30 June 2020: Thanks to support from our donor partners, the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has awarded two more grants to support communities in their recovery from the 2019/20 Summer bushfires.

The Orara Valley Progress Association and the Blue Mountains Community Resource Network (BMCRN) each received a $25,000 grant for projects that will help their communities to rebuild and recover from the bushfires.

The Orara Valley Progress Association will use the $25,000 grant, funded by R.M.Williams, to engage a Community Recovery Officer to lead the establishment of Community Hubs in Glenreagh and Nana Glen, on the NSW central coast. Both communities were devastated by the Liberation Trail fire in November last year, and then adversely affected by flooding in February.

For those who have lost their homes and/or sustained significant damage from fire and floods, the Community Recovery Officer will be a direct a point of contact and will assist community members to navigate support from various charitable organisations.

The Community Hubs will serve as a central place for community information, as well as offer a safe place in times of need. This paid role will greatly alleviate the workload of community volunteers, many of whom are at breaking point.

The Community Recovery Officer will also work alongside the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area’s (LGA) Community Recovery Officer to coordinate the delivery of workshops to better prepare the Orara Valley communities for future disasters, and address environmental and wildlife needs.

For BMCRN, the $25,000 grant, funded by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, will be used to support the costs of a casual Project Coordinator to deliver a series of disaster preparedness and resilience events ahead of the 2020/21 fire season.

BMCRN acts as a peak organisation for the community services sector across the Blue Mountains, providing leadership and strengthening ties across the incredibly varied and dynamic sector.

Like many fire-affected places, Blue Mountains communities are currently experiencing interwoven layers of community-level trauma, following three megafires in the area over the summer 2019/20. This comes on top of bushfires in recent years, including the 2013 bushfires. Consequently, people are on high alert about the potential impacts of future fire events.

This project will provide a visible, achievable goal for the community to both enhance recovery and preparedness, and enhance community connection, which is especially important in a recovery context exacerbated by COVID-19.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR says the Foundation strongly believes that supporting communities to take charge locally is key to their recovery.

“From our 15 years’ experience supporting communities affected by natural disasters, we’ve learnt that every community is different, and those that are locally based are best placed to know what the community needs.

“One of the strong messages we have heard time and again is that people don’t want outsiders coming in and telling them what, how or when they need to do things. These grants mean that these Orara Valley and Blue Mountains can each appoint a locally-based person who will become the key point of contact to support local recovery, now, and into the future.

“We also know that being prepared is critical as disasters become more frequent and severe,” says Ms Egleton. “Communities that are active and engaged, and understand the emergency management system, are better equipped at the time of a disaster. So too are those that have strong social capital. These two positions will play a key role in that respect too.”

Twelve projects funded for bushfire recovery

25 June 2020: The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has awarded $138,815 in grants for 12 community-led projects in rural, regional and remote communities impacted by the Summer bushfires, through its Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

SRC is a grant program that aims to help rural communities across Australia by providing flexible funding for projects that support broad community needs. In total, this round of SRC saw 89 community projects across Australia share in $912,986 in grants.

While FRRR is not yet formally running the bushfire stream of SRC, the organisation made the call to fund a number of applications that were for bushfire recovery projects using donations received from a variety of donors over the summer. Through this funding, nine bushfire recovery projects in NSW shared in $97,910 in grants and three projects in Victoria shared in $40,905 in grants.

FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton, says that despite ongoing uncertainty as a result of COVID-19, it’s vital to keep funds flowing into regional areas.

“Many rural and remote communities have been hit hard by droughts, floods and bushfires and are stretched to the limit when it comes to coping with the economic impacts and additional pressures caused by COVID-19. We recognise that some of the projects may need to be changed to respond to COVID-19, but we wanted to get funding out to communities so that they can adapt and adjust as needed, especially as recovery starts.

“This is particularly relevant for bushfire-affected communities who have experienced the ‘double whammy’ with COVID-19. For this reason, FRRR made the call to fund a number of applications that were for bushfire recovery projects using donations received from a variety of donors over the summer. While FRRR is not yet formally running the bushfire stream of SRC, 12 bushfire recovery grants totalling $138,815, have been awarded as part of this round,” said Ms Egleton.

These grants will go towards helping bushfire affected communities to reduce social isolation, improve community connectedness and boost the local economy through workshops and festivals to help rebuild the economy. Several grants also went toward supporting community resilience and disaster preparedness through resourcing and education, and improving community infrastructure.

Some of the 12 bushfire recovery projects awarded this round include:

• Bruthen and District Neighbourhood House, Bruthen and District Citizens Association Inc, Bruthen, NSW – Holistic Community Well-being and Resilience – $25,000 – Support volunteer capacity and bushfire recovery by increasing community engagement through the employment of a community worker.
• Lifeline Central West Incorporated, Dubbo, NSW – Rapid Community Support Program – $9,000 – Support individual and community resilience in Central West communities by providing funding for Lifeline crisis response workshops.
• Bobin School of Arts Incorporated, Bobin, VIC – The Bobin COMA – $24,983 – Strengthen the resilience of the Bobin community by providing an outdoor shaded area at the Bobin School of Arts Hall, which will also enhance its amenity as a bushfire-evacuation centre.

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by a number of generous donors including: Australia Post, Bertalli Family Foundation, John T Reid Charitable Trusts, Sidney Myer Fund, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, The Yulgilbar Foundation, Westpac Group, The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation, Baxter Charitable Foundation, The William Buckland Foundation  Portland House Foundation, The Ross Trust, R.M.Williams, Estate Late Gordon Harold Jones, FRRR and Private Donors.

The bushfire recovery grants are funded thanks to donations from Australian Community Media’s South Coast is Calling initiative, Nelson Alexander Charitable Foundation, Charter Hall, Fire Fight Australia Fund, Pepper Money, Vicinity Centres and Westpac Group.

