were used 100 years ago to make the trolley, and the formation of new connections in the community.

The Men’s Shed received a $3,683 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by the Waislitz Family Foundation, in partnership with Australian Community Media, to support recovery from the 2019/20 bushfires that devastated much of Kangaroo Island. This project is one of many FRRR supported across the island to strengthen community connection and support recovery activities.

Graeme Connell, Chair of the Kingscote Men’s Shed said, “The Kingscote Men’s Shed volunteers are very proud of their achievement to restore a 100-year-old jetty trolley and preserve the history of these trolleys that were used on jetties around Kangaroo Island. The older members of the Men’s Shed were able to share their knowledge about the skills and tools used in the old ways of construction of steel products with the younger members.”

The group used social media to stimulate interest and encourage new volunteers. New skills and friendships were formed between Men’s Shed members and community volunteers working together on this historic project, which included a local secondary student. Many passers-by were keen to see the restoration in progress, with a cup of tea at the ready for anyone interested in learning more or just having a chat.

The newly restored trolley sits proudly at the Pioneer Memorial Park as a monument both to past activities that forged the town, and as a marker of recovery. It has already become a favourite destination with local visitors and community members, particularly given its location overlooking the old wharf and beautiful coastline.

The Men’s Shed has well and truly achieved its goal of delivering a shared community project to create “meaningful interactions”. The sense of achievement and confidence from the project, and the camaraderie that has come from it has boosted mental health and wellbeing, which will have lasting impact on the group and wider community.

Nearly half of the funding to go towards COVID-19 recovery

Thanks to FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program, 130 projects across remote, rural and regional Australia will share in $1,663,531 in grants.

These projects are all community-led initiatives that will have a direct benefit to the people living in the local area.

For the first time, the SRC grant recipients have been divided into three streams: the Small & Vital stream, 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire recovery and a new Rebuilding Regional Communities stream, which focuses on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in remote, rural and regional Australia.

Funding to support COVID-19 recovery

In this round, 50 of the projects receiving funding are helping to support their community’s ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the RRC stream, these projects will share in $834,892. This includes initiatives like the Texas Country Music Festival, which will receive funding that will help to bring community members together again and improve social connectedness after extended periods of isolation.

Black Summer grants

This round will also see 25 projects receive funding to support the ongoing recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires. These projects will share $410,519, with organisations like Kingscote Men’s Shed using the grant for a project focused on empowering the men of the bushfire impacted region, as well as a coastal habitat rehabilitation.

Small & Vital stream

Through the Small & Vital stream, 55 initiatives will share $418,120 in grants. This stream funds projects that locals prioritise to take advantage of opportunities, address gaps in services or generally enhance the vitality of remote, rural and regional communities. For example, the Akurra Walking Trail will get bilingual signage, which will expand opportunities to learn about First Nation’s history, language and connection to the environment.

Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that this round of applications really highlighted the need for initiatives to tackle the negative impacts of the pandemic.

“This is the first SRC round where we’ve received applications for COVID recovery support through the RRC stream and there were some obvious trends. A large majority of the applications we received were related to mental health issues and social dislocation, which is a strong indicator of how remote, rural and regional Australia is faring in the wake of the pandemic and successive disaster events including fires, floods and drought. This is often exacerbated by the housing crisis and increased costs of living.

“We also clearly saw the impacts of COVID on the sustainability of these backbone organisations, with 30 percent of applications seeking support to ensure they can continue their day-to-day work, providing critical services and support, often to the most vulnerable members of the community.

“When it came to the Bushfire Recovery stream this round, a lot of the applications were focused on reducing the burden on volunteer, whereas in previous rounds we’ve seen more of a focus on infrastructure. This aligns with the findings of our Heartbeat of Rural Australia survey, which showed that volunteers in rural Australia are feeling more fatigued than ever. There was also a strong trend toward greater community connection, with projects to help bring the community together to share their experiences and support one another in their ongoing recovery.

