In partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC, FRRR has awarded $40,000 in grants to eight youth-led community projects in remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Trailblazers program. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.

Trailblazers are invited to apply for funds to help them to take their project ideas to the next level, or for personal development opportunities to build their skills and networks and boost their capacity to strengthen their community. This year’s themes centred around inclusivity, access to services and education, as well as improving social connectedness.

Lauren Ryan, FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, said that it was great to have several alumni on the Advisory Panel.

“This year we had four previous Trailblazers helping out with the selection process, all of whom provided unique insights, curiosity and constructive feedback to the applicants.

“Three of the Trailblazers to receive funding this year are previous grant recipients. The idea behind funding them again is to help in developing capacity for the sustainability of their projects, which are making a great impact within their communities.”

The Sally Foundation partners with FRRR through a Giving Sub-Fund, which helps to ensure that their funding reaches groups and young people in all corners of the country. The priority of this fund is to invest in young regional leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities.

Co-founder of The Sally Foundation, Geraldine Roche, said “The Trailblazers program has shown to be an important stepping stone for the young people involved to achieve and exceed their goals within their communities. Grants from the Development Fund are designed to help these change-makers do what they can to make regional Australia a better place.

“This is our fifth year in supporting Trailblazers, and it’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm and the impact of their projects addressing the needs of young people in their local communities.”

This year’s recipients are detailed below.

A report commissioned by FRRR into its long-running Tackling Tough Times Together (TTTT) drought support program has found that funding local not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) and community groups and activities that strengthen social capital during drought sustains communities and supports recovery.

The TTTT program ran from 2014 to 2022 and was collaboratively funded by government and philanthropy, awarding $18.6 million via 681 grants. The majority of funding – 84% – went to outer regional, remote or very remote community groups, which often struggle to access other funding. At least half a million people benefited from the program.

The report found there were clear benefits from the projects funded, both during the drought and in the longer-term. The funding helped mitigate the extreme impacts of drought on local people and communities, either directly through investment in human and social capital, or indirectly through built infrastructure investment, strengthening the enabling conditions for short and long-term community vitality.

The review also found:

FRRR’s CEO, Natalie Egleton, says that the TTTT program remains a unique grant program in the funding landscape across remote, rural and regional Australia.

“This program is unmatched in terms of supporting regional communities throughout the drought, and to a depth and ease of accessibility when other funding was not readily available. While there were guidelines of course, the program was flexible and allowed community groups to respond to and prioritise what was important in their town.

“Some of the other key learnings were around the importance of having a longer than usual timeframe for groups to deliver the projects, as well as the importance of the funding being available for more than just two or three years. This allowed some places to co-design projects that have had a lasting legacy. Continued support after drought-breaking rain was also critical,” she explained.

This report has reinforced FRRR’s advocacy for funding that is right-sized and tailored to rural communities and grassroots NFPs during drought as an approach that can mitigate the effects of drought on communities, economies and landscapes.

You can read the report online on FRRR’s website.

FRRR is hosting a webinar to share more of these learnings on Thursday 29 August, from 1:00-2:00 pm AEST. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/tackling-tough-times-together-frrr-webinar.   

Grants awarded to 18 communities, including funding for farmers

FRRR’s In a Good Place (IAGP) program has awarded $286,992 to 18 not-for-profit organisations in remote, rural and regional communities for community-driven projects, services, activities or initiatives that help people at risk of, or currently experiencing, mental health challenges.

The grants, of up to $20,000, have been awarded by FRRR thanks to support from long-term partner CCI Giving, as well as Macdoch Foundation, Jibb Foundation, Morris Family Foundation, Norman Family Foundation and Rebecca Gorman & John Sevior, all of whom have come on board this year to support an expanded program.

For the last seven years, the focus has been on supporting mental wellbeing in rural communities. However, following the release of the NFF’s National Farmer Wellbeing Report, the six new partners have joined with FRRR to support a second stream of funding focusing specifically on mental health of farmers and farming communities.

Jeremy Yipp, Chair of CCI Giving, said social isolation is a big challenge in remote, rural and regional communities.

“Most applications this round focused on addressing current and emerging mental health issues that are a result of social isolation – an impact of the pandemic that’s still being felt in rural communities. Programs like IAGP mean that small grassroots organisations, community health providers and even local councils can access funding to create opportunities for social connection to support both personal and community resilience,” Mr Yipp said.

Michelle Gortan, CEO of Macdoch Foundation, one of the new IAGP partners, said that applications for the new stream of funding confirmed the importance of community-led initiatives to support mental health.