The next round of SRC grants will open in late July and will include a dedicated stream of funding for communities in bushfire-affected local government areas.

Organisation	Project	Location	Awarded
New South Wales
Bermagui Seasiders Inc.	Seaside Sounds Support community recovery and boost local economy through the establishment of a contemporary music festival in Bermagui.	Bermagui	$10,000
Evans Head Business & Community Chamber	‘Hooked on Evans’ Community Festival Stimulate the local economy in Evans Head and support community recovery through supporting the delivery of the ‘Hooked on Evans’ festival.	Evans Head	$10,000
Lifeline Central West Incorporated	Rapid Community Support Program Support individual and community resilience in Central West communities impacted by bushfires by providing funding for Lifeline crisis response workshops.	Dubbo	$9,000
Mackville Community Health Mid North Coast Local Health District	Sisters Retreat Reduce social isolation and improve mental health for cancer survivors in the Nambucca Valley who have also been impacted by bushfires, by supporting a wellness retreat.	Grassy Head	$10,000
Milton Ulladulla Men’s Shed Incorporated	Maintain and Mitigate: Essential Ground Maintenance to Reduce Bush Fire Risk Reduce fire risk at the Milton Ulladulla Men’s Shed through the purchase of landscape maintenance equipment.	Ulladulla	$850
Nymboida Canoeing Limited	Goolang Creek Regeneration – Nymboida. Tennis Court Rapids to K&L Wave Support nature and community bushfire recovery through revegetation and installation of picnic tables at Goolang Creek.	Nymboida	$10,000
Nymboida Community Groups Inc.	Firesticks Cultural Burn Program – Nymboida Community Workshop Support community recovery and preparedness in Nymboida through the delivery of a Cultural Burning workshop.	Nymboida	$8,077
Bobin School of Arts Incorporated	Community Outdoor Meeting Place (The Bobin COMA) Strengthen the resilience of the Bobin community and support community recovery by providing an outdoor shaded area at the Bobin School of Arts Hall.	Bobin	$24,983
StoryFest Incorporated	StoryFest – Fire Relief Funding Build economic activity during tourism off-season supporting bushfire recovery and cultural engagement through ‘Storyteller’ Festival.	Milton	$15,000
Victoria
Gippsland East Local Learning & Employment Network	Innovation and Sustainable Redevelopment of Bushfire Impacted Communities Increase community resilience and support recovery from bushfires through the development of online resources.	Bairnsdale	$9,997
Great Alpine Gallery Inc.	Video Stories for Art and Recovery Support community recovery from drought and recent bushfires and build resilience through the delivery of a story telling program.	Swifts Creek	$5,908
Bruthen and District Neighbourhood House Bruthen and District Citizens Association Inc.	Holistic Community Well-being and Resilience Support volunteer capacity and bushfire recovery by increasing community engagement through the employment of a community worker.	Bruthen	$25,000

Nearly $370,000 in grants for bushfire-affected communities

Bendigo, 18 June 2020: The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with News Corp Australia, has awarded $368,386 to support 21 projects across the country that will help in the recovery of rural, regional and remote communities impacted by the summer bushfires.

Funded through the News Corp Bushfire Recovery Program, these grants, which are up to $25,000 each, will help address a diverse range of needs including improving social connectedness, enhancing community spirit and increasing community preparedness.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, says for many of these communities, social and economic recovery is really only just starting to get underway, especially given the limitations imposed by COVID-19.

“From our experience supporting disaster-affected communities, we know that for those affected by this summer’s bushfires, their recovery will be a long and ongoing process. Communities need access to funding now, and into the medium to long-term. Our partnership with News Corp is a great opportunity to get funds on the ground,” said Ms Egleton.

“Their support means these grants will enable local community groups to lead local recovery efforts in a way that best meets the priorities of that community, because it’s different for each impacted community.

“For some communities, the priority is rebuilding facilities lost in the fire, such as the Eurobodalla Wood Makers Guild building in Batemans Bay. For others it’s reviving the community’s arts and culture, like celebrating the local music scene in Mallacoota, and for others it’s about supporting mental health and wellbeing, through gardening projects that will also restore the local bee population in the Bega Valley.”

Penny Fowler, Chairman of the Herald & Weekly Times and News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador says there was a wide range of applications, but a particularly strong demand for infrastructure and equipment to rebuild impacted regions.

“Communities in regional and rural Australia have been hit by so much devastation this year. We are delighted to provide some hope and bring the spirit back into communities with these bushfire grants.

“We hope our grants for community-led projects will help people recover and rebuild.  We look forward to partnering with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal to support and help bushfire affected areas become stronger communities.”

Some of the 21 projects awarded include:

• Capricorn Film Festival Inc, QLD – Mentoring Our Region – $25,000 – Support lifelong learning and enable communities to tell their stories through a creative mentoring project that will create and screen locally made films.

• Eden Whalers Australian Football Club Inc, NSW – Evacuation Centre Emergency Upgrades – $10,000 – Build community resilience and preparedness with evacuation centre equipment for the new pavilion.

• Friends of the One and All Sailing Ship Incorporated, SA – Sail for Recovery – $22,500 – Support individual and community wellbeing to enable the learning of coping strategies and self-management in recovery.

• Orbost Snowy Rovers Football Club Incorporated, VIC – Purchase of Defibrillator – $2,850 – Support community wellbeing and preparedness with access to life saving equipment.

A second round of the News Corp Bushfire Recovery Program will open 1 July. In total, there is a further $630,000 available. Applications are invited from community groups ins Local Government Areas with a bushfire disaster declaration from September 2019 to January / February 2020.