“Meanwhile, in the Small & Vital stream, we continued to see a focus on projects that address food security, although many now also incorporate multiple community-building aspects, such as a community garden also acting as the base for training horticulture students, boosting vocational skills and employment readiness.

“The fact that we’re seeing such distinct and varied trends in each stream of the SRC program really speaks to how important it is that rural communities have access to more flexible funding that can be used as local groups see fit,” Ms Karena said.

Some more of the 130 projects funded include:

• ShoreTrack Ltd – Nambucca Heads, NSW – ShoreTrack Recovery – Improve employability and civic participation levels of disengaged youth through work experience with the SES and RFS, including gaining essential qualifications. $25,000 (Bushfire Recovery)
• Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Alice Springs Branch – Alice Springs, NT – First Aid Training for Home Tutors – Upskill home tutors and station workers in remote communities with first aid training. $5,000 (Small & Vital)
• Steaming on the Downs Inc. – Oakey, QLD – Community Skills Workshop / Mechanical Skills Demonstrations – Gazebos and Banners – Expand organisational capacity by purchasing a trailer and three teardrop banners, enabling wider social engagement and broader mechanical skill development. $4,110 (Small & Vital)
• Copley & Districts Progress Association Inc – Copley, SA – Copley Bicycle Repairs Program – Boost physical health and community engagement, and foster new skills in young people through the delivery of a bicycle repair program in a very remote region. $7,886 (Small & Vital)
• Squid Theatre Incorporated – Wynyard, TAS – Saturday Radio Theatre 2023 Season – Sustain the creative activities of a community theatre company by supporting a weekly radio drama, providing a vital point of connection for isolated community members. $2,842 (Rebuilding Regional Communities)
• Culgoa Development Group Inc – Culgoa, VIC – “Reconnecting Culgoa” – Reduce social isolation and foster a more resilient Culgoa through establishing a landscaped outdoor space for community gatherings and events. $50,000 (Rebuilding Regional Communities)
• The Nintirri Centre Incorporated – Tom Price, WA – Midwife Services – Sustain antenatal and postnatal care and support for very isolated remote communities in the Pilbara. $10,000 (Rebuilding Regional Communities)

A full list of grant recipients can be found below.

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, which are acknowledged on FRRR’s website.

This program always accepts applications. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the expanded program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

Final round of Black Saturday funding for community-led initiatives

The final round of the Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) Kinglake Ranges program opens Tuesday 5 July, with FRRR inviting applications from local not-for-profit groups. The program is designed to assist communities to rebuild, reconnect and recover from the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

Thanks to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, funding is available to not-for-profit groups in Kinglake, Kinglake Central, Kinglake West, Pheasant Creek, Toolangi and Flowerdale. In total, there is approximately $570,000 available, with no minimum or maximum amount per grant. However, applications for more than $30,000 should be discussed with FRRR before being lodged.

Applications must be for new projects that directly assist those individuals and communities that were affected by the 2009 fires and must identify a specific hardship or distress caused by the bushfires, which the activity intends to relieve.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, encouraged local communities in the Kinglake Ranges to apply now to fund their community-strengthening and resilience-building projects.

“We know that the fires had an immense impact across the Kinglake Ranges, and despite it now being more than 13 years ago, recovering communities still need support to reconnect, share experiences, enhance wellbeing and resilience and build capacity for the future.

“The community consultations during May and June were a great opportunity to hear directly from communities about how these grants can best support Kinglake’s ongoing recovery and we look forward to reading about the projects the community has prioritised,” Ms O’Brien said.

FRRR staff in Kinglake Ranges to chat about applications

FRRR team members Karly Smith-Whelan and Brooke Williams will be in the Kinglake Ranges area on Tuesday 5^th (Kinglake) and Wednesday 6^th July (Toolangi and Flowerdale) to chat to community groups about their project ideas. To book an appointment, email recovery@frrr.org.au or call 1800 170 020.

As a reminder, the GR&W Kinglake program has a focus on supporting projects that benefit the wider community, and applications should demonstrate community support and the involvement of a range of community groups or representatives.

