Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
UPDATE: The workshop was recorded and is available to watch below.
Free online workshop
FRRR is inviting community members in Myrtleford, Whittlesea, Beaufort, St Arnaud, Paynesville, Korumburra and Yarra Junction to a free online workshop on Thursday 15 July to find out how FRRR’s Disaster Resilient: Future Ready (DR:FR) program can support them build their community resilience for times of disruption and disaster.
![](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Bemm-River-VIC-Bushfires-7-1024x768.jpg)
This is the second workshop in a series of events designed for community members who are interested in developing a practical understanding of community resilience and exploring ways in which communities can lead and strengthen their resilience to thrive and evolve in positive ways when faced with the impacts of climate, natural disasters and other disruptions.
With support from guest speaker Paul Ryan, Director of the Australian Resilience Centre, this online conversation will explore what “resilience” means, how people and communities are building resilience and why it matters to you and your community.
The seven communities invited to take part in the workshop have been identified by FRRR as areas that experience high frequencies of flooding, bushfire, drought, and/or heatwave and may be willing to participate in the DR:FR program.
Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience & Recovery Lead, explains that when locals actively work together and are given the right support, they can determine what needs to be done to help the community be well prepared before and bounce back stronger after a disaster.
“This workshop is part of an exploratory phase of the multi-year program where we engage and work with communities to build knowledge of climate risks, encourage collaboration, understand their ‘readiness’ and willingness to collectively strengthen their resilience and participate in the program long-term.
“I encourage all community leaders, and anyone who wants to be part of a local movement that is strengthening community resilience so that they have the capacity to evolve in positive ways when faced with disruptions and disasters , to participate in this free online workshop and information session,” Ms O’Brien said.
The workshop is free and open to all interested community members, including Traditional Owners, youth, business owners, farmers, sports clubs, schools, volunteer emergency services, environmental volunteers, arts groups, health professionals and local government staff from the communities of Myrtleford, Whittlesea, Beaufort, St Arnaud, Paynesville, Korumburra and Yarra Junction.
Those who took part in the launch webinar late last year are also encouraged to join.
This live workshop will take placeon Thursday 15 July, 11:00am to 12:30pm AEST with the recording made available to those who register.
Register at: https://events.humanitix.com/community_resilience. For more information contact Jacqui Bell, DR:FR Coordinator at j.bell@frrr.org.au or on 1800 170 020.
FRRR acknowledges the support of The Maple-Brown Family Foundation, Doc Ross Family Foundation, H & L Hecht Trust, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and the Sidney Myer Fund in making this program possible.
To find out more about the Disaster Resilient: Future Ready program visit FRRR’s website: www.frrr.org.au/drfr-victoria/.
In this quarter’s update for FRRR’s donor partners, read about:
- Grants in Action: Sitting together and speaking up in WA’s mid-west
- Partnering Opportunity – Building resilience to drought
- Donor Spotlight: Thankful4Farmers
- Insights from the bush
- Community Partner Spotlight: Foundation Barossa
- Our progress, with your support
FRRR is delighted to note that the Future Drought Fund’s Drought Resilience Leaders Program was launched today by Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud.
The program will see the implementation of 12 Leadership cohorts across Australia (supporting around 500 participants), a mentoring program delivered in partnership with the National Farmers Federation, and the delivery of 225 Community Extension Grants (CEG’s, up to $4k) for participants to activate locally led initiatives around drought resilience.
FRRR looks forward to partnering with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, Australian Government and other collaborative partners in the roll-out of this program.
Read the full announcement here: https://rural-leaders.org.au/building-leadership-resilience-for-the-future/
Funding awarded for 33 recovery-focused projects
Through its Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program, FRRR has awarded $637,908 in grants for 33 initiatives prioritised by local communities to support their recovery from the 2019/2020 summer bushfires.