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

Organisation	Project & Summary	Location	Grant
Eurobodalla Woodcraft Guild Incorporated	Rebuilding the Eurobodalla Woodies Strengthen and support community volunteering by rebuilding the fire-destroyed workshop.	Batemans Bay, NSW	$25,000
Bermagui Surf Life Saving Club Inc	Lifesaving Equipment for Bermagui SLSC Build the capacity and strengthen a local volunteer community group to increase safety, and support of emergency services.	Bermagui, NSW	$19,900
Buxton Public School P&C Association	Through Play Comes Recovery Support community resilience and individual and community wellbeing through access to play equipment.	Buxton, NSW	$25,000
Bumbalong Valley Progress Association	Bumbalong Valley Community Facility Strengthen the local community in their recovery by rebuilding a facility for all to access.	Cooma, NSW	$21,040
Eden Service and Social Club Inc	Purchasing a Generator Build organisational capacity in the volunteer community group to raise funds and support events.	Eden, NSW	$2,349
Eden Whalers Australian Football Club Inc	Evacuation Centre Emergency Upgrades Build community resilience and preparedness with evacuation centre equipment for the new pavilion.	Eden, NSW	$10,000
Arts Mid North Coast	Arts for Recovery Develop and deliver a creative recovery arts projects in fire-impacted areas and report on how art and creative recovery can best be incorporated into emergency planning and responses.	Moorland, NSW	$15,500
Manning River Agricultural and Horticultural Society	Providing Additional Power and Water Outlets Support community resilience and preparedness by enhancing the facility for community and evacuation activities.	Taree, NSW	$19,960
Wellways Australia Limited	RECOVERY – Our Community, Our People, Our Bees Promote inclusion, engagement and recovery through sustainable eco-programs for whole-of-community development and benefit.	Bega, NSW	$25,000
Capricorn Film Festival Inc	Mentoring Our Region Support lifelong learning and enable communities to tell their stories through a creative mentoring project that will create and screen locally made films.	Gladstone, QLD	$25,000
Friends of the One and All Sailing Ship Incorporated	Sail for Recovery Support individual and community wellbeing through teaching coping strategies and self-management in recovery.	Kangaroo Island, SA	$22,500
Riviera Care	The Armoury Build the capacity of the community centre with a facility upgrade enabling programs for local skill development and an environment that promotes positive mental health, friendship and personal growth.	Bairnsdale, VIC	$18,923
Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc	Out & About Enabling a local community youth program’s activities through purchasing an equipment trailer that will also be available for locals to utilise.	Corryong, VIC	$13,450
Genoa Public Hall	Repairing Fire-Damaged Fences and Entry at Genoa Public Hall Building capacity in the community by making critical repairs to important local infrastructure used for meetings and emergency evacuation.	Genoa, VIC	$19,492
Lakes Entrance Action & Development Association Inc	Lakes Entrance – Entrance Walk Build community resilience by upgrading the footbridge at the Entrance Walk and undertaking environmental rehabilitation, which will support locals and tourism.	Lakes Entrance, VIC	$24,100
Lindenow Sports Ground Management Committee Incorporated	Cool Room Installation Build organisational capacity through upgrading the facility with a new cool room to improve operations and reduce costs.	Lindenow, VIC	$22,363
Mallacoota Community Health Infrastructure and Resilience Fund Incorporated	Out of the Ashes – Mallacoota’s Musical Revival Contribute to a culturally vibrant community by supporting a community-led healing project for recovery.	Mallacoota, VIC	$24,938
Mallacoota Hall and Recreation Committee	Marquees for Outdoor Events Enable social connection and support community participation in outdoor activity through increased equipment for events.	Mallacoota, VIC	$7,020
Kiewa Valley Community Radio Inc	Employment of a Marketing & Sponsorship Manager Build capacity of Alpine Radio (community radio) to support business development and local services continuity by enhancing the marketing capability of the station.	Mount Beauty, VIC	$6,000
Community Broadcasting Foundation	Specialist Journalist Training for Reporting Trauma Events Promote individual and community wellbeing through developing expertise and resilience for broadcasters.	Bairnsdale, VIC Mallacoota, VIC Moruya, NSW and Braidwood, NSW	$18,000
Orbost Snowy Rovers Football Club Incorporated	Purchase of Defibrillator Support community wellbeing and preparedness by improving access to life saving equipment.	Orbost, VIC	$2,850

Bendigo, 19 May 2020: Fifty-eight community-led projects that help drought-affected rural, regional and remote Australian communities are sharing in nearly $2 million in grants, through the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) Tackling Tough Times Together (TTTT) program. 

While COVID-19 and the bushfires have taken centre stage over the past six months, the drought and long-term rainfall deficiencies remain severe across much of the country. Despite the good rainfall earlier in the year, the drought is far from over. Many communities, like those throughout New South Wales and across the Murray-Darling Basin (which runs through Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia), who are experiencing the driest 36-month period on record. In Queensland, 67.4 percent of the state is drought-declared. Other areas affected by extended periods of rainfall shortages include eastern Victoria, eastern and northern Tasmania, eastern South Australia and parts of southwest Western Australia.

FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton says these communities haven’t been forgotten and FRRR is here to help them get through these dry times.

“We know that large parts of the country are still in drought, and coupled with the impacts of COVID-19, and for many the bushfires too, this is a particularly challenging time. Keeping money flowing into rural areas is a priority for FRRR, so that these communities can continue to work at building capacity and long-term resilience,” said Ms Egleton.

TTTT Program Coordinator, Deanne Cavalier, says that Tackling Tough Times Together grants support projects that aim to reduce social isolation, develop leadership and skills training, social and educational participation, stimulate economic activity and build the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations.

“This round of TTTT saw the most applications since the program’s 2018 national expansion. It’s clear that these communities still need help to access the resources they need to support one another through the ongoing effects of the drought. 