“The applications for the farmers and farming communities stream confirm that grassroots, non-clinical initiatives play an essential role in filling growing gaps in the system. We’ve been impressed by FRRR’s wide and deep reach into rural and regional communities, which has highlighted the need for investment in projects that promote preventative and responsive mental health approaches in farming and agriculture-dependent communities, all over Australia.”

Jill Karena, FRRR’s People Programs Portfolio Lead, said there are a range of factors in agriculture-dependent communities that affect wellbeing.

“The new farmers and farming communities stream of the IAGP program has given us the chance to offer more funding and support to projects that are filling the gaps in mental health services in farming communities. These places are often under a lot of pressure due to natural disasters, inflation and financial stress – all of which can lead to high levels of mental health struggles. We’re thrilled to have our new partners on board the IAGP program to help promote positive mental health outcomes in these communities,” Ms Karena said.

Ms Karena went on to highlight the importance of supporting initiatives in First Nations communities where mental health projects go hand in hand with culture.

“During this round, we also saw an increase in applications from First Nations organisations, many of which highlighted the vital nature of connection to culture and Country for social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations peoples. It means a lot for us be able to support these initiatives, as we strive to play our part to help close the gap in access for these communities,” Ms Karena said.

A list of the grant recipients and their projects, which include some innovative ways to promote current mental health services to vulnerable cohorts that wouldn’t normally seek assistance – such as working dog training, art, or environmental projects – is available below.

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

Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre Inc (TNC) set out to build the economic and cultural sustainability of the Worimi Indigenous Community through a free, culturally safe workshop where participants were able to connect with culture through story and art. 

Born out of a collaboration between Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre and Koori Colours Art Gallery in Tanilba Bay, the ‘Adult Indigenous Art and Cultural Canvas Workshop’ project was supported by a $6,407 grant, awarded through the Small and Vital stream of the Strengthening Rural Communities grant program. 

While the workshop’s primary audience was Indigenous members, it was inclusive to all in the hopes of building a stronger social fabric in the community. There were 50 attendees, including Deputy Mayor Leah Anderson and Warlga Ngurra Women and Children’s Refuge committee member Aunty Mook (Delece Manton). 

The two-day workshop was facilitated by Worimi artist Jason Russel, who inspired members to infuse their unique stories into artistic creations. Jason provided teachings on symbols, the stories behind them, and traditional methods of painting used by Worimi people.

The project culminated in an exhibition on 1 March, 2024, at Tomaree Library and Community Centre. Opened by Jason with a welcome to country in traditional Gathang language and smoking ceremony, the exhibition displayed all participants’ artworks and gave the wider Port Stephens community an opportunity to meet the artists and hear the stories behind their work. 

TNC reported that they were proud to successfully provide a supportive and inclusive space for people to create, heal, yarn, and connect to culture. ‘Through the sharing of culture, we are contributing to closing the gap on a grassroots level.’

Community Action Inc (CAI) is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Gympie, QLD. It is a registered community housing provider with a mission to provide housing and support services in response to community needs. In partnership with Gympie and District Sustainability Alliance (GADSA), they received a $20,000 grant in Round 1 of the Community Led Climate Solutions (CLCS) program, funded by Hand Heart Pocket, for their Building Energy Efficiency Project (CAI BEEP). GADSA is a volunteer-led organisation committed to promoting sustainable communities through the use of technology to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

This project stood out due to its strong alignment to several grant criteria including reducing emissions, supporting a just transition, and educating and advocating for increasing energy efficiency practices in social housing. FRRR was also impressed by the letters of support accompanying the application, demonstrating close connections within the community.

The overall objective of CAI BEEP is to increase energy efficiency in two buildings: a duplex brick veneer structure used to accommodate survivors of domestic violence; and an older elevated timber dwelling, occupied by CAI’s Youth Services Office. The project identified a multifaceted solution that could be implemented in stages involving installing solar panels, batteries, ceiling insulation and modern reverse cycle air conditioning units.

The CLCS grant will fund their first priority – the solar panels, which are anticipated to significantly reduce use of electricity from the grid and save an estimated 30 tonnes of C0₂ emissions through the annual production of 37MWh of renewable energy. In addition to emissions reduction, the project will reduce electricity costs and enable additional spending on other social projects by CAI Inc – enabling the tenants of the buildings to also benefit from the transition to renewables. The energy cost savings are estimated to be $4,000 annually across both parties.

CAI Inc is first and foremost a social housing and support program provider, so their partnership with GADSA has been critical to developing and managing the project delivery, contributing their time and knowledge.