![Rural communities recovering from bushfires](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/NSW-SRC-Rd6-BR-Eden-Tourism-Inc-Information-Centre-1024x683.jpg)
The SRC program’s Bushfire Recovery stream is collaboratively funded and supports projects that are led by local people and address local recovery needs. The grants awarded will help promote the healing and renewal of these impacted places.
In this round of Bushfire Recovery funding, grants range from $2,500 to encourage locals to participate in recovery activities at the Maclean Spring Festival in NSW, through to $25,000 for the installation of local fauna sculptures that will increase connection to place and enhance public spaces in Marlow, Victoria.
Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that the Foundation continues to support communities recovering from disaster, because it knows recovery is a long-term process that is unique for each affected place.
“Many impacted communities have faced multiple disasters beyond the bushfires, including COVID-19 and floods. The pandemic has made recovery all the more challenging for these regions. For community organisations, it’s hampered their capacity to deliver services that they would otherwise be providing to help their communities heal.
“Many groups have worked hard to support locals in safe and responsive ways but understandably, local volunteers are pretty worn out. In response, we have awarded a number of grants for projects that will relieve volunteer-fatigue and alleviate the pressures that many volunteer-led groups are dealing with.
“Recovery is a complex process that really hinges on local people coming together to support one another, to share and heal. We continue to see strong demand for projects that provide a safe space for communities to gather and connect by investing in local community assets and infrastructure.
“We are also seeing attention focused on more vulnerable members of the community, with local organisations using grants for projects that address the recovery needs of age-based groups, gendered groups and Indigenous groups,” Ms Egleton said.
Some of the 33 Bushfire Recovery projects awarded include:
- Australian Outward Bound Development Fund Pty Limited, Tharwa ACT – Rebuilding from the Heat – $22,367 – Improve preparedness for future disasters at Australian Outward Bound’s Tharwa site through the renewal of aged firefighting and maintenance equipment.
- Lansdowne Hall Reserve Trust, Lansdowne NSW – Ride on Mower for Lansdowne Community Hall – $5,107 – Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase preparedness for future fires through the purchase of a ride on mower for the Lansdowne Hall.
- Rathdowney and District Memorial Grounds Association Incorporated, QLD – Natural Disaster Preparedness – Electrical masterplan for emergency response facilities – $13,420 – Enhance community activities and support community preparedness for future emergency evacuations by developing an electricity supply masterplan for the Memorial Grounds.
- Kingscote Mens Shed Inc, Kingscote SA – Connection Through Activity for Men Living on Kangaroo Island – $3,683 – Increase opportunities to support local connectedness and social recovery, through restoration of a local historic Wharf Trolley.
- Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Inc, VIC – Bemm River Men’s Shed Upgrade – Toilet and Kitchen – $16,422 – Boost community recovery and connection through upgrades to the Men’s Shed toilet and kitchen facilities.
In total, this round of SRC awarded $1,589,612 in grants across three streams – Small & Vital, Larger Leverage and Bushfire Recovery. The 112 projects funded will help build the resilience and long-term vitality of smaller remote, rural and regional communities across Australia.
A full list of SRC grant recipients across all three streams of funding is available here.
The SRC program is collaboratively supported by a number of generous donors, which are also listed here.
The current round is accepting applications until 24 August 2021, with funds to be awarded in December 2021.
Grants available for services supporting communities impacted by Black Summer bushfires
A generous private donation of $1 million will fund FRRR‘s new Volunteer Emergency Services Fund Grant Program. The Program will fund volunteer emergency services to support their recovery needs from the 2019/20 bushfires and help them prepare for future challenges.
![Volunteer Emergency Services Fund Grant Program](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Murgon_20thAnn1-1024x768.jpg)
The Volunteer Emergency Services Fund will offer grants to local volunteer emergency services and first responder organisations in 2019/20 fire-affected regions across rural, regional, and remote Australia. Funds will help them to respond to local disaster recovery needs and address preparedness priorities ahead of the 2021/22 bushfire season.