“It’s vital to be flexible and support local recovery efforts in a way that meets the needs of each community now, and into the medium to long-term. That’s why we are open to project variations and supporting organisations pivoting and thinking laterally when it comes to their projects and how grant funds are used during COVID-19 restrictions,” said Ms Cavalier.

Some of the 58 projects awarded this round include:

• Quilpie Cultural Society Incorporated, QLD – Defying the Drought through Creativity – $31,466 – Relieve current stressors of drought and improve community health and social wellbeing through the installation of new resources at the Cultural Society, and the delivery of a variety of art and craft workshops.
• Kingaroy BaconFest Inc, QLD – Kingaroy BaconFest 2021 – $58,300 – Support fatigued volunteers and reduce social and economic issues by showcasing local industry and produce and highlighting the importance of buying 100 percent Australian pork product.
• Lions Club of Ulladulla Milton Incorporated, NSW – Farmers at Burrill (FAB) – $17,138 – Support local industries, economy and tourism, and reduce social isolation through the delivery of a local Farmers’ Market that will showcase local producers and encourage tourists to the region.
• Colbinabbin & District Historical Society, VIC – The Development of Colbinabbin Silo Art Viewing Area – $59,800 – Reinvigorate local community spirit and the economy by developing land adjacent to the Colbinabbin silo art project into parklands featuring a native garden, walking tracks, and a silo viewing platform.
• Arno Bay Progress Association Incorporated, SA – Tasting Arno – $3,606 – Reduce social isolation and stimulate the local economy by encouraging the broader community to participate in an accessible, low cost, local event.

Tackling Tough Times Together is possible thanks to the collaborative support of a number of donors, including the Australian Government which committed $15M to be distributed over three years. Generous contributions have also been made by NRMA, Pratt Foundation, Stockland CARE Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, The Snow Foundation, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Henroth Group and private donors from across the nation.

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.

The next cut-off dates for applications to be considered are:

• 28 May 2020. Outcomes will be advised late August 2020.
• 27 August 2020. (Note, expressions of interest for the $150,000 tier must be received by 16 July 2020.) Outcomes will be advised late November 2020.