Among the first steps was assessing the duplex under the Building Energy Rating Scheme (BERS), which guided the work program. GADSA sourced quotes for all tasks and identified the trades necessary for each job.

GADSA believes every individual, household and business can make changes to reduce their climate impacts. To help them promote the use of renewables and building efficiency solutions, such as ceiling insulation, to other social housing providers to increase their emissions reduction and social justice impact, GADSA ultimately plans to document this project.

This project demonstrates the power of collaboration and the impact of highly-skilled and energised volunteers, leading to a locally-led and impactful, climate solution.

With support from a variety of generous supporters including The Sally Foundation, Seaton Foundation and Bunnings Warehouse, FRRR awarded $36,000 via six grants to not-for-profit community organisations in and around Lismore for a variety of projects aimed at supporting local youth.

The FRRR ABC Takeover Youth Catalyst Grants support communities to take action on the ideas generated by regional youth at the annual ABC Takeover Regional Summit. The annual Takeover Summit provides local students with a platform to speak up and have their voices heard on issues that matter to them within their own community.

The grants provide a mechanism for these ideas to become reality in their community, with project delivery intended to establish a greater connection between youth and community organisations; support youth to drive change in their community by backing their ideas; and ensure that young people are valued for their contributions and time.

In this quarter’s update for FRRR’s partners and supporters, we’ve featured an East Gippsland project that provides a clever resource for community recovery, and you’ll find an interesting conversation with a new supporter in the climate solutions space, Hand Heart Pocket – which is the charitable arm of the Queensland Freemasons.

Also in this edition:

• Insights from FRRR’s team as we network, travel and deliver programs
• Our Progress – Q1 FY 2023/24
• Learn about Fundraising Accounts from OurSchool’s Caroline Milburn
• Details of all our latest reports and thought pieces.

By Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead

Philanthropy invests significantly in communities by making grants right across Australia. In FRRR’s case, we are focused on supporting remote, rural and regional communities, especially grassroots organisations that often can’t access traditional philanthropy. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why we offer a range of programs – some where we work deeply over multiple years through place-based initiatives to build the capacity of a group of local not for profits, and others where we work broadly through our small grants programs – offering up to $25,000, although most are around $10,000.

These small grants programs are our most in-demand which are well suited to co-funding approaches that enable collective contributions to achieve more together and create leverage for funders and communities. While not always ‘sexy’, the needs met through these grants address areas of disadvantage and basic quality of life in communities with little visibility to funders and policymakers. They range from upgrading toilets and kitchens, which improves accessibility of community facilities, to installing air-conditioners to manage climate extremes, and seed funding new ideas to stimulate new approaches to volunteering, health services, and disaster preparedness. Moreover, their value goes far beyond the dollars themselves. From more than 20 years of experience, we can safely say that in the case of many grassroots community groups, small is good.

Small grants, big impact

By their very nature, small grants are simpler to navigate and have lower barriers to entry, making them more appealing to a wider range of organisations. Some grant programs, like FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities, also offer expert support by phone or email, making the process even easier.

Small grants can be the straightforward and friendly ‘front door’ through which grassroots organisations can step to build their capability, connect their community and navigate and drive change. In fact, for many communities experiencing disadvantage, small grants are one of the few ways that they can get the resources and opportunities to launch new ideas or approaches in their communities. And they deliver far more than just money.

Dipping a toe in, learning as they go

For communities that have not applied for funding before, small grants build their experience and confidence in developing project ideas, applying for funding, project management, budgeting and meeting reporting requirements. In the last 12 months, more than a third of Strengthening Rural Communities grant applicants (503 organisations) were first time applicants.  Even if they aren’t successful the first time around, constructive feedback, such as the detailed information we always offer to unsuccessful applicants, can give them the confidence to apply again.

Biting off just what they can chew

Many communities are great at developing a long-term vision for their community that might focus on local services, economic development, environmental sustainability or climate change adaption but much as they’d like to do so, it’s simply not possible to achieve everything at once. Small grants enable a community to tackle making those big changes one project at a time. This supports them to make incremental progress against their long-term goals, while the lower scrutiny and risk associated with a small amount of funding can be less anxiety-inducing for organisations who are new to grant seeking.

Attracting more funding

Securing their first small grant is a pivotal moment for an organisation. It’s not just about funding support – it is also a recognition of the value of an organisation’s work and its ability to contribute to their community’s future. Once they’ve been successful, it’s often a catalyst for aiming higher and developing self-belief and self-reliance to create positive change in their community.

