Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
ANZ and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) have today announced that $275,000 in community grants and Lenovo IT equipment (9 laptops and 1 tablet) were awarded to 29 community groups from across regional Australia, as part of the 2016 ANZ Seeds of Renewal program.
Since being established in 2002, ANZ’s Seeds of Renewal program, which is administered by FRRR, has supported education and employment projects to help grow prosperous regional communities. In total, ANZ has now donated more than $4 million to 750 projects.
In 2016, more than 119 groups applied for grants, confirming the high level of need for education and employment initiatives in the bush.
ANZ General Manager Regional Business Banking, Christine Linden said: “By focusing on education and employment projects, these grants will help empower community members with the knowledge and skills that are essential to help grow a strong rural community.
“Every year, we are impressed by the innovation and desire that these local groups have for their community. They are all so enthusiastic about their town’s future, and how they can help it progress. This year’s applications, which included projects such as developing a local organic produce farm with community employment opportunities in Kings Canyon, NT and educational, cultural and ecological professional development for primary school teachers in Nowanup, WA hold these same values. We are thrilled to be able to help make these initiatives a reality,” she said.
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said: “This year’s projects will fund valuable programs which assist the growth of sustainable rural and regional economies. The grants offered through this program can help ease the pressure of fund-raising, and ensure that our rural communities continue to thrive.”
Technology company Lenovo has also donated IT equipment, giving recipients the chance to apply for laptops or tablets instead of a cash grant.
ANZ will also be working with some applicants, including those who were not successful this year, to identify volunteering opportunities for local staff.
The full list of grant recipients is below.
|
ANZ Seeds of Renewal – 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Organisation |
Project |
Location |
Grant |
|
New South Wales | |||
|
Bonalbo & District Community Hall Assoc Inc |
Computer Literacy Basic Skills Base Gain computer skills and confidence for computer illiterate residents by providing technology mentoring and tutoring. |
Bonalbo |
$8,200 |
|
North West Plains Sustainability Group Inc |
People and Pastures for Prosperity Improve local understanding of modern grazing techniques and build resilience during drought conditions for 18 local family grazing businesses by running a 12 month Lifetime Ewe Management Course. |
Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri, Burren Junction, Cumborah, Come by Chance and Carinda |
$10,560 |
|
Singleton Council |
Growing Local Tourism Talent Strengthen the local economy and provide new opportunities and contacts by holding tourism information sessions, workshops and work placement programs for local community members wanting access into the industry. |
Scone, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Denman, Merriwa and Aberdeen |
$13,000 |
|
Coolamon Shire Council |
Big Dreams, Small Business Provide skills and training for local community members to discover new sources of income through the facilitation of free micro-business and events management workshops while strengthening the local economy. |
Coolamon |
$1,450 |
|
Playgroup Association of NSW Inc – Deniliquin Group |
Playgroup Employment Links Program Enable and provide playgroup volunteers with certification to seek paid employment. |
Deniliquin |
$12,790 |
|
Northern Territory | |||
|
Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation |
Hidden Valley Artists – Growing our Business Support social enterprise expansion to create further arts and culture self-employment opportunities for Aboriginal women by developing project management, design and leadership skills. |
Hidden Valley Town Camp |
$11,100 |
|
The Outback Spirit Foundation Inc |
Kings Canyon Bush Tomato Project Create local Aboriginal employment with unique connections to country and knowledge by improving infrastructure and expanding the Bushfoods Farm economic enterprise. |
Kings Canyon |
$15,000 |
|
Queensland | |||
|
Napranum PAL Group Ltd |
Reaching Out Through Innovation Enhance educational knowledge and access for local tutors, families and parents in remote areas by developing a training package. |
Napranum |
$5,800 |
|
New Life Community Services Ltd |
E-Hub Recycle Centre Provide new skills and potential employment for local community members through the purchase of a plastics granulator at the E-hub recycling Centre. |
Sarina |
$15,000 |
|
The Development Academy Inc |
Keystone Skills for Remote Leaders Boost employment and training opportunities for local Aboriginal Communities by training five local mentors in Certificate IV Leadership and Management. |
Camooweal |
$15,000 |
|
Toowoomba Clubhouse Assoc Inc |