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

Jump to : NSW | QLD | SA | VIC

Organisation	Project	Location	Grant
NEW SOUTH WALES
Up to $60,000
Billimari Public Hall & Recreation Reserve Land Manager	Kitchen in Billimari Hall Upgrade Billimari Hall kitchen to increase safety and amenity for local community cultural events and meetings.	Billimari	$58,677
Boggabri and Districts Historical Society	Installation of Vinyl Cladding Increase comfort and reduce ongoing maintenance of Boggabri Men’s Shed and Museum buildings through recladding.	Boggabri	$35,120
Clare Public School Parents and Citizens Association	Sustainable Community Kitchen at Clare Public School Enhance catering and cooking activities for the community and school students through the construction of a kitchen at Clare Public School.	Clare	$59,730
Community College-Northern Inland Incorporated	Capacity Building for Community Education Futures in the Northern Inland Increase the capacity and viability of education provider in drought affected areas that provides job ready skills and training.	Barraba	$37,500
Condobolin and District Landcare Management Committee	Recovery Festival Strengthening local communities by providing a platform to drive economic growth, social cohesion and cultural identity through delivery of a free Festival at Condobolin.	Condobolin	$60,000
Cypress View Lodge Limited	Cypress View Lodge (CVL) Solar Upgrade Increase viability of Cypress View Lodge through installation of solar system, supporting locals to stay within their community as they age and need more assistance with daily living and health needs.	Coleambally	$59,696
Dunedoo Bowling Club Limited	Air Conditioning Replacement Increase comfort and amenity of meeting area in drought affected community through air conditioning upgrade at Dunedoo Bowling Club.	Dunedoo	$34,100
Growmolong Incorporated	“The Molong Story” Mural Artworks Increase economic growth through attracting tourists to view silo and tank art at Molong.	Molong	$60,000
Guyra Adult Learning Association Incorporated	The Guyra Gazette Lifeline Increased capacity to produce local newspaper to support the community to; maintain strong connections; raise awareness of local events and activities; encourage social interaction; and inform community of local issues during a period of drought.	Guyra	$40,422
Gwymac Incorporated	Community Planting Bees – For a healthy and Connected Inverell Region Reduce social isolation and increase community connectedness through redevelopment of local community hub, Inverell Community Garden.	Inverell	$56,177
Hartbeat of the Bush Incorporated	Beat of The Bush Festival 2020 Reduce social isolation and support opportunities for educational participation for children and young people through the delivery of the Beat of The Bush Festival in Tenterfield.	Tenterfield	$55,000
Manilla Community Renewable Energy Incorporated	Renewable Manilla Increase social connections and provide activities that support learning at the Renewable Manilla Festival.	Manilla	$27,500
Mungindi Community Preschool Incorporated	Optimal Start for Parched Children Continued delivery of early childhood education regardless of low enrolments in Mungindi through support for program costs.	Mungindi	$60,000
South West Arts Incorporated	Youth Community Radio Station Enhance leadership development and skills training opportunities for young people of Deniliquin and surrounds through the creation of the Youth Community Radio Station.	Deniliquin	$28,000
UCA – Greenthorpe	Going To Print Increase opportunities for the community to connect, support each other and express themselves through the arts.	Greenethorpe	$57,950
Up to $20,000
Age of Fishes Museum Incorporated	Three Fossil Stands for the Age of Fishes Museum Encourage local tourism and enhance educational opportunity through the provision of three fossil display stands at the Age of Fishes Museum, Canowindra.	Canowindra	$7,217
Borah Creek Public Hall Land Manager	Solar Panels to the Borah Creek Hall Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the installation of solar power to the Borah Creek Hall.	Rocky Glen	$7,954
Delungra Public School	Exploring the Ocean Landscape Enhance social and educational participation for children disadvantaged through drought by the delivery of a weeklong excursion for students of Delungra and Gilgai Public Schools to Lake Ainsworth.	Delungra	$20,000
Hope Bathurst Incorporated	Upgrade of Hopecare Café Kitchen Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the upgrade to the Hopecare Café Kitchen.	Bathurst	$16,900
Lions Club of Ulladulla Milton Incorporated	Farmers At Burrill (FAB) Enhance economic recovery and renewal through the development and delivery of the Farmers at Burrill (FAB) Farmers Market as a pilot market over the 2020/2021 Summer.	Burrill Lake	$10,210
Mungery Recreation Reserve Land Manager	Mungery Skillion Enhance and repair local meeting place that supports the delivery of community events and activities that increase local connectedness and reduce isolation.	Mungery	$20,000
Narrabri Shire Community Radio Incorporated	Fit Out of a New Studio Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the fit out of a second radio studio at Narrabri Shire Community Radio.	Narrabri	$11,000
Scout Association of Australia First Dubbo Scout Group	Water Tanks for Hall Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the installation of water tanks at the First Dubbo Scout Group Hall.	Dubbo	$4,619
Tibooburra & District Progress Association	Outback Lock-Up Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the provision of two shipping containers at the community Albert Hall and Cemetery.	Tibooburra	$10,500
QUEENSLAND
Up to $60,000
Balonne Shire Council	Bollon Park and Riverland Revitalisation Upgrade local parklands through installation of new seating, lighting and irrigation, to encourage social connection and enhance local events and activities.	Bollon	$60,000
Boulia Golf Club Incorporated	Rejuventation of Boulia Golf Club – The Hub of the Shire Improve and repair Boulia Golf Club to encourage community connectedness and reduce social isolation during period of drought.	Boulia	$60,000
Centre For Rural and Regional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Limited	Tucka-Time Program – Fruit and Vegetable Box Addition Increase access to fresh fruit and improve nutrition for aboriginal primary students in the Gladstone Region.	Gladstone	$37,500
Goondiwindi Pastoral and Agricultural Society	“Putting Rubbish in its Place, With a Hop, Skip and Dump” Increase the capacity of volunteers to deliver events and activities that support economic and social benefits for the drought affected community of Goondiwindi.	Goondiwindi	$47,024
Junction View Hall Association Incorporated	Junction View Hall Upgrade Continued access to Junction View Hall through roof repair and external painting, allowing locals to connect and support each other at locally driven activities.	Junction View	$52,146
Kingaroy BaconFest Incorporated	Kingaroy BaconFest 2020 Increase capacity of Festival Committee through support and infrastructure for Kingaroy BaconFest event delivery.	Kingaroy	$58,300
Lockyer Multicultural Association Incorporated	Connecting and Empowering the Lockyer Valley Community Through Local Produce Improved use of local produce through training opportunities for businesses and the wider community in the Lockyer Valley.	Gatton	$59,200
Monto Magic Tourism Action Group Incorporated	Silo Mural – Revitalisation of Monto Support local economic recovery and renewal through increased tourism through the painting of four grain silos at Monto.	Monto	$60,000
Quilpie Cultural Society Incorporated	Defying the Drought Through Creativity Enhance opportunities to participate in creative activities for the Quilpie community through the purchase of resources and the delivery of art workshops.	Quilpie	$31,466
Red Ridge (Interior Queensland) Limited Channel Country Ladies Day Committee	Building Resilience in Isolated Outback Women Through the Channel Country Ladies Day Reduce social isolation and enhance coping skills for women in Western Queensland through delivery of the Channel Country Ladies Day 2020.	Quilpie	$55,000
South Burnett Woodcrafters Incorporated	SBW Workshop Development Increased space for members of the community to interact with others in a supportive and activity driven environment, through fit out of the new South Burnett Woodcrafters building.	Kingaroy	$59,757
UCA – Longreach Congregation	Kitchen Renovation in Edgely Hall Increase function and expand capacity of local meeting space through kitchen upgrade at Longreach UCA Hall.	Longreach	$57,392
Yelarbon Primary P&C Association	Greener Fields Reduce the dust and dirt through upgrade of place space at Yelarbon Primary School supporting social and educational participation and address disadvantage for children and young people.	Yelarbon	$45,000
Up to $20,000
Allora Community Circle	Keeping Allora’s Spirit Alive Enhance community cohesion and reduce social isolation through the delivery of two community events in Allora.	Southern Downs Region	$19,987
Alpha Amateur Swimming Club	Outback Drowning Prevention Program Enhance opportunity for social and educational participation and address disadvantage for young people caused by drought through the delivery of an 8 week swimming safety program in Alpha.	Alpha	$20,000
Ballyneety Rodeo Club Incorporated	Ballyneety Rodeo Campdraft & Gymkhana Reduce volunteer fatigue and increase organisational capacity through the purchase of 20 tables and 50 chairs for the Aramac community.	Aramac	$2,430
Thallon Progress Association Incorporated	Protecting our Future Reduce social isolation through the installation of a permanent shade structure over the iconic “William the Wombat” playground sculpture in Thallon.	Thallon	$16,000
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Up to $60,000
Greenock Institute Management Committee Incorporated	Greenock Institute Kitchen Renewal Upgrade to the kitchen at Greenock Institute to enhance community events and functions with catering.	Greenock	$26,390
Lucky Bay Shackowners Association	Laughter at Lucky Bay Support a stronger social fabric and enhanced wellbeing through the installation of a playground at Lucky Bay foreshore.	Lucky Bay	$51,597
Parachilna Community Association Incorporated	Parachilna Community Association Airstrip Increase visitation and economic benefits, and access to services such as the Flying Doctor through construction of an airstrip at remote Parachilna.	Parachilna	$60,000
Port Vincent Progress Association Incorporated	Port Vincent Water Tower Mural Project Increase tourism and economic benefits for the Port Vincent community through creation of an art installation on 20 metre water tank.	Port Vincent	$54,500
Up to $20,000
Arno Bay Progress Association Incorporated	Tasting Arno Reduce social isolation through the delivery of the Tasting Arno event.

