Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)

More than $120,000 awarded to local not-for-profits

FRRR and Gardiner Foundation have awarded $124,478 to 27 community groups across Gippsland, South Western and Northern Victoria for local initiatives that will support, strengthen and sustain their dairying regions.

Group of people
South Western Victorian recipients attended the 2024 Gardiner Foundation Community Grants presentation and workshop in Warrnambool

For 22 years, the Gardiner Foundation Community Grants program has empowered not-for-profit organisations in Victoria’s dairy communities to create and lead projects that help locals to connect and support their farming regions to be sustainable and vibrant places to live and work.

This year, Victoria’s dairying regions will be boosted by a wide range of community-led projects including:

  • Building resilience and cultural vibrancy in Lockington, by providing musical equipment for the Locky Ukers’ community ukele practice and performance;
  • Improving Anam Cara House Colac Inc’s organisational infrastructure by installing a solar panel system to reduce operational costs and allow for savings to increase care services; and
  • Supporting Fabelo Incorporated to improve community health and social wellbeing by contributing to young children’s learning activities at a local festival in Fish Creek.

Allan Cameron, Gardiner Foundation CEO, said that the organisation’s longstanding partnership with FRRR has enabled it to invest more than $2.4 million in Victoria’s dairying regions.

“The Community Grants Program aims to support purpose-driven, not-for-profit organisations in rural and regional Victoria by enhancing their capacity to serve their local communities effectively.

“Since the program began in 2003, we have supported over 600 projects across the state. These grants provide crucial financial support to community groups, helping them overcome challenges as they work to revitalise their communities.

“We take pride in recognising the remarkable efforts of these groups within their communities, often carried out voluntarily, and in assisting them by funding projects that they believe will significantly enhance community resilience,” Mr Cameron said.

Jill Karena, FRRR Place Portfolio Lead, said that the impact that the Gardiner Foundation Community Grants program has had over the past 22 years is a testament to what is possible through collaboration with partners like Gardiner Foundation.

“Not-for-profits work tirelessly to strengthen and grow the social and cultural fabric of their communities. But with the current economic landscape and climate-related transitions impacting Victoria, keeping these organisations up and running is becoming exceedingly difficult. Therefore, it’s not surprising that this year we saw a predominant need from community groups for funding to develop organisational resilience and capacity.

“Victoria’s dairy regions are resilient and resourceful, and we have seen, firsthand, the transformational change and outcomes that local people can achieve when they have access to funding.

“We are proud to play a small role in enabling these groups to drive change, build connections and share the vibrancy and determination of those living in Victoria’s dairying regions,” Ms Karena said.

