Eight organisations sharing $280,000

FRRR has awarded eight grants totalling $280,000 to a range of local community groups across Bega Valley and Glen Innes Severn through the Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW (INFPC) program, which is supported by the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Funding was requested for a range of initiatives including economic and strategic planning, support for groups to build systems and processes, and undertake staff training, and business skills development.

The grants awarded will benefit newly formed and existing groups as they build their capacity to meet the needs of their communities and support the ongoing recovery of these fire-affected areas.

The INFPC program supports local community groups and not-for-profit organisations and is specifically designed to help create local solutions to local issues. The program includes workshops, skill development and networking, in addition to the grants. It kicked off in May, with workshops in the Bega Valley and Glen Innes.

Joanna Kemp, FRRR’s INFPC Program Manager, said that the sessions were well attended, but with different issues emerging during the discussions.

“In the Bega Valley, there was a lot of interest among local not-for-profits in working more closely together and sharing resources where appropriate. There was also a shared need for strategic planning within organisations, and more support on things like governance training. We also heard that there are lots of challenges with volunteer and funding fatigue, and in maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing across the community in general, which isn’t surprising given the challenges this community has faced.

“In Glen Innes Severn, the participating organisations shared a common need for governance support and training in areas such as succession and strategic planning, ways to overcome challenges in volunteer recruitment and retention, and a desire to upskill in marketing activities, such as maintaining websites and social media,” Ms Kemp explained.

“We look forward to continuing to work with these communities and to learning more about their needs and priorities in the target communities to understand how FRRR might best add value into the future.”

The INFPC program will also be rolled out in Taree, although the kick-off was delayed due to the floods. It is expected the launch workshop will be help in the next couple of months.

Among the organisations supported in the Bega Valley is South East Arts for their project to support First Nations Cultural Tourism. The $10,000 grant will support the capacity of individuals and organisations working in the First Nations arts and cultural space in the Bega Valley by providing business skills training and ongoing practical support.

In Glen Innes Severn, Glenrac has been awarded $126,500 for a project that will benefit a wide range of local organisations. Their Creating Confident and Capable Committee for the Future project will involve a series of workshops, one-on-one support and resources to increase the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations.

For more information about the Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW program, visit –  https://frrr.org.au/investing-in-not-for-profit-capacity-nsw/.

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

Local NFPs invited to learn about FRRR’s new capacity building grant program

FRRR is inviting local leaders of not-for-profits (NFPs) and community organisations across select New South Wales regions to join in a series of online workshops to learn about the Foundation’s new grassroots program, Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW (INFPC).

The INFPC program, which is supported the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), is a 12-month place-based program that will provide NFPs in the bushfire-affected regions of Bega Valley, Glen Innes Severn and Taree with a capacity boost for their vital work in their communities.

Through the INFPC program, FRRR will support regional NSW NFPs and community organisations to respond and thrive in the face of current challenges. The program will include access to grant funding, workshops, skill development and networking to help create local solutions to local issues.

The workshop will introduce the program and give local community leaders the opportunity to brainstorm the key priorities and challenges they are facing and identify how INFPC can support them to address these resourcing and capacity needs.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that the program recognises the vital work of these grassroots organisations and community groups and intends to offer assistance that can add strength to the support and service they provide to the community.

“We were fortunate to meet with a number of regional NSW NFPs recently and it was clear how passionate they are about their community and its people. Their resilience and positivity were inspiring. What was also evident though, was the toll that having to face successive disasters has had on their capacity to do their job,” Ms Egleton explained.

“From drought, to bushfires, to COVID-19 restrictions, we heard how local NFPs, many of which are run by volunteers, are experiencing fatigue. The need to rethink, reschedule or pivot projects to meet changing needs has added additional pressure to their ability to support their communities.

“We are grateful for their openness and willingness to share with us the very real challenges they are facing as well as their goals and aspirations for their organisations and community.

“We look forward to working with local leaders and supporting them to develop local solutions to overcome these challenges,” Ms Egleton said.

For more information about the Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW program, or to register for an online workshop, visit –  https://frrr.org.au/funding/place/investing-in-not-for-profit-capacity-nsw/.