Bendigo, 5 May 2020: The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Pratt Foundation, has granted a further $79,600 to support four projects that will help Tumut region communities recover from the recent bushfires. This is in addition to the $649,150 in grants that have already been awarded through the Fund.

The Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund grants help to address a diverse range of needs, including improving social connectedness, access to services and outreach support for mental health and wellbeing.

Visy Executive Chairman, Anthony Pratt says, “The Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund is very pleased to be able to provide immediate assistance for a wide range of projects and it’s wonderful to see these grants already being put into action and making a real difference in the region’s bushfire recovery.”

FRRR’s CEO, Natalie Egleton, says that an important part of disaster recovery is strengthening social connectedness and ensuring outreach support continues for those affected by the bushfires, despite the current pandemic management plans.

“While COVID-19 is slowly getting under control, we know that it will be quite a while before things get back to normal. But it’s still important for people to have things to look forward to, and to find ways to connect – whether that’s virtually or in person. That’s why we have supported Khancoban’s You Khan Uke Festival. It is hoped that this will become an annual Ukelele festival, stimulating economic recovery now and into the future.

“It’s critical to have access to flexible funding to support different priorities for different parts of the community – now, and into the medium to long-term. So, it’s been fantastic to see projects being adapted to meet community needs, like Tumbarumba Community Church’s bushfire recovery outreach project. By receiving this funding, the Church can continue to support the mental health and wellbeing of communities in the Snowy Valleys Council region by practicing social distancing when checking-in with local farmers.”

Funding that is being provided to Khancoban Primary School and Puggles Early Learning Service will contribute to both of these organisations purchasing vehicles that will increase their ability to provide access to educational activities for young children in fire-affected communities.

The list of Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund recipients from this round is below:

• Khancoban United Volunteer Association Incorporated – $9,500 – Strengthening social connectedness and supporting economic recovery through Khancoban’s first Ukulele festival, You Khan Uke Festival.
• Tumbarumba Community Church – $5,100 – Ensuring continuity of outreach services to support community mental health and wellbeing services in the wake of fires and during COVID-19.
• NSW Government Schools – Khancoban Primary School – $15,000 – Supporting student participation and social connectedness by buying a second-hand bus for student activities and excursions, and in case of fire evacuation.
• Snowy Valleys Council – Puggles Early Learning Service – $50,000 – Expanding coverage of the Tumut region and increasing access to support for early years education by buying an additional van from which services are delivered.

Applications for the next round of funding are now open. Applications will close on 30 June and are expected to be announced late July.

Grants of up to $150,000 available for Enhancing Country Health Outcomes

Bendigo, 5 May 2020: The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) is inviting not-for-profit organisations to apply for an Enhancing Country Health Outcomes (ECHO) grant to deliver initiatives that improve the health of people living in rural, regional and remote Victoria and New South Wales.

Rural communities face distinct challenges associated with distance and isolation, which place these regions at greater risk of poorer health management and outcomes than those living in metropolitan areas. In addition to these challenges, many parts of NSW and Victoria have been affected by drought, bushfires and now COVID-19, all of which have significant impacts on health care resources.

The ECHO grants program launched in 2018 thanks to a generous donation from Beyond Medical Education. The program offers targeted grants of between $50,000 and $150,000 for charitable initiatives delivered by not-for-profit organisations to strengthen, improve access to, and retain the quality of relevant and appropriate primary health care services in rural, regional and remote Victoria and NSW.

FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton, says that basic health services, programs and equipment are vital to the sustainability of rural communities.

“Many of Victoria and New South Wales’ rural communities have limited access to appropriate primary health care. This has been compounded by the drought, bushfires, and now by the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the real need for communities to be able to attract resources and implement sustainable, best practice models that will see better health outcomes for local residents.

“Last year, we awarded $475,000 in grants through this program, and it’s great to see them making a real difference in the community. For example, Latrobe Community Health Service received a grant of $125,200 to implement the ‘Telkaya Project – Very Brief Advice For Behavioural Change’. Through this project, LCHS developed online training and support materials regarding lifestyle changes around smoking, nutrition, alcohol and physical activity. Staff are now able to integrate this intervention advice into their routine primary health care services.

“Mallacoota Community Health, Infrastructure and Resilience Fund, in Victoria, was another ECHO grant recipient, using $136,864 to help the local medical clinic get additional health services up and running. Patients can now access services including a general mental health program and Teen Clinic and a piloted nurse-led after-hours service, which has been particularly valuable given the impact of the fires,” said Ms Egleton.

Other types of rural and regional focussed projects that could be eligible include innovative primary health care training and leading-edge professional development to address an identified local need; measures to enhance the retention of primary health care services; or fostering local partnerships to develop better primary health care models. Full details and other examples are available in the program guidelines.

“The bushfires and COVID-19 have emphasised the real need for quality primary health services in rural and regional areas. Building strong and sustainable relationships that support the health of these communities is critical. It’s wonderful to be able to provide support for projects on the ground that foster this kind of long-term, health care provider collaboration,” said Ms Egleton.

Applications can be made via FRRR’s Grants Gateway, and close at 5pm AEST, 9 June 2020. Outcomes will be advised mid-August 2020.

Bendigo, 3 April, 2020: The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Pratt Foundation, has granted $649,150 to support 19 projects that will help Tumut region communities to recover from the recent bushfires.