Grants of up to $25,000 are available for projects including practical improvements and upgrades to facilities and equipment so that these services are better able to respond to future disasters. Initiatives that support the mental health and wellbeing of first responder volunteers, as well as projects that provide training and build the capacity of these services can also be funded.
Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that an integral part of the recovery process is preparing for future disasters and adapting to changing conditions after a disaster.
“We know that disasters, like bushfires, are not isolated events. They are increasing in frequency and severity; and it is vital for our volunteer-led emergency services groups to be equipped,” Ms Egleton said.
“Throughout the 2019/20 summer bushfires, volunteer emergency and first responder services worked tirelessly to protect and save their communities. They literally saved lives.
“These grants will support those who support the community by funding projects that will help these volunteers process and heal from the trauma of the bushfires, as well as build resilience and preparedness for future disasters.
“We look forward to assisting these vital members of impacted communities and helping to build and strengthen the emergency services they so generously give their time to be a part of,” Ms Egleton said.
The Volunteer Emergency Services Fund Grant Program is now open. Applications close 5pm AEST 7 July 2021 with grants to be announced August 2021. For more information, visit FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/funding/disaster-resilience-and-climate-solutions/volunteer-emergency-services-fund-grant-program/
UPDATE: Workshop recording available to watch below:
FRRR is hosting two free grantseeker workshops for our new Future Drought Fund’s Networks to Build Drought Resilience program.
Community organisations and networks can access a share of $4.5 million under the Networks to Build Drought Resilience program, with grants on offer across two funding rounds to drive action on drought resilience.
The Networks to Build Drought Resilience program will support the community organisations, networks and infrastructure that help people and communities prepare for, and live through, times of drought. The program will fund events, activities, training and small-scale infrastructure that assist communities to build their capacity.
If your not-for-profit is working on projects that strengthen social and community networks, or support engagement and wellbeing in an agriculture-dependent area, you might be eligible to apply for up to $150,000, thanks to the Australian Government.
Learn how to craft the best possible application by joining one of our free, ONLINE grantseeker workshops this Monday 7 June. There are two times available:
- Monday 7 June 11:00AM-12:00PM AEST (via Zoom)
- Monday 7 June 7:30PM-8:30PM AEST (via Zoom)
The workshops will provide practical grant writing tips , and the opportunity to ask questions.
Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/networks
27 locally-led projects funded
Rural communities across Australia are sharing in $1,060,404 in grants for 27 projects that will help them access the resources they need to tackle the ongoing effects of the Big Dry thanks to FRRR’s award-winning grants program[1], Tackling Tough Times Together (TTTT).
![Rural communities still tackling drought](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/William-Creek_TTTT-Rd-17-1-1024x563.jpg)
While water storage levels in the northern Murray-Darling Basin and northern Australia have improved, parts of south east Queensland and southern Western Australia still face serious or severe rainfall deficiencies[2]. Although other areas and states have had some rain, recovery from drought requires at least 18 months of average to above average rainfall. So much of the country continues to need support to tackle the impacts of the prolonged dry.
The 27 funded projects will help rural communities across Australia, from Charleville in Queensland, Moulamein in New South Wales, Keith in South Australia, to Manjimup in Western Australia, strengthen social connections, boost economic recovery, and build community and organisational capacity and disaster resilience.
Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, said that on top of the effects of the drought, the ongoing impacts of the pandemic has seen volunteer fatigue emerge as a key priority in many places.
“For those areas still in drought, volunteers and local groups have had to find ways to sustain and engage the community,” Ms O’Brien explained.
“Maintaining this optimism and drive is no small feat, and we are pleased to be able to support the places and the people that are working to make their community thrive amidst the complexities of drought and the pandemic.
This includes groups like the Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association in Jamestown, South Australia, who will be able to support their volunteers and boost economic sustainability by upgrading infrastructure and purchasing new equipment. The funding will provide equipment and storage areas needed to maintain the Maple and Pine event centre. The Bundaleer Forest project will provide strong, genuine and ongoing economic benefit, regardless of seasonal conditions, making Jamestown a more attractive place to live, work and play.