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

OrganisationProjectLocationGrant

GIPPSLAND

A Better Life for Foster Kids IncCrisis Cases for Emergency Foster Care
Improving community health and social wellbeing via the provision of Crisis Cases to support the transition of children into foster home emergency care in the Sale area.
Sale$4,960
Baw Baw Shire CouncilTables and Chairs for the Social Club Room
Build community resilience through improvements to a meeting place that is used by local groups to improve social connectedness in Ellinbank and the surrounding region.
Ellinbank$4,800
Bruthen and District Citizens Association IncCommunity Grow Swap Learn Program & Workshops
Build community resilience through purchasing equipment and running workshops that increase capability and capacity for local community gardening and increase participation and learning to improve community health and wellbeing.
Bruthen$5,000
Fabelo Inc on behalf of Fishy StoriesFishy Stories
Improving community health and social wellbeing by contributing to young children's learning activities at a local festival.
Fish Creek$5,000
Fish Creek Football Netball Club IncRecipes for Recovery Cookbook
Build community resilience by recording the stories of the families within our community through food, producing a functional recipe book that will be treasured by generations to come and support local fundraising.
Fish Creek$5,000
Friends of Coal Creek IncDigitisation of the Historical Assets of Coal Creek
Build organisational capacity to preserve historical items through digitisation, which will support tourism and enhance local identity and pride.
Korumburra$5,000
Heyfield War Memorial Hall Committee of Management IncUpgrade Kitchen Cupboards
Improve community infrastructure with new kitchen drawers to increase utility for senior and disabled community members at the Heyfield War Memorial Hall.
Heyfield$3,300
Hillview Bunyip Aged Care IncCommunity Kitchen Project
Build community resilience through installing a kitchen to provide a facility for local catering and programs to address food insecurity in Bunyip and surrounding communities.
Bunyip$5,000
Labertouche and District Men's ShedUpgrade Wood-splitter to Electric Start Motor
Build organisational capacity by installing an electric start motor on the wood-splitter that enables the local Men's Shed to contribute services of land clearing, firewood collection and woodworking to the Labertouche community.
Labertouche$3,578
Treble F Singers IncTraining and Administration Aids
Build organisational capability through purchasing audiovisual equipment and a laptop to improve operations and administration for the local choir, supporting local opportunities for participation and performances to support community activity.
Leongatha$2,907
Venus Bay Tarwin Lower and District Men's Shed IncFestival FREE Fun for Kids
Build community resilience and a stronger economy through providing free activities for children and entertainment for locals and tourists to support attendance of the 2024 Tarwin District Community Show.
Tarwin$5,000
NORTHERN VICTORIA
Gargarro Botanic Garden Ltd on behalf of Friends of Gargarro & NurseryGrowing More Than Plants
Build community resilience through extending a community-run nursery to support volunteers, grow plants for the local botanic garden, and support the community organisation's financial sustainability.
Girgarre$5,000
Greta Valley Landcare GroupMoyhu Walking Track Landscaping Project
Enhance community infrastructure by establishing a safe and educational pathway for accessing the King River from Moyhu to support both residents and visitor enjoyment of, and connection to, the local environment.
Moyhu$5,000
Gundowring Recreation and Hall Reserve Committee of ManagementThe Gundowring Hall in the 21st Century: Warm in Winter, Cool in Summer
Improve community infrastructure with a split system air conditioner installed at Gundowring Hall to support increased community meetings, craft and wellbeing activities.
Gundowring$4,752
Lions Club of Upper Kiewa Valley Inc on behalf of Kiewa Valley Community GardenSprout & Stow - Kiewa Valley's Garden Gear Garage
Enhance community facilities with a lock up container installed to store and maintain gardening equipment for all the users and visitors to the Kiewa Valley Community Garden.
Tangambalanga$5,000
Lockington District Business Centre IncLocky Ukers Project
Build community resilience and cultural vibrancy in Lockington with musical gear to support the Locky Ukers in their community ukele practice and performance, ensuring inclusive participation and improvement.
Lockington$2,129
Murrabit Advancement Association IncMurrabit - Keeping Up With the News! Improve capability of organisation by purchasing a new photocopier to support local information distribution, including a monthly community newsletter that enables connection, enhances the services volunteers provide to community, and promotes local activity for greater participation and economic strength.Murrabit$5,000
NCN HealthChills Skills Across the Community - Supporting the Mental Wellbeing of Children in Moira Shire
Build the resilience of primary school children through implementing a mental health program with local facilitators trained in an evidence-based program and supported to develop an ongoing community of practice.
Cobram$5,000
North East Regional Pre-School Association Inc on behalf of Whorouly and District PreschoolA Water Garden for Whorouly Kindergarten
Increase the capacity for learning through play with the installation of a water play area with shade sail at Whorouly Kindergarten, supporting educational and social development of current and future preschoolers and children attending playgroup.
Whorouly$5,000
SOUTH WESTERN VICTORIA
A is for Atlas LimitedDining Room Tales X Keayang Maar 2024
Build community resilience through delivering unique international artist experiences to enable rural communities access to global learning experiences for social resilience, and enable tourism opportunity.
Dixie$4,419
Anam Cara House Colac IncRenewable Rays for Respite - Sustainable End-of-Life Care Through Solar Energy
Improve organisational infrastructure with a solar panel system that will reduce operational costs and allow for savings to increase care services.
Colac$4,537
Beech Forest & District Progress Association IncStrengthening Community Through Rebuild of the Old Beech Forest Bakery Oven
Build community resilience and foster connection through installing seating and steel benches to complement the re-build of old Beech Forest bakery oven to benefit the community with staple food access and increasing economic and educational opportunities to build a more inclusive, sustainable future.
Beech Forest$4,975
Cobden District Health Services Inc on behalf of Cobden Men's ShedThe Cobden Men’s Shed – Shed Extension
Build community resilience with an extension to expand Cobden's Men's Shed facility and increase the capacity for participation and activity that supports mental health and social wellbeing.
Cobden$5,000
Coragulac & District Kindergarten IncSkylights and Ventilation
Increase the capacity for learning through installation of skylights and ventilation at Coragulac & District Kindergarten, supporting educational and social development of current and future pre-schoolers.
Coragulac$5,000
Progressing Cobden Inc on behalf of Cobden & District Historical SocietyEquipment to Enable Cataloguing, Labelling and Storage of Collected History
Build community organisational capacity by upgrading the equipment of the local historical society to enable digital cataloguing and conservation that will preserve local identity and support research on local and family history.
Cobden$4,121
Terang & District Progress AssociationActivities at Colour Terang Festival 2024
Foster community vibrancy and social connection via free activities for children at the Terang Colour Festival, to enable affordable participation for the whole community.
Terang$5,000
United Way Glenelg Victoria IncorporatedImagination Bush Library
Increase the capacity for learning and social development by providing children with books to build their literacy skills and love of reading.
Dartmoor$5,000

The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has made changes to two other roles in the Leadership Team.