The funding is through the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund. The grants will help address a diverse range of needs, including improving social connectedness, enhancing community spirit and providing mental health support through workshops, activities and infrastructure.

FRRR’s CEO Natalie Egleton says that from FRRR’s 18 years’ experience in supporting disaster-affected communities, they know that every community is different, so access to flexible funding that can help address different priorities is crucial – now, and into the medium to long-term.

“While COVID-19 has made things much more complex, we know that bushfire affected communities still need support on their recovery journey. It’s wonderful to be able to partner with the Pratt Foundation to get this funding on the ground to assist local community groups to lead local recovery efforts in a way that meets the needs of that community.

“An important part of disaster recovery is strengthening social connectedness and stimulating economic recovery, especially in areas reliant on tourism and agriculture. The current restrictions on gatherings will make this more difficult, however, grants have still been provided for events like the Snowy Valleys Council’s Rock the Turf music festival and the Tumut Art Society Inc’s RegenerART project. We understand that there may be changes to projects in response to Covid-19, but keeping funding flowing into the community to support recovery is critical. These projects offer the community opportunities that will have many and long-lasting benefits.”

Visy Executive Chairman, Anthony Pratt said, “The Tumut region was heavily impacted by the tragic bushfires earlier this year and because Visy is part of the local community, we were keen to be actively involved in the recovery effort. I’m so thankful the applications to Round 1 of the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund have resulted in immediate assistance for a wide range of projects all of which will benefit the community.”

Other strong themes in the grants awarded were addressing mental health, supporting the rebuild of community infrastructure and replacing equipment and facilities that were lost, and helping fund resources to coordinate recovery activities. Some examples of these grants include:

• Regional Development Australia – Riverina’s Landholder Welfare & Resilience Workshops – directly helping landholders affected by bushfire through a series of accessible and practical workshops that will build resilience and wellbeing across multiple communities; and
• Montreal Community Theatre Inc – improving the reliability of local radio communications, particularly during times of emergency through purchase of battery, transmission and broadcasting equipment.

More grants are expected to be announced at the end of April.

Organisation	Project	Location	Grant
Adelong Junior Sports Foundation Incorporated	Installation of outdoor community fitness equipment  Increase the mental health and wellbeing of residents in Adelong through the installation of exercise equipment in public spaces.	Adelong	$45,000
Adelong Pre School Inc	Wellness Program for Preschool Children  Improve mental health of pre-school children and their families in Adelong through yoga and music therapy sessions for the children.	Adelong	$5,000
Adelong Progress Association	Back to Adelong  Improve vibrancy, visitation and build community connectedness through a weekend festival in Adelong incorporating markets, tours, exhibitions and dinner dance.	Adelong	$70,000
Adelong Showground Management Committee	Upgrading Dining/Kitchen Area at the Adelong Showground Improve community infrastruture and meeting spaces at the Adelong Showground by upgrading the kitchen/dining facilities.	Adelong	$45,000
Festival of the Falling Leaf	Snow Valleys Festival Pack Increase community capacity to deliver locally led festivals and events through the purchase of equipment including chairs, tables, marquees and generator.	Tumut, Tumbarumba, Batlow, Adelong	$45,000
Gilmore Progress Association Incorporated	Gilmore Hall Renovation and Upgrade  Improve community meeting facility at the Gilmore Hall through upgrades to the kitchen area.	Gilmore	$49,900
Ideas Information on Disability Education Awareness Services Incorporated	Hang out, without hanging on! – EZYDUN in the Snowy Valleys  Improve accessible public amenities at local festivals and events through provision of a portable all-abilities bathroom facility.	Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo	$60,000
Local Leading Ladies Incorporated	Capacity Building for Snowy Valleys  Build capacity of individuals and businesses to operate remotely through in person workshops and online training opportunities which will support local economic recovery and reduce financial hardship caused by the fires.	Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong	$50,000
Montreal Community Theatre Inc	Emergency Broadcast, Backup Power and Local Community Radio Communications Sustainability Project  Improve reliability of local radio communications, particularly during times of emergency, in the Snowy Valley region through purchase of battery, transmission and broadcasting equipment.	Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong, Rosewood, Tooma	$100,000
Regional Development Australia – Riverina	Landholder Welfare & Resilience Workshops  Build resilience and wellbeing of landholders affected by bushfire through a series of accessible and practical workshops across multiple communties in Snowy Valleys Council region.	Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong, Oberne, Yaven Creek, Westbrook, Gilmore Valley	$20,000
Snowy Valleys Council Rock the Turf	Rock The Turf  Increase community spirit, social connectedness and wellbeing in the Snowy Valleys region through the delivery of Rock the Turf public music event.	Tumut	$25,000
Talbingo MTB Club Inc	Talbingo Township Mountain Bike Trailhead, Skills Park and Foreshore Trail  Increase tourism and available community activities through the development of a mountain bike trailhead at Talbingo.	Talbingo	$40,800
Tumbarumba Artists on Parade Co-Operative Limited	Connecting the Community through hands on workshops  Increase resilience, wellbeing and social connectedness of the Tumbarumba community through a variety of interactive hands on workshops.	Tumbarumba	$7,000
Tumbarumba Rotary Club Write Your Life Group	The 2020 Tumbarumba and Region Fires  Contribute to community resilience, connectedness and preservation of local history through creation of a book documenting the bushfire experience of the Tumbarumba community.	Tumbarumba and surrounds	$7,500
Tumut Art Society Inc	RegenerART: Re-creating a positive future  Foster community resilience and connectedness across four fire affected communities through series of free art workshops	Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong	$23,950
Tumut Pony Club Inc	Mini Camp for Zone 20 Pony Club Enhance community wellbeing and connectedness through support of local pony club weekend event.	Tumut	$5,000
Tumut Region Producers and Makers Co-operative Limited	Local at Learmont’s Support economic recovery of local food producers following bushfire event in Snowy Valleys through rental assistance at growers market.	Tumut	$20,000
Tumut Swimming Club Inc	BBQ and Shelter at the Tumut War Memorial Swimming Pool Improve social wellbeing and opportunity for engagement in Tumut region through BBQ facilities and infrastructure at local pool.	Tumut	$25,000
Zone 20 PCA of NSW Incorporation	Zone 20 Camp 2021  Build community resilience and engagement through support for annual pony club camp weekend.	Tumbarumba	$5,000