Regional Communities Job Ready Initiative Improve skills, self-esteem, social connections and employment networks and prospects for jobseekers with mental illness or disability barriers through a four-week Job Ready Initiative. |
Oakey |
$9,032 |
|
South Australia | |||
|
Milang and District Community Assoc Inc |
Growing a Lakeside Garden Centre Improve business diversification of the community-based nursery in response to changing local needs and priorities, through planning and training activities. |
Milang |
$6,000 |
|
Limestone Coast Work Options Incorporated |
Keeping Them Home Increase employment opportunities and local care options for the elderly and disabled by supporting local community members to gain their Certificate III in Home & Community Services. |
Naracoorte |
$4,750 |
|
Tasmania | |||
|
Glenhaven Family Care Inc |
Employ-Me Experience Program Improve skills and knowledge for unemployed community members by delivering a training program to develop their capacity to find work and successfully engage with the workforce. |
Devonport |
$14,850 |
|
Victoria | |||
|
The Growing Abundance Project |
Greengage To build a viable local food system and a more resilient, connected and sustainable community, the Growing Abundance Project is establishing a social enterprise to generate income. |
Castlemaine |
$9,770 |
|
Bona Vista Primary School |
Bright Bots – Robotics and Code Club Supporting the local school students’ interest in science and technology through the purchase of electronic and robotics materials and equipment. |
Bona Vista |
$3,874 |
|
Heyfield Community Resource Centre Inc |
Ready Set Grow Boost skills and capacity for local community members who are not engaged in education, training or employment, by offering training in hospitality and horticulture to gain employment or undertake further study. |
Heyfield |
$9,720 |
|
Maffra & Districts Landcare Network |
Growing Resilient Farms, Farmers and Rural Communities Assist local farmers to build more resilient businesses through capacity building activities and workshops. |
Maffra |
$8,460 |
|
Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (A.C.R.E.) |
Leading the Way with Social Enterprise Enhance future economic participation and employment opportunities for local community members by providing an entrepreneurial skills development program for primary school students. |
Beechworth |
$15,000 |
|
Cohuna Neighbourhood House Incorporated |
Developing Skills For Dairy Kids Support school leavers to engage in the workforce and achieve a level of economic independence, by providing work-related training options. |
Cohuna |
$8,440 |
|
Stawell Neighbourhood House Inc |
Job Ready in Stawell Increase economic participation for disadvantaged community members by providing accredited employment training opportunities. |
Stawell |
$15,000 |
|
Western Australia | |||
|
Beverley Community Resource Centre Inc |
Customer Service and Local Knowledge Supports Small Town Economic Growth Build knowledge and awareness of local and regional attractions, and grow regional economic capability, by training volunteers at the visitor centre. |
Beverley |
$6,795 |
|
Gondwana Link Ltd |
Nowanup ‘Bush University’ Schools Program Support and increase student engagement, stewardship and understanding of local indigenous culture through the implementation of Noongar-informed educational, cultural and ecological professional development for primary school teachers. |
Nowanup |
$12,500 |
|
Kimberley Group Training |
Hospitality Program – Unlocking the potential of Future Stars Increase youth employment in the region by adopting culturally appropriate and nationally accredited pre-employment skills training for Indigenous youth in hospitality and tourism. |
Kununurra |
$13,000 |
|
Pemberton District High School P&C Assoc |
Paddock to Plate Strengthen future aquaponics employment opportunities and increase science, technology and maths learning though by adding aquaculture equipment to the school’s agricultural and kitchen garden program. |
Pemberton |
$15,000 |
|
South West Women’s Health & Information Centre |
Woman Made.com.au – South West Western Australia Create business opportunities for local producers of artisan products by training women in e-commerce sales via www.womanmade.com.au. |
Bunbury
|
$14,909 |
| Total: | $275,000 |
Lenovo Grant Recipients
|
Organisation |
Project |
Location |
Value of Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The World Incubator |
Charters Towers Entrepreneurs Program Laptops and tablets to support the delivery of entrepreneurial support, encouraging the diversification of the local economy. |
Charters Towers, QLD |
$7,097 |
|
True Trails Community Programs Assoc Inc |
Ride It! Laptops to increase organisational capacity to deliver educational programs supporting disadvantaged locals, particularly children and young people. |
Marion Bay, TAS |
$7,197 |
|
Gellibrand Community Group |
Biz Know How Laptops, enabling disadvantaged local residents to participate in small business training courses. |
Gellibrand, VIC |
$9,596 |
|
|
$23,890 |
Thirty-five grants to support education and employment initiatives
Bendigo 23 October, 2015: ANZ and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) today announced 35 community groups from across regional Australia will share more than $275,000 as part of the 2015 ANZ Seeds of Renewal grants program.