Demonstrating that they can successfully manage their first small grant and deliver tangible results builds an organisation’s credibility and can help open the door to securing larger grants to scale-up their project or take on a more ambitious idea. Often, it’s also the vote of confidence that other donors need to see to also come in and support the group’s work.

Getting to work sooner

Small grants usually have shorter application and approval timelines and offer more flexibility to enable communities to tailor projects to meet local priorities and needs, or quickly respond to unexpected disasters and other shocks. Smaller grants also usually come with fewer restrictions and reporting requirements compared to larger grants, which can often make it easier to negotiate with the funder to adapt their project if conditions change.

Finding and piloting local solutions

The flexibility of small grants also encourages communities to experiment with local problem solving, potentially sparking new approaches that are scalable or portable to other communities. Often small grants are seed funding to pilot locally generated or adopted ideas that are not of interest to larger grant programs. Using small grant funding to demonstrate the viability of a community idea can generate the evidence needed to secure larger grants or other support to bring the idea to reality.

“Thank you so much for providing the funds for this grant. This renovation has given Council initiative to support the Toy Library by maintaining the building so we can provide an inviting space and nurturing space for the community. The Toy Library has had many, many years of dedication by passionate volunteers to support and nurture the children of Tamworth and I think it deserves it!

When I started as president the library looked awful and didn’t reflect the commitment, love and pride that our small but dedicated group deserved. Now I feel like our space reflects our organisation. An important community organisation that cares and values the children, parents and carers of Tamworth and feels that learning through play is core to a child’s life and development! Another positive change is that the renovations have been a catalyst for council to complete much needed (and much requested) maintenance on the building by fixing gutters, replacing doors and cracked tiles and replacing the old sink and toilet.”

Tamworth Toy Library Incorporated

Connecting the Community

Small grants also offer a reason for different groups in the community to work together to develop and deliver projects that are meaningful and manageable. When community members, other community organisations and Local Government see the results from a small grant project that makes their community better, it is a great morale booster, and they are more likely to be motivated to get involved in future community initiatives.

“The event’s success lies in its ability to bring the community together, boost the local economy, and celebrate cultural heritage. The event provided a platform for residents to come together after the floods, share their experiences, and rebuild social connections. Through artistic workshops, events, and exhibitions, community members bonded over shared creative experiences, fostering unity and a sense of belonging.”

Arts Deloraine – festival / youth workshops (flood recovery)

Building local capacity

It’s not just the mere fact of offering smaller-value grants that makes an impact. It’s what those grants fund that also helps to build local capacity, especially in small communities or where a new group has formed. For example, many of the grants FRRR funds are about helping groups build their own capacity – whether that’s the likes of governance training or strategic planning support.

“The grant received for strategic planning has paid for itself many times over. We had members who had ideas in their head but didn’t know how to plan or implement them. Since receiving the grant, we’ve been able to increase attendance of our market to over 5000 visitors in November 2021! We’ve also been able to provide free stalls to local community groups to increase their outreach. This also has a flow on effect to small businesses in the town. The pub is booked out for lunch, little local businesses thrive due to the amazing success of the market.”

Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges

Bigger is not always better

Often, we hear suggestions that larger grants are better – but the reality is that many of the most deserving groups in the smallest and most remote locations simply will not – or indeed simply are not able to – apply for many of those grant opportunities.

While it’s great to see larger grants made available to communities, especially through Government programs, it is critical that we not lose sight of how important small grants are in strengthening capability and capacity in remote, rural and regional communities. Small communities, as you might guess, are, well… small! This can make it hard to compete with larger communities, especially when it comes to demonstrating measures of impact which funders often ask for – small communities can’t point to economies of scale or large numbers of beneficiaries.

With fewer people to draw on, volunteers are often stretched and there are less likely to be paid resources or an experienced grant writer to chase high-value grants or manage large-scale projects. Groups often won’t apply because they don’t have the capacity to meet the reporting requirements or to manage the other governance expectations, such as the frequency of reporting or detailed probity plans. Even the prospect of managing large sums of money can be scary for a first-time grant applicant and some small communities can find it simply overwhelming!

What makes small grants so impactful in rural and remote Australia is their flexibility and relative simplicity, which means they’re more accessible and attractive to those communities that don’t have the resources to wrestle with the complexities of large grants. So we urge all those who are working so hard to grow the funds that are directed via the social sector to make sure that small grants continue to be a key stream of funding. If you’re funding large grants, consider coupling that with some smaller grant funding as well – they may well become organisations you’re able to fund in the future. Or, if you’re funding with a very tight focus, consider how small grants with more flexibility may bring unexpected pathways to that impact. Of course, we always welcome more partners for our collaboratively-funded Strengthening Rural Communities program, so get in touch if you’d like to know more.