The Tablelands Region is around 150 km south-west of Cairns in Far North Queensland. Drought declared since May 2016, the community has been under significant pressure, specifically the grazing families in the west of the region. The residents in this area are located in remote settings, which can create challenges like difficulty accessing services, social isolation and lack of opportunities. There are very few regular social activities, as these areas are mostly cattle stations run by self-employed graziers.

In the past few years, the Tablelands Regional Council (TRC) and Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG) have worked together to deliver a range of drought relief projects that contributed to connectedness, social wellbeing and increased access and awareness to support services.

They teamed up again to provide a series of gardening workshops to people in areas that have been drought declared to bring them together for new learning experiences that assist in their empowerment and resilience during difficult times, in a bid to promote social cohesion and wellbeing.

A $15,000 Tackling Tough Times Together grant, funded by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, enabled TRC to consult and engage gardening experts to design and deliver the workshops. The funding also covered ancillary costs such as the promotion of the events, catering and workshop materials.

In all, four drought-resilient gardening workshops were held, two at Pinnarendi Station and two at Woodleigh Station. The first workshops were held in November 2018 and were attended by 26 participants. The focus was on learning how to build a spiral herb garden utilising existing materials (upcycling) from around their properties. This included preparing the bed and understanding the design benefit for water-saving and planting complementary and seasonal plants, as well as making fertiliser out of existing resources.

The next round of workshops was held in May 2019, and 14 participants learnt to build wicking beds (self-watering gardens) and salad baskets out of hay bales.

Additionally, a morning/afternoon tea was held at each of the stations to discuss what they had learnt, evaluate the workshops and see how they would take any learnings into the future.

Project outcomes from the gardening workshops were significant for the participants who all stated in their evaluation that they had reconnected with old friends socially, and made new connections. From the beginning of the first workshop, participants were looking to increase their skills and knowledge. They reported that the benefit of receiving some plants to take home reinforced their commitment to translate their learnings to their gardens and build garden beds. The participants learnt to utilise their resources in different ways, which increased feelings of empowerment, as well as building resilience and sustainability.

Many of the participants have kept up their gardening and are noticing benefits for their whole family, including healthy living, self-confidence, new social connections, cost efficiency, self-reliance and wellbeing. Participating in the workshops has developed additional common ground between the participants and the community, which increases their social cohesion. Both groups decided to continue their gardening groups and rotate morning teas at each other’s gardens to maintain the connection and interest in their projects.

From all accounts, it certainly sounds as though the project succeeded in inspiring and empowering isolated communities to have some control to support their mental health with activities that are also coping strategies for personal challenges. One participant commented, “The workshops were wonderful opportunities for gardeners (of all levels) to get together; wellness at its best, thank you again!”

News Corp Australia has partnered with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal to launch a $1M fund to provide grants to support the recovery of the people and communities impacted by the Summer bushfires. The News Corp Bushfire Fund will offer grants of up to $25,000 aid the immediate, medium and long-term recovery of these affected communities.

Read News Corp’s full announcement here.

Bendigo, 6 March 2020: The breadth and impact of the bushfires experienced across Australia over spring and summer mean that many children living in rural, regional and remote communities will not have what they need to start second term.

Since 2005, the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) Back to School program has helped more than 165,000 disadvantaged students by giving them a $50 gift voucher that can be redeemed for school necessities, such as uniforms, shoes, school bags and stationery.

Thanks to the generosity of our donor partners, in the wake of the bushfire crisis, many more students will get the helping hand they need.

FRRR will run a special round of its Back to School program to provide $50 vouchers to children and families in need in rural communities within local government areas with a bushfire disaster declaration, from September 2019 to January / February 2020. The vouchers can be redeemed at Target stores or select local stationery and uniform retailers in local communities.

FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton says that the organisation ensures the vouchers get to those who need it.

“FRRR partners with Community Foundations and local community organisations, who can discretely ensure support reaches people, without them having to apply for it.

“We expect to distribute up to 15,500 vouchers to fire-affected families. To work swiftly, FRRR will seek to work with Foundations and organisations with whom we’ve partnered previously, as well as seek applications from other backbone organisations in communities where we’ve previously not distributed vouchers,” explains Ms Egleton.

Community Foundations and local community organisations can apply for vouchers via the FRRR website. Vouchers will be distributed in May 2020.

“Fifty dollars may not seem like much, but we know that this does make a difference, helping to offset the cost of school books, stationery, shoes, winter clothes and even equipment that enables students to participate fully in extracurricular activities, such as steel-capped boots for work experience or sleeping bags, so they join in school camps,” says Ms Egleton.

FRRR waives its administration fee on the Back to School program.

The Back to School Bushfire Response program is just one of the ways that FRRR is assisting fire-affected communities to get back on their feet. Working to support needs in the medium to long-term, that is 12-18 months following the bushfires, grants from FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund will be available to support community leaders to implement what they need in their community. That could be support for fatigued volunteer leaders, repairing vital community infrastructure or ensuring psychological support is available when it is most needed, for example. Grants could also be used to prepare for future disasters. Additionally, FRRR will be offering a special grant stream through its flexible Strengthening Rural Communities program for communities that identify more immediate needs and for donors wishing for their funds to be used in full in the medium-term recovery period.