Now in its thirteenth year, ANZ Seeds of Renewal aims to help build thriving communities by supporting education and employment projects. In 2015, 138 groups applied.
This year, technology company Lenovo also donated $30,000 of IT equipment giving applicants the chance to apply for laptops or tablets instead of a cash grant.
ANZ Regional Business Banking General Manager Christine Linden said: “Strong rural communities rely on smart, skilled community members. By focusing on education and employment projects, particularly for young people, these grants will help to build the foundations for rural communities to grow.
“We continue to be impressed with the ingenuity and passion that local groups have for building sturdier, more vibrant rural communities. This year’s applications, which included initiatives such as computer training for indigenous women in Tambellup and Kojonup in Western Australia and agricultural workshops for land holders in Queensland’s Mary Valley, continue that tradition. We are delighted to help bring these projects to fruition.”
In addition to these grants, the program will award an extra $25,000 to support the economic recovery of Winton, Queensland. The town has struggled since one of its key tourist attractions, the Waltzing Matilda Museum, was destroyed by fire. Details of these projects are still being finalised and will be announced in the coming weeks.
FRRR Chairman the Rt Hon Ian Sinclair AC said: “The projects funded this year will continue to build skills and capacity in regional communities, which are essential to developing sustainable economies.
“Rural and regional communities are adept at solving their own challenges, because they know what suits their capacity and local culture. Small grants, like those awarded through this program, are vital funding injections into communities where fund-raising is really challenging. This year nearly 60 per cent of applications came from towns with fewer than 5,000 people, which shows small communities highly value this kind of support.”
Since 2001, the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program has distributed more than $4 million in grants to 750 projects.
Grant recipients
|
Organisation |
Project |
Location |
Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New South Wales | |||
|
Into IT Sapphire Coast (Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre Limited) |
Significantly Boosting the Nascent Tech Sector in Far South Coast NSW Purchase equipment for monthly coding nights in Eden, encouraging community members to experiment and build skills capacity in the ICT and Knowledge Service field, providing increased career options and industry seeding. |
Bega |
$10,000 |
|
Cooma UC Inc |
Distance with Assistance – Degree Expansion at the CUC Enable entryway to ‘Distance with Assistance’ degrees currently being offered, by delivering a university preparation pathway course for locals, reducing distance barriers to education. |
Cooma |
$8,740 |
|
SteppinOut4Youth Inc |
SteppinUp and SteppinOut Skills Connection Program Provide job attainment training for 10 disengaged youth, providing them with work placement and mentoring through local businesses, supporting increased employment. |
Leeton |
$8,350 |
|
Moree Secondary College P&C Association |
Healthy Bodies, Guru Gardeners Trial a dietician-led nutrition education program, increasing students’ capacity to better manage and improve their health. |
Moree |
$5,890 |
|
North Haven Public School P&C |
Robo Tech Purchase additional robotics and computer equipment to cater for growing participation in the school’s Robotics Club, leading to increased engagement in, and enthusiasm for, STEM education. |
North Haven |
$7,700 |
|
Scotts Head Community Group |
Trading Skills for Life Delivering Certificate II in Construction to disadvantaged Aboriginal youth, boosting skills capacity and potential employment pathways, as well as enhancing community infrastructure. |
Scotts Head |
$10,000 |
|
Bruie Plains Landcare Group |