Applications close Wednesday 16 August 2022, at 5pm AEST, with successful applicants announced in December 2022. For more information and the guidelines, visit https://frrr.org.au/grants-for-resilience-wellness-kinglake/ .

To date, through GR&W Kinglake, FRRR has awarded over $1.1M for 35 projects to local groups in the Kinglake Ranges.  Any community impacted by 2009 bushfires and not located in Kinglake Ranges region can apply for support through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program.

A much-loved playgroup is going from strength to strength in the Flowerdale community in Victoria, following the engagement of a qualified facilitator to assist parents to develop their skills and confidence to support their child’s wellbeing and development. More than 20 families now participate in the facilitated weekly program, after the Flowerdale Community House received $26,000 from FRRR via the Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) Kinglake Ranges program in 2020 to engage a qualified Early Childhood Educator to plan and deliver the program. Previously, families who wished to access these services would have had to travel more than 30 km to either Kinglake or Yea. 

While there were a few hiccups due to COVID lockdowns, the program has bounced back and is once again supporting children and families across the Kinglake Ranges. Led by experienced educator Jill, the program provides opportunities for parents to learn about local services, to meet with other parents for support and friendship and to build social support networks in the communities in which they live. It also provides the space for the participants, both children and adults, to forge new friendships and have fun. 

“We know that relationships and community connectedness is at the heart of our community’s ongoing recovery. Playgroup plays a vital role in all communities to bring parents together, to share experiences and break down isolation; this is even more important here [in Flowerdale] as our town stretches a long distance, so meeting in the street is not a likely option as people need to travel by car to get to locations,” said Flowerdale Community House coordinator Rebekah Grant. 

“The children and parents respond very well to Jill’s calm and gentle nature, and the way she is delivering advise to sooth and encourage the children is very well received.” 

The Community House is an ideal location for the supported playgroup to operate from, as they are able to sustain this group long term. Now with a facilitator on board, they can provide more support to all families, as well as vulnerable and socially isolated families, to engage with others and the service.

12 Volunteer Emergency Services organisations awarded more than $190,000 in grants

Twelve volunteer emergency services organisations supporting remote, rural and regional communities impacted by the 2019/20 bushfires have been awarded $191,628 in grants for projects that will assist in their disaster recovery efforts and strengthen their emergency response capabilities for future disasters.

Funded through FRRR’s Volunteer Emergency Services Fund (VESF) program, generously supported by a private donor, the funding supports local volunteer emergency services and first-responder organisations in eligible fire-affected communities across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria.

The grants range from $2,996 to provide a rural fire service brigade with wet weather personal protection equipment, to $25,000 for equipment to maintain low bushfire fuel loads in a high risk area.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said that the VESF program was important for dedicating funding to local initiatives that are a priority of volunteer first-responders.

“Programs like this are vital for fire-affected communities to ensure long-term resilience and preparedness. In this round, we saw requests for support to purchase and upgrade emergency equipment, technology and communications systems, as well as wellbeing activities. With funding provided for the purchase of emergency support vehicles, personal protection equipment and maintenance equipment, these organisations are now better placed to save lives.

“While this is the last round of grants through the VESF program, it has allowed us to learn more about what these groups need and respond effectively. It has bolstered the response capacity of many organisations and FRRR have built new connections in communities with whom we look forward to continuing to work with through their long term recovery. FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program continues to offer bushfire recovery grant opportunities,” Ms Egleton said.

Some of the projects funded this round include:

• Burragate Rural Fire Service, NSW – Roof insulation for Burragate fire shed – $23,710 – Boost volunteer vitality and comfort while reducing the carbon footprint of the Burragate Fire brigade through the installation of foam insulation at the fire shed.
• Far South Coast Rural Fire Service, NSW – Fire Shed Friday’s – $20,026 – Boost volunteer vitality and general wellbeing with the provision of Fire Shed Friday activities in four impacted communities.
• The Caves Rural Fire Brigade, QLD – New Storage Shed Project – $19,303 – Enhance operational activities and emergency response times with the provision of a storage shed for The Caves Rural Fire Brigade.
• Mt Lofty Group Operations Support Brigade, SA – Enhancing Mount Lofty CFS Group Operations Brigade Communications for Critical Incidents and Community Preparedness – $23,577 – Upgrade technology and increase access to support volunteer development and learning and organisational operations.
• Ensay Fire Brigade, VIC – An Ultralight Vehicle (ULV) for Tambo Crossing – $21,000 – Support emergency response activities by contributing to the purchase of an emergency response ultra-light vehicle for Tambo Crossing community.