Nutrien Ag Solutions funds more than $250,000 in local projects

Nutrien Ag Solutions, in partnership with the FRRR, has awarded $252,924 in grants to 57 local not-for-profit organisations for projects that will contribute to the success, vibrancy and wellbeing of their remote, rural or regional communities.

Awarded through the Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants Program, the grants will support a broad array of projects, including community facility upgrades, local events and social gatherings, training and mentoring to address issues such as food insecurity and healthcare, and the purchase or upgrade of equipment to support volunteers.

Since 2021, the Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants Program has awarded more than $750,000 in grants to 167 community-led projects, helping to create long-term positive outcomes for rural places.

Mady Muirhead, Corporate Affairs Advisor at Nutrien Ag Solutions, said that the company is proud to support rural communities to implement future-focused solutions that are both attainable and sustainable.

“Thanks to our partnership with FRRR, we are able to help local grassroots organisations do more of what they do best. These organisations are the heartbeat of remote, rural and regional communities, and raising funds for local priority projects is getting harder and harder. But we are proud to support them now, and in the long-term.

“This year we saw almost 200 local Nutrien branches endorse grant applications and we are proud to fund more than a quarter of those projects. Our people live and work in these communities and thanks to their commitment to building lasting relationships with locals, they know just what projects the community will really value,” Ms Muirhead explained.

Jill Karena, FRRR’s Place Portfolio Lead, said that this year, most funding has been directed toward upgrading the amenities or accessibility of community facilities.

“This reflects the increasing costs and dereliction of ageing community infrastructure and the challenges of fundraising locally to maintain these assets. Even though the grants may be considered small, these improvements will have a big impact on ensuring that these local meeting places are safe and secure so that locals can maintain their social connections.

“We appreciate Nutrien Ag Solutions’ continued support and investment in this program. It’s these kinds of partnerships that enable us to fund initiatives that are meaningful to the community in which the project is run. No matter what this may look like, we are inspired by the persistence of rural communities, to create a more vibrant and connected Australia,” Ms Karena said.

Some of the 57 organisations and projects being supported include:

• Northern NSW Helicopter Rescue Service Limited, in Tenterfield, NSW, has been awarded $5,000 to enhance the organisation’s fundraising capability and facilitate community engagement by purchasing a barbeque trailer.
• Riding for the Disabled Association Top End, in Darwin, NT, has been awarded $5,000 to increase disability support services through equipment to increase coach capacity for walking horses at Top End Riding for the Disabled.
• Banana Shire Community Arts Assoc Inc, in Biloela, QLD, has been awarded $4,778 to improve community facilities with a water tank at the Biloela Community Garden enabling efficient water use for growing fruit and vegetables for community access.
• Manoora Centenary Park Incorporated, in Manoora, SA, has been awarded $5,000 to enhance community first aid access at the Manoora Centenary Park by creating a dedicated space for first aid to be administered and improving hygiene, secure storage and patient privacy.
• Huon Valley Police & Community Youth Club Inc, in Huonville, TAS, has been awarded $5,000 to host a program focused on disadvantaged-youth that helps them learn about the importance of teamwork, co-operation, communication and leadership.
• Committee of Management of Dunrobin Public Hall and Reserve Inc, in Dunrobin, VIC, has been awarded $2,746 to build community capacity through the purchase of new chairs and a stainless steel urn to support safe and comfortable use of the Dunrobin Hall.
• Dumbleyung Community Resource Centre, in Dumbleyung, WA, has been awarded $4,597 to support community connection with the purchase of an inflatable screen to enable inclusive access to free movie nights across the year for a small remote community.

The fourth round of the Program is expected to open around June 2024. Community groups looking for funding in the interim should head to www.frrr.org.au/find-funding.

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

In this quarter’s update for FRRR’s partners and supporters, we’re looking at how fundraising accounts, community foundations and small grants can enable grassroots groups to tackle local priorities, like Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation – a new group whose first project was to bring back a printed weekly newspaper for the community! Also in this edition:

• read about the high value and high demand for our Small Grants programs
• learn about Engawala Art Centre’s journey to developing a physical space for painters
• Insights from FRRR’s team as network, travel and deliver programs
• Our Progress – Q4 FY 2022/23
• Partnering opportunities to activate great projects