Building Resilient Farms, Farmers and Regional Communities Delivery of a 16 day Holistic Grazing Management Course for landholders, restoring natural landscape and biodiversity as a result of practical, field-based instruction. |
Trundle |
$8,480 |
|
Young Neighbourhood Centre Inc |
My Life, My Dreams Running a lifeskills program for disadvantaged women, enhancing self-esteem, confidence and employability capacity. |
Young |
$9,950 |
|
Northern Territory | |||
|
Waltja Tjutangku Playapayi Corp |
Tjuguringanyi (Joining Together) Purchasing communications resources to promote the benefits of boarding school to community members, increasing the uptake of high school education. |
Mount Liebig |
$12,033 |
|
Queensland | |||
|
Community Services Tablelands Inc |
Rural Operations, Leadership and Education (ROLE) Program Run a 10 week training and ag-focused work placement for 10 disadvantaged and/or disengaged youth, increasing work readiness, work experience and employment prospects. |
Atherton |
$10,000 |
|
Tablelands Rape & Incest Crisis Centre |
Safe Hands – Early Childhood Protective Behaviours Education Develop and deliver Protective Behaviour Education training for early childhood educators and children, increasing reporting of sexual assault, and sexual assault prevention. |
Atherton |
$10,000 |
|
Burdekin Shire Youth Council (Burdekin Shire Council) |
Don’t Need Drinks to Dance Run alcohol and drug free dance workshops and a community youth dance, increasing education around the harmful effects of substance abuse. |
Ayr |
$7,500 |
|
Cooyar State School P&C Association |
Get Reading, Get Active Purchase reading resources to provide students with increased access to quality reading materials, improving literacy levels. |
Cooyar |
$7,866 |
|
Central Highlands Science Centre Inc |
Super Science Workshops – School Holidays Science Education Program for Country Kids Develop and deliver 16 Super Science school holiday workshops across four towns, increasing knowledge and enthusiasm for science in primary school students. |
Emerald, Capella, Springwater and Blackwater
|
$10,000 |
|
Mary Valley Country Harvest Cooperative |
Mary Valley Summer School for Farmers Deliver 16 workshops over two days, improving agricultural practices for new and existing landholders in the Mary Valley. |
Kadanga |
$4,450 |
|
Maranoa Regional Landcare Association Inc |
Holistic Management Implementation Mastery Run Holistic Land Management training, improving local water cycle and drought/flood mitigation knowledge. |
Roma |
$7,350 |
|
South Australia | |||
|
Volunteering SA and NT Inc |
Oodnadatta Arts and Crafts Collective Conduct research with, and deliver training to, isolated aboriginal women to develop a social enterprise, increasing employment, community participation and skills development. |
Oodnadatta |
$10,000 |
|
Paddle Steamer Ruby Board of Management (Wentworth Shire Council) |
Cruise into Training to Renew your Employment Provide General Purpose Hands training for eight volunteers, increasing tourism skills capacity and viability of community owned tourist attraction, as well as increasing economic activity in the town. |
Wentworth |
$8,840 |
|
Tasmania | |||
|
Exeter High School Association Inc |
Bridging the Gap Between School and Industry – From Food to Fibre Purchase a minibus to support the school’s agriculture program, exposing students to employer expectations, employment potential and networks, and on the job practical experience. |
Exeter |
$10,000 |
|
Zeehan Neighbourhood Centre Inc |
Can you Dig It? Design, construct and plant a community vegetable garden, supporting skills sharing and healthier eating behaviours. |
Zeehan |
$5,599 |
|
Victoria | |||
|
Living Culture Together Network (Multicultural Arts Victoria Inc) |
Culture through Curriculum Develop an innovative new Year 7 teaching unit using indigenous pedagogy framework, aimed at decreasing disengagement and early school leavers. |
Benalla |
$10,000 |
|
Wycheproof Community Resource Centre |
Buloke Youth Health Expo Develop and run a youth health expo that brings together 200 youth, increasing education around health and safe lifestyle choices and improving communication skills. |