For more information, visit FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/volunteer-emergency-services-fund-grant-program/.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

More than half of the funding to go towards bushfire recovery

Sixty-seven projects across remote, rural and regional Australia will share in $776,583 in grants thanks to FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

These projects are grassroots initiatives run by organisations led by local people that will strengthen their communities and have direct benefits for those living in them.

In this round of funding, 26 of the projects receiving funding support ongoing recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires. These initiatives, which will share $444,552, include purchasing fit-for-purpose health equipment for three divisions of St John Ambulance NSW – all of which were directly involved in the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire response.

There are also 41 projects being funded through the Small & Vital stream of the SRC program, which will share in a total of $332,031. These grants range from $1,455 to upgrade the NSW It’s Heaven website to make it more accessible for those who have a disability, to a $10,000 grant for the Northern Australian Aboriginal Charitable Trust that will help to deliver three new, free-of-charge laundromats to remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that a noticeable trend emerged in this latest round of applications.

“Interestingly, we saw a strong interest for community gardens in this round. With the cost of living rising on top of the food shortages that are happening as a result of the pandemic and natural disasters like drought and floods, there are growing concerns in rural areas about food security and the lack of access to nutritious, affordable food.

“This is why flexible programs like SRC are crucial. The funding from this program can be used where community leaders see the greatest need. Our climate and our economy are rapidly evolving and these grants can be used to support a broad range of community-led, grassroots initiatives that are helping to address very current issues in real time,” Ms Karena said.

Some of the 67 projects funded include:

• OpenField Arts Festival Inc – Berry, NSW – OpenField Arts Festival – Facilitate community and social connection through a multidisciplinary arts festival. $10,000 (Bushfire Recovery)
  
• Riding for the Disabled in the Top End – Palmerston, NT – Optimisation of Volunteer Management at Riding for the Disabled in the Top End – Improve the management, rostering and training of volunteers by installing a database program and employing a volunteer coordinator. $9,948 (Small & Vital)
  
• Girls from Oz Ltd – Kowanyama, QLD – Helping to Keep Language Alive in Kowanyama – Support language revitalisation and student engagement through a performing arts project in a remote school. $9,212 (Small & Vital)
  
• Fat Farmers: Rural Health Initiative Incorporated – Cummins, SA – Eyre Peninsula Expansion Project – Enhance physical and mental health by promoting a community fitness group at a local social event. $8,500 (Small & Vital)
  
• Fingal Valley Neighbourhood House – St Helens, TAS – Building Blocks: Play and Learn Together – Support delivery of playgroups, early learning and parenting support programs in rural areas through the purchase of a vehicle. $25,000 (Bushfire Recovery)
  
• Dunsborough Yallingup Chamber of Commerce – Dunsborough, WA – DYCCI Skills Development and Capacity Building Workshops 2022/23 – Boost and strengthen the local economy by running a series of workshops to help community members improve their business skills. $9,994 (Small & Vital)
  
• Country Fire Authority Corryong Country Fire Brigade (CFA) – Corryong, VIC – Corryong Fire Station Kitchen Modernisation – Improve capacity of Corryong Fire Brigade to support bushfire recovery and preparedness by upgrading kitchen. $24,040 (Bushfire Recovery)

A full list of grant recipients is available on FRRR’s website.

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, which are acknowledged on FRRR’s website.

This program always accepts applications and thanks to recent support from the Australian Government, there is now a COVID-recovery stream – Rebuilding Rural Communities. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the expanded program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.