In New South Wales, Moulamein Community Development Incorporated has developed an inspiring project that will encourage tourism activity to the area through the restoration of the Werai Horse Stables and Moolpa Blacksmith shop in the Moulamein Heritage Village. The primarily volunteer-run organisation has been awarded a $149,930 grant for their initiative, which will boost the region’s economic recovery and build community wellbeing.
Some of the 27 projects awarded this round include:
- Monaro Farming Systems CMC Incorporated, NSW – Building Resilient Relationships for Farmers – $29,610 – Help locals stay informed and connected through the delivery of workshops in the Monaro region.
- Charleville & District Cultural Association Inc, QLD – Charleville Creative Lane 2021 – $20,000 – Encourage more local involvement in the community by delivering up to 30 creative arts workshops in Charleville.
- Back to the Bush Festival Incorporated, QLD – Miles Back to the Bush Festival – It is the people that make it – $23,452 – Support opportunities for social and educational participation and address disadvantage caused by the drought, for children and young people of Miles, QLD through the delivery of the Back to the Bush Festival in September 2021.
- Cadell Community and Tourist Association, SA – Cadell Op-Shop Amenities Block – $11,000 – Support volunteers at the community owned and operated Cadell Op-Shop by installing running water and an onsite toilet.
- Shire of Manjimup, WA – Youth Engage and Empower Project – $60,000 – Support opportunities for social and educational participation through employment of a Project Facilitator to build local youth resilience and establish a youth council for the Shire of Manjimup.
Applications for the TTTT program are always open and groups in drought-affected areas are encouraged to apply for funding to help their community come together to tackle the drought. Grants are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.
The cut-off dates for the next round of TTTT are:
- 24 August 2021. (Note: Stage One for the $150,000 grant tier must be received by 12 August). Outcomes will be advised late November 2021.
Tackling Tough Times Together is possible thanks to the collaborative support of several donors, including the Australian Government which committed $15M to be distributed over three years. Generous contributions have also been made by Pratt Foundation, Stockland CARE Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, The Snow Foundation, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Henroth Group and private donors from across the nation. To join these donors, and support grants like this through FRRR, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.
More information on the Tackling Tough Times Together grant program is available here.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
Up to $150,000 | ||||||
Moulamein Community Development Incorporated | Moulamein Heritage Village Stage Two Enhance economic recovery and renewal through the restoration of the Werai Horse Stables and Moolpa Blacksmith shop in the Moulamein Heritage Village. | Moulamein | $149,930 | |||
Up to $60,000 | ||||||
Monaro Farming Systems CMC Incorporated | Building Resilient Relationships for Farmers Help locals stay informed and connected through the delivery of Building Resilient Relationships for Farmers workshops in the Monaro region. | Cooma | $29,610 | |||
Up to $20,000 | ||||||
Dunoon Men's Shed Incorporated | Modelling the Renewable Energy Lifestyle Support climate resilience and sustainability of the Dunoon Men’s Shed by installing solar power with a battery back-up system. | Dunoon | $20,000 | |||
Crescent Head Community Hall Committee | Interior Refurbishment of Crescent Head Community Hall Encourage better use of the community hall by repairing and restoring the interior to make the community space more comfortable and welcoming. | Crescent Head | $14,133 | |||
Macleay Choristers Incorporated | Macleay Choristers Piano Grant Enhance cultural activities that increase local connectedness, through purchase of a piano for local choir and wider community. | Kempsey | $10,790 | |||
QUEENSLAND | ||||||
Up to $60,000 | ||||||
Texas P-10 State School Parents and Citizens Association | Texas State School Middle School Playground Facility Encourage children’s learning and development through play by installing play equipment for grades 3-6. | Texas | $60,000 | |||