Birchip |
$5,000.00 |
|
Advocacy and Rights Centre Limited |
Legal Literacy for New and Emerging Communities Purchase a projector, screen, computer and translation software, supporting more effective delivery of community legal education sessions to a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community. |
Cobram |
$7,767 |
|
Bendigo Community Health Services Limited |
Time to Save your Bacon – Hope and Assistance Local Tradies Host seven ‘Save Your Bacon Brekkys’ for tradies, increasing education and awareness about mental illness and suicide prevention. |
Dunolly, Maryborough, Serpentine and Pyramid Hill
|
$6,747 |
|
Just Brass (TTF the Salvation Army Victoria Property Trust) |
Just Brass Bellarine Peninsula Purchase musical instruments, stands, books and bags for a disadvantaged primary students’ music program, increasing student focus, sense of belonging, strengthened socialisation, and greater classroom performance. |
Portarlington |
$7,000 |
|
Robinvale District Health Service |
Keeping Kids Connected – Community Garden Design and construct a community garden at the local P-12 College, strengthening curriculum development, engaging students and delivering accredited Certificate training. |
Robinvale |
$5,000 |
|
Western Australia | |||
|
Green Skills Inc |
Gondwana Youth Arts Exchange Engage science, ecology and arts focused practitioners in a practical education program for 15 at-risk students, expanding local opportunities to engage in education. |
Denmark |
$8,400 |
|
Great Southern Institute of Technology |
Healthy Computing Cover teacher fees, travel, and computer hire to deliver practical onsite computer training for 20 women in two Aboriginal communities, enabling access to online health information, personal empowerment and skills sharing within the communities. |
Kojonup and Tambellup |
$7,738 |
|
FORM Building a State of Creativity Inc |
West End Markets – Stall Holder Development Program Support six business based workshops for creative micro and market businesses, increasing their capacity and strengthening non-mining employment opportunities. |
Port Hedland |
$9,600 |
|
Creating a Better Yuna Inc |
Yuna Get Smart Purchase audio visual equipment for new community centre, increasing access to quality training delivery mechanisms, attracting a wider variety of presenters and participants and ensuring digital content access. |
Yuna |
$10,000 |
Lenovo grant recipients
|
Organisation |
Project |
Location |
Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New South Wales | |||
|
Alstonville Community Preschool Inc |
Connecting to Community Provide the new preschool which opens next year with IT equipment to enable digital education for the 40 children attending the school. |
Alstonville |
$5,545 |
|
Western Riverina Arts Inc |
The Leeton Laptop Orchestra Provide a digital music workshop for five young people with an interest in electronic music techniques, culminating in a public performance. The project will be repeated in at least three other communities, increasing digital music making education opportunities for young musicians in the region. |
Leeton |
$6,745 |
|
Mullaley Public School Parents and Citizens Association |
MPS Smart Purchase five laptops for 12 Grade 2 and 3 students so they can have access to and experience technology and improve their learning. They will also be used in the after-school program. |
Mullaley |
$6,745 |
|
Queensland | |||
|
Desert Uplands Build-Up & Development Strategy Committee Inc |
Catch a Lenovo in the Desert Upgrade outdated equipment and assist remote land managers with weed control and soil erosion prevention. |
Barcaldine |
$4,047 |
|
Victoria | |||
|
Nhill Neighbourhood House Learning Centre Inc |
Paw-Po – Community Enterprise Self-paced online learning modules on English and business skills for 30-50 culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) learners to improve migrant and refugee training opportunities and pathways to employment for students. |
Nhill |
$6,745 |
