Black Saturday funding for community-led initiatives

FRRR today announced that the final round of grants to assist Kinglake Ranges communities to rebuild, reconnect and recover from the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires will open soon.

While a lot has changed in the 13 years since the fires, FRRR knows that the impacts are still being felt. This funding, thanks to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, will help to address those needs, particularly around mental health and wellbeing.

Through the Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) Kinglake Ranges program, funding will be available to not-for-profit groups in Kinglake, Kinglake Central, Kinglake West, Pheasant Creek, Toolangi and Flowerdale. In total, there is approximately $570,000 available, with no minimum or maximum amount per grant. However, applications for more than $30,000 will need to be discussed with FRRR before being lodged.

The GR&W Kinglake program has a focus on community-strengthening and resilience-building projects, and recognises that recovering communities need support to re-connect, share experiences, enhance wellbeing and resilience, and build capacity for the future.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, said that this is a great opportunity for the local community to ensure that important projects get the resources and support they need.

“This funding has always been earmarked to support the medium to long-term recovery of communities across the Kinglake Ranges, which we know were so badly affected by the 2009 fires. The focus is on improving mental health and wellbeing – of the community and individuals, and especially young people. There has been a lot of change in the community too, so the funding can help strengthen community connectedness and assist in rebuilding a sense of place and community identity.

“But now it’s up to the community to identify just what the projects are that will be put forward. We know that the best projects will be those that are community-led and which have broad community buy-in. We have supported Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House to host a series of facilitated community conversations and some smaller ‘kitchen table’ talks to explore key priorities and grant ideas to inform the final round of funds, so we encourage you to make sure that you get involved.

“If you have an idea, we’d also love to speak to you about it. Karly and Brooke from our team plan on visiting the region during July, and will be available to meet with community groups to discuss applications, and answer questions you may have. We’re really excited about what these grants can do to support Kinglake’s ongoing recovery and I look forward to reading the applications,” Ms O’Brien said.

Applications for GR&W Kinglake will open 5 July, and close Wednesday 16 August 2022, at 5pm AEST, with successful applicants announced in December 2022. For more information and the guidelines, visit https://frrr.org.au/grants-for-resilience-wellness-kinglake/ .

Projects must directly assist those individuals and communities that were affected by the 2009 fires, and must identify a specific hardship or distress caused by the bushfires, which the activity intends to relieve.

To get involved in the local community discussions you can email krftalks@gmail.com. To book a time to meet with the FRRR team and discuss potential applications, community members are encouraged to email recovery@frrr.org.au.

To date, through GR&W Kinglake, FRRR has awarded over $1.1M to 35 projects run by local groups in the Kinglake Ranges, which is assisting communities to re-connect, share experiences, enhance wellbeing and resilience, and build capacity for the future.

This included the Dindi Arts Trail, which received more than $150,000 to support the delivery of the art trail, featuring 11 public murals on concrete water tanks, which enhances local connectedness and will help attract more visitors to the region. The grant funded the employment of a project officer to coordinate the project.

Any community impacted by 2009 bushfires and not located in Kinglake Ranges region can apply for support through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program.

Support continues for communities impacted by 2009 Black Saturday bushfires

FRRR has awarded $499,959 in grants through its Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) programs, for 31 projects to help Victorian communities continue to build back better following the February 2009 Black Saturday fires.

These grants are funded by the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) thanks to generous contributions by the general public following the 2009 bushfires. More than 12 years on from the disastrous fires, FRRR has awarded more than $6.1 million in grants to local groups in impacted communities.

Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W)

Since 2011, the GR&W program has funded projects that strengthen and build the resilience of communities in regions affected by the 2009 fires including Gippsland, Greater Bendigo, Alpine and Whittlesea. To date, $3,560,842 has been granted to 257 community-led projects through the GR&W program.

This round of GR&W sees 22 community groups from impacted regions sharing in $268,821 in grants for projects designed to support locally-led recovery. The initiatives include projects that will improve and enhance community meeting places and events that promote and support local arts and culture activities.

Nina O’Brien, Disaster and Recovery Lead at FRRR, said that over the past 10 years the Foundation has seen the needs and priorities of the recovering regions develop and evolve and the projects funded through the GR&W program have reflected this evolution.

“This round saw community groups wanting to continue to build back better and support their region’s resilience and wellness through projects that bring locals together, provide relevant support and opportunities, and help community members develop practical skills.

“Projects that improve and enhance community meeting places continue to be a focus for groups seeking support, with funds provided this round for improving accessibility of community spaces including the Alexandra Indoor Pool and the community garden in Long Gully, as well as equipment to boost the capacity of several local Community and Men’s Sheds. 

“The importance of arts and culture in disaster recovery continues in this round. Funding will support a comedy night at Clonbinane, and a variety of festivals and music sessions at Redesdale, Marysville, and St Andrews.

“A number of men’s sheds received funding, highlighting the important ongoing role of these facilities in providing opportunities and resources where people connect, develop skills, and create useful items for the benefit of the wider community,” Ms O’Brien said.

Some of the other projects funded in this round of the GR&W program include:

• Traralgon South and District Association – Traralgon South Billy Cart Construction and Derby – $5,360 – Encourage generations to come together and gain new skills through a billy cart building project.
• Redesdale Recreation Committee – Pavilion Completion – $13,992 – Improve the accessibility and amenity of a community gathering space through the installation of shade sails and safety upgrades.
• Y Water Discovery Centre Inc – Yea Wetlands Precinct Educational and Directional Biodiversity Signage Project – $20,000 – Increase connection to place and enhance the educational experience through the installation of updated educational and directional signage at the wetlands precinct.
• Whittlesea Secondary College – Restore, Grow, Perform – $24,364 – Increase education opportunities and the amenity of the performing arts centre at Whittlesea Secondary College through upgrades and the purchase of technical equipment.