South Burnett Mountain Bike Club Incorporated | Gordonbrook Dam Mountain Bike Park Support eco-tourism opportunities to strengthen the local economy through construction of a mountain bike track at Kingaroy. | Kingaroy | $49,654 | |||
Friends of the GalleryBooringa Action Group Incorporated | Booringa Fire and Water Festival Boost and strengthen the local economy with the Fire and Water Festival. | Mitchell | $41,653 | |||
Swan Creek School of Arts Committee Incorporation | Swan Creek Hall Floor Replacement Increase safety and amenity at local meeting space, through upgrading the flooring at Swan Creek Hall. | Swan Creek | $41,501 | |||
Thallon Progress Association Incorporated | Sculptures in the Scrub - Thallon Art History Trail Boost and strengthen the local economy and increase connection to place through development of a sculpture trail in Thallon. | Thallon | $35,876 | |||
Roughlie Community Centre Incorporated | Shaded Outdoor Area Increase local capacity to support community activities and connectedness, through construction of an outdoor meeting area at Roughlie Community Centre. | Roma | $34,000 | |||
Amiens History Association Incorporated | Multi-function solar shed and access pathways Boost and strengthen the organisation’s capacity and sustainability by constructing a multi-purpose shed with solar panels at the Aththe Amiens Legacy Centre. | Amiens | $32,659 | |||
Back to the Bush Festival Incorporated | Miles Back to the Bush Festival – It’s the people that make it Support opportunities for social and educational participation and address disadvantage caused by the drought, for children and young people of Miles, QLD through the delivery of the Back to the Bush Festival in September 2021. | Miles | $23,452 | |||
Up to $20,000 | ||||||
Charleville & District Cultural Association Incorporated | Charleville Creative Lane 2021 Encourage more local involvement in the community by delivering up to 30 creative arts workshops in Charleville. | Charleville | $20,000 | |||
Farm 2 Fork Collective Incorporated | Future Proofing the Farm 2 Fork Collective Boost and strengthen organisation and volunteer capacity with professional development to ensure growth and sustainability. | Kingaroy | $19,475 | |||
Killarney Bowls Club Incorporated | Purchase New Kitchen Appliances Improve volunteer vitality and organisational resilience by replacing appliances at the Killarney Bowls Club. | Killarney | $16,100 | |||
C&K Middlemount Community Childcare Centre The Creche and Kindergarten Association Limited | C&K Middlemount’s Solar-wise Childcare Project Support climate resilience and the sustainability of the community childcare centre through the installation of solar panels. | Middlemount | $9,626 | |||
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Up to $60,000 | ||||||
Milang & District Historical Society Incorporated | The Port Milang Museum Upgrade Increase volunteer safety and comfort at Milang Museum and Men's Shed, through building repairs. | Milang | $57,090 | |||
Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association Incorporated | Storage and Equipment for Efficient and Sustainable Volunteer Management of Newly Opened Event Centre Maple & Pine, Bundaleer, SA Reduce volunteer fatigue and boost the sustainability of the Maple and Pine community centre through purchase of equipment. | Jamestown | $56,210 | |||
Keith Golf Club Incorporated | Keith Golf Club Renovations - Stage 2 Improve the comfort, amenity and function of the local community meeting area, through upgrade to Keith Golf Club building. | Keith | $52,883 | |||
Bute 2000 Onwards Committee Barunga West Council | Bute's "Beaut" Silo Art Project Boost and strengthen the local economy through silo art at Bute. | Bute | $49,915 | |||
Riverland Connect Association | Enhancement of Paringa Silo Art Enhance the silo art attraction at Paringa, through installation of lighting and sheds for shelter. | Paringa | $36,645 | |||
Up to $20,000 | ||||||
Purnong District Hall Incorporated | Underpinning Grow community resilience and secure the future of the Purnong District Hall for generations with infrastructure works. | Purnong | $18,200 | |||
Guyra Garden Club | Guyra Spring Flower Festival 2021 - Memorial Avenue & Mandala GardenBoost and strengthen the local economy with the Guyra Spring Flower Festival 2021 including a Memorial Avenue and Mandala Garden to honour service people. | Guyra | $50,000 | |||
Cadell Community and Tourist Association | Cadell Op-Shop Amenities Block Support volunteers at the community owned and operated Cadell Op-Shop by installing running water and an onsite toilet. | Cadell | $11,000 | |||
WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Up to $60,000 | ||||||
Shire of Manjimup | Youth Engage and Empower Project Support opportunities for social and educational participation through employment of a Project Facilitator to build local youth resilience and establish a youth council for the Shire of Manjimup. | Manjimup | $60,000 | |||
The Moore Catchment Council (Inc) | Building a BIG Carnaby's Black Cockatoo Sculpture in Moora Enhance local tourism and diversify economic opportunities at Moora, through construction of large sculpture featuring the Carnaby Black Cockatoo. | Moora | $60,000 |
[1] 2020 Australian Philanthropy Awards – Best Grant Program
[2] Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. Drought Rainfall deficiencies and water availability. 10 May 2020. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2I1PSqA.
Applications now open for Future Drought Fund’s Networks to Build Drought Resilience program
Community organisations and networks can access a share of $4.5 million under the Networks to Build Drought Resilience program, with grants on offer to drive action on drought resilience. The program will be delivered by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR).
![Networks to Build Drought Resilience](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Landscan-5-1.jpg)
Through the Networks to Build Resilience program, the Australian Government’s investment of $3.375m, together with a $1.125m contribution from FRRR, will enable $4.5 million to be available for on-ground community capacity building projects, across two funding rounds.
The Networks to Build Drought Resilience program will support the community organisations, networks and infrastructure that help people and communities prepare for, and live through, times of drought. The program will fund events, activities, training and small-scale infrastructure that assist communities to build their capacity.
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said local community networks are the foundation of resilient communities.
“Through this program we’re helping to invest in the future of agriculture-dependent regions by enabling them to prepare now for periods of ongoing dryness,” Ms Egleton said.
“A key element of this program will be to build stronger networks, and to encourage greater sharing of learnings and more collaboration within and across networks.”
Applications are now open and close at 5pm AEST, 5 July 2021. Grant recipients will be announced October 2021. For more information or to apply visit FRRR’s website – www.frrr.org.au/networks.
Read the full announcement from The Hon David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management here – https://minister.awe.gov.au/littleproud/media-releases/fdf-networks-build-drought-resilience.
For more information on the Future Drought Fund, visit agriculture.gov.au/fdf.
FRRR acknowledges the devastating effects that Cyclone Seroja has had on a number of remote communities across Western Australia.
![Cyclone Seroja](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Cyclone_Seroja-edited.jpg)
Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said that the Foundation knows recovery for these impacted communities has only just begun, with reconnection of power an immediate priority, and the rebuilding damaged houses, farms and public assets to occur in the months and years ahead.
“We also anticipate that the activities of local community groups, which are so vital to the ongoing fabric of Western Australia’s remote, rural and regional communities, will be significantly impacted. But we also know these groups will play a vital role in supporting their community through the recovery journey.
“FRRR encourages any donors interested in assisting these affected communities to donate to charities registered with the ACNC, and to consider supporting the needs of communities through the medium-long term recovery journey, in addition to their more immediate needs,” Ms Egleton said.
FRRR has a long history of assisting communities to recover from disasters. We have facilitated support to communities recovering from the recent NSW floods; the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires; 2019 North Queensland floods; Cyclones Debbie (2017), Oswald (2013), Yasi (2011) and Larry (2006); the 2013 Blue Mountains bushfires; the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires of 2009; and ongoing droughts; and to those places preparing for future disaster events.