In response to increased focus on climate change and in particular energy transition in remote, rural and regional communities, FRRR has created a new role on the Leadership Team to focus on climate solutions.

Former FRRR General Manager of Partnership and Philanthropy, Sarah Matthee, has been appointed Climate Solutions Portfolio Lead. In this role, she will work with funders and community groups to better respond to changing climate impacts and drive local solutions that reduce emissions through education, engagement and action.

Natalie says that while FRRR has always worked in this area, the increasing prominence of these issues prompted the organisation to separate Climate Solutions from the Disaster Resilience and Recovery portfolio.

“Sarah is personally passionate about this space and, having been with FRRR for the last six years leading our Partnerships and Services team, she knows the key stakeholders well and has hit the ground running.

“I am also delighted to announce that we’ve appointed Jillian Kirwan Lee as Head of Partnerships. Jillian joined us in 2022, working alongside Sarah, and brings great experience in strategic partnership development and relationship management.

“I’m delighted to have her join the Leadership Team, helping grow our network of supporters to achieve our goal of granting out $30 million per year to support the remote, rural and regional communities that are at the heart of Australia’s prosperity,” Natalie explained.

In rural communities where enduring drought and devastating bushfires have left an emotional toll, a cancer diagnosis can lead to a particularly isolating and challenging experience. With support from our Strengthening Rural Communities program, Macksville Community Health was able to make a real difference in the wellbeing of women living along the Nambucca river and living with or in remission of cancer.

As a subsidiary of the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD), Mackville Community Health provides healthcare for communities in the Nambucca Valley, NSW. Many of their successful support systems and programs are designed to address the impacts of the recent drought and bushfires.

Thanks to the support of the Fire Fight Australia Fund, they received a grant of $10,000. This allowed them to host a three-day retreat at the Yarrahapinni Ecology Centre for women living with or surviving cancer, who had been affected by the 2019/20 bushfires in the region.

The Sisters Retreat s Guided by Local Gumbaynggirr Women in a ‘Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony’, the retreat used engaging activities to educate the participants on a range of different coping mechanisms that allowed them to feel empowered and regain some control over their own lives.

The strategic nature of this program helps the organisation tackle important issues in rural communities such as declining mental health in the aftermath of the bushfires. Of the women reporting poor mental health, many were single or living remotely, with little access to their support network. By attending the Sisters Retreat, these women were able to connect with others in similar situations.

McGrath Breast Cancer Nurse, Carolyn Cross said that without grant, the project would not have gone ahead.

Final round of funding announced

Applications are now open for The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund grant program, which is run by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). Community groups and local not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in and around Clarence Valley can apply for grants of up to $50,000 to fund projects that strengthen their capacity and resilience in response to the 2019/20 bushfires, flooding and continued challenges across the region.

This is the final round of funding from this program, offering $2 million across the region through a mix of multi-year and one-off grants depending on the needs of local groups.

The Fund focuses on supporting projects that leverage artistic endeavours, boost educational participation, support locally-led environmental sustainability initiatives or build capacity for communities to respond to bushfires, drought, floods or other events like COVID.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said that The Yulgilbar Foundation shares FRRR’s passion for community-led recovery and resilience.

“The people in this region have dealt with a lot the last few years between drought, then the 2019-20 bushfires, COVID restrictions and most recently, flooding. At FRRR, we know that local organisations are led by community members who are best placed to know and really understand what the community needs to recover and also to thrive into the future.

“The Yulgilbar Foundation takes the same approach, which is why this grant program was created in the first place. We have a strong history of partnering and it’s been great to work alongside them on this program strengthening the communities of the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions,” said Ms Egleton.

Community groups and NFPs can apply for the grants before 5pm AEDT, 21 February 2023.

More details, including the program guidelines and EOI form, are available on FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/funding/the-yulgilbar-foundation-fund/.