“More frequent and intense climate disasters means that Australia needs to be proactive in how we fund communities to assist with their preparedness activities, and to have funds available to support them through the medium to long term aftermath of a disaster.” Ms Egleton explained.
Any funds donated to FRRR to support WA communities affected by Cyclone Seroja will be allocated through the following two key mechanisms:
- FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program, which is open all year round, and assessed quarterly. Grants of up to $10,000 will be distributed; OR
- FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund (DRRF). The DRRF was initiated in August 2019, in response to an increasing frequency of disasters. FRRR wanted to ensure it had a corpus of funds invested, so that it can provide some support to disaster impacted communities whether they’re large or small, in the public eye for a long time or swallowed by other events, or are well-supported philanthropically, or not. Donations made to FRRR’s DRRF are pooled and invested, making it a gift that keeps giving, with earnings drawn off every year to be distributed to communities impacted by disaster through grants in programs such as Strengthening Rural Communities. The DRRF currently holds over $4M, which is invested. FRRR will provide support to community groups recovering from the impacts of the cyclone over the coming years, by applying a portion of the earnings from this fund.
FRRR welcomes donations to either of these mechanisms. All donations over $2 are tax deductible in Australia.
Beyond FRRR, the Foundation encourages everyone to consider the impact that this cyclone has had on many individuals and communities across WA, and consider giving to a DGR-1 endorsed ACNC registered charity, which can support individuals and their communities through the recovery journey.
For more information, contact Sarah Matthee, FRRR’s General Manager, Partnerships and Services.
By Natalie Egleton, CEO
Over the past month, I’ve had dozens of conversations with community leaders, local, state and commonwealth governments, philanthropic foundations, and corporate partners, that have all circled around the question of disaster resilience and best practice giving. I’m encouraged by the growing sentiment that recognises the increasing frequency and severity of disasters, yet also see a pressing need to shift our approaches to funding disasters as one-off events.
![Time to evolve disaster philanthropy in Australia](https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/049_Natalie-Egleton_20201217.jpg)
The floods that have devastated so many areas across NSW and parts of Queensland this month are yet another in a series of disasters that rural communities have had to face in the past year. Many of those communities have experienced prolonged drought, bushfires, minor flooding, and now catastrophic flooding. For these communities, the rebuild, recovery, and long-term renewal will call on yet more reserves of social capital. Support will be needed that doesn’t compartmentalise their various disaster impacts and which acknowledges the deeply fatiguing and depleting effects of successive disasters on people, communities, and local service systems.
At FRRR, we view disasters as environmental shocks that remote, rural, regional communities regularly experience. We know they are inevitable and increasing in frequency and severity; what makes them complex is not knowing when they will occur, where, or the severity and nature of their impact.
Recovery and preparedness are only as strong as the social ties, quality of community infrastructure, depth and breadth of skills and networks, cultural knowledge, and the health of local service systems, non-profits, and community groups.
That’s why investing in social capital – preparing for future disasters and adapting to changing conditions after a disaster – underpin our ongoing work outside of disasters. Mitigation and making advances through technology is vital, but only effective when people within communities – those who will act first and drive recovery and preparedness – are invested in.
Our approach is to provide support where there are gaps or quick responses are needed in the short term, however we focus the majority of funds on the medium-to-long term recovery and future preparedness efforts of rural communities. Funding medium to long-term recovery ensures that resources are available to help communities when they are ready, beyond their immediate needs that arise during the emergency.
Adapting and evolving
In operational terms, FRRR has a standing disaster philanthropy model that we scale when a major disaster occurs. Each year, with support from hundreds of donor partners, we provide grants and capacity support to around 500 hundred remote, rural and regional communities across the country via almost 800 grants. This reach gives us a good footprint and connection points that we can naturally tap into when disasters occur.
Right now, we have almost 1,500 active grants in place for diverse projects in remote, rural, regional communities nationally; around 40% of these are supporting community-led recovery and resilience initiatives.
When the 2019-20 bushfires hit FRRR had to scale our processes very quickly. We expanded existing grants programs that have a national footprint, as well as brokered funds management for corporate partners to support short-term recovery.
In the space of a month, FRRR went from having about 700 donors to 30,000 donors. We had to ensure our systems could cope and we needed to scale up our communications and finance management resourcing. At the same time, we were engaging in working groups and forums with Governments, philanthropy, and connecting with fire-affected communities where we had active grants and relationships.
When COVID-19 hit, our biggest challenge, aside from looking after our people, was adjusting our community engagement approaches.
While regional Australia is great at working remotely, working on recovery, trying to engage with largely volunteer-led community groups and not-for-profits is really done best in person.
Understanding the local context can be done remotely but it’s not ideal. We also found that as restrictions came into place, a lot of community groups went to ground.
We knew there would be significant impacts from COVID-19 on recovery from the 2019-20 bushfires because the lockdowns would essentially stall social recovery processes, which are most effective when people come together physically, to process and heal.
One of our big, but unsurprising observations during COVID was the gaping hole in digital inclusion – equitable access to stable telecommunications, low levels of digital connectivity in households, and low digital literacy in what are largely ageing populations. In the Snowy Valleys for example, we learnt that 24% of people didn’t have an internet connection at home. In Tasmania, connectivity is inconsistent and communities very isolated.
At the same time, we were seeing independent news publications falling over and rural communities were becoming even more isolated.
The shocks and disruptions just kept coming and the readiness wasn’t there. And then, large parts of NSW were impacted by once-in-a-century floods.
We hear a lot about needing to increase resilience and I am of the firm view that that is coming from the wrong angle. There is an abundance of resilience, but only so much that any strong community can absorb and bounce forward from.
Embedding disasters in regional development practice
The past year has proven the repeated warnings of many. The frequency and severity of natural disasters will cost society, economies, biodiversity, and liveability. We need to do things differently.
In our work partnering with a community in NSW focussing on their non-profit sector capacity building before the 2019/20 bushfires, it was clear that those organisations and community leaders were more ready to respond to the recovery process and opportunities it presented. These same communities are now facing an unimaginable clean up and recovery from flooding. Our role is to be there, offer patience, continuity, flexibility, and agility to move how and when the community is ready with fit-for-purpose funding and resourcing support. The critical piece here is that when we do this work between disasters, reserves of social capital can be replenished and expanded. Communities are more able to engage with mitigation and do essential future-focussed work to strengthen their response to risk and climate change.
Innovation and renewal – applying learnings to support flood-impacted communities
Since the bushfires, we have reviewed and adjusted our approach to funding the core operating costs of the community groups that are so essential to the fabric and vitality of remote, rural and regional communities.
With the funding model of our national small grants programs being relatively unpredictable and dependent on donations from our partners, it is difficult for FRRR to commit to resourcing beyond one-off grants that seed and strengthen locally led projects.
However, throughout the pandemic, the FRRR Board recognised that the depletion of fundraising revenue, volunteer capacity, and local sponsorships, coupled with increased vulnerability and successive disasters, presents a serious threat to the survival of community groups and local not-for-profits. We recognise this as being critical at this point in time, so we will support core overhead costs until the picture changes. It will still be one-off funding but will help to keep the lights on and people working on key issues, while communities and organisations adapt and evolve through the recovery.
This approach translates to better practice for disaster philanthropy overall.
Given what is unfolding in NSW and Queensland at the moment, it is time that we stop looking at disasters as one-off events and view disasters as a constant. This means that we need to invest in underlying capacity and capability at the community level.
The new National Resilience, Relief & Recovery Agency, along with several State Agencies, are now modelled through an all-hazards lens and hopefully the policy and funding settings will follow. Philanthropy can then play a meaningful role beyond responding to successive crises.
It’s certainly where we are focussing more and more of our efforts, and we welcome more conversation on this.