The full list of grant recipients can be found below.

Grants for Resilience & Wellness Kinglake Ranges (GR&W Kinglake Ranges)

The GR&W Kinglake Ranges program awards grants to community groups and local not-for-profit organisations in the Kinglake Ranges for projects that build resilience and increase the wellbeing of communities across the 2009 bushfire-affected region including Kinglake, Kinglake Central, Kinglake West, Pheasant Creek, Toolangi, and Flowerdale.

To date, 32 projects have shared in $882,913 in grants through the GR&W Kinglake program, which is now in its third year. This round there are nine projects sharing in a total of $231,138 in grants.

The program provides community groups and local not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to work together to get initiatives off the ground.

“Dindi Arts Trail is one such collaborative approach, with a series of murals to be painted across Flowerdale, Kinglake, Kinglake West and Toolangi. The arts-based recovery project will see each community work with a lead artist and local artists to paint the artworks. The initiative will enhance community pride and sense of place, as well as boost the local economy by encouraging people to visit the region and follow the Dindi Arts Trail across the Ranges,” Ms O’Brien said.

Among the other GR&W Kinglake Ranges awarded grants are:

• Kinglake West Primary School – NAIDOC Week Celebrations – $3,500 – Foster knowledge and strengthen connection to local First Nations culture by celebrating NAIDOC week and building a bush tucker garden.
• Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc – ‘Kinglake Ranges Digital Archive for Arts Recovery’ Hardcover Book – $18,404 – Enhance local culture and identity, and ongoing recovery and resilience by publishing the story of arts-led recovery projects.
• Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges Inc – The Next 10 Years – $3,925 – Build organisational resilience and attract new members through the development of a strategic plan for the Kinglake Ranges Rotary Club.
• Toolangi District Community House Inc – Toolangi Tennis Courts & Surrounds Redevelopment – $33,007 – Expand the use of a community meeting place and increase safety through restoring pathways linking shared community facilities, repairs and landscaping.  

The full list of grant recipients can be found below.

Next round

The next round of GR&W Kinglake Ranges will open later in the year. Applications for the GR&W Kinglake Ranges program are encouraged from all community groups in the wider Kinglake Ranges, not just those that participated in the initial consultation process in 2017.

More information on these grant programs is available here. UPDATE: The next round of GR&W Kinglake Ranges will open during 2022.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are listed below:

Black Saturday funding available for community-led initiatives

Twelve years on from the devastating 2009 Victorian bushfires, FRRR is offering another round of funding to support impacted communities as they continue to rebuild, reconnect and recover.

Supported by the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF), the funding is available through FRRR’s Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) program and the Grants for Resilience & Wellness Kinglake Ranges (GR&W Kinglake) program. The grants of up to $20,000 will support not-for-profits and community-based organisations to lead projects that aid recovery and build community resilience.

The GR&W and GR&W Kinglake Ranges programs fund initiatives that:

• Improve mental health and wellbeing of communities and individuals;
• Enhance wellbeing and resilience of pre-school, primary and secondary school-aged children and young people;
• Strengthen community connections, sense of place and community identity; and
• Increase the community’s ability to prepare for future disasters.

To date, FRRR has awarded more than $4.5 million in grants to local groups, thanks to VBAF funding, which comes from the generous contributions by the general public following the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. Through this round of funding there is a total of $360,000 available for GR&W grants and a total of more than $700,000 available for GR&W Kinglake projects.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, said that the impact of COVID-19 has increased the need to support recovering communities to reconnect socially and continue to enhance their wellbeing.

“Despite the restrictions that the pandemic has put on people coming together, local groups report services and activities that enhance wellness and resilience are still well attended. One program funded twice previously by FRRR, the Be Well in the Ranges program, has been fully booked out, and the Yinnar Memorial Hall exercise group continues to attract 30-40 participants each week,” Ms O’Brien said.

“The GR&W programs provide flexible support to respond to issues as they emerge. More than a decade since the fires, communities are focusing on building resilience for the future,” Ms O’Brien explained.

Applications for both GR&W and GR&W Kinglake close at 5pm AEDT, Wednesday 21 April 2021.

Potential applicants should visit the GR&W and GR&W Kinglake webpages and review the guidelines before applying.

Bendigo, 8 January 2019:  Thirty-six community projects that will assist the continued recovery of communities impacted by the Black Saturday Bushfires will receive funding totalling $555,963. The groups are the latest recipients of the Grants for Resilience and Wellness (GR&W) and Community Group Futures (CGF) programs.

Funding is made possible by the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) which the general public generously contributed to in the immediate aftermath of the fires.

Grants for Resilience and Wellness (GR&W) will support 27 community groups, who will share $425,082, to implement their local projects. To date, the GR&W program has funded 200 projects to a total value of $2,603,788.80.

The GR&W program assists community strengthening and resilience building projects. Some communities will use their GR&W funding to support their Black Saturday 10^th Anniversary commemorative activities in February 2019 with concerts planned for Arthurs Creek and Balook, commemorative service and community dinners in Boolarra and Traralgon South, Jeeralang North will also hold an event, while a community arts project and exhibition will take place in the Kinglake Ranges.

The Community Group Futures (CGF) program will fund $130,881 across nine community groups. To date, CGF has funded 43 projects, valued at $513,656.

The CGF program supports not-for-profit organisations think beyond day-to-day operations and look ahead to ensure they can meet on-going community needs. Solar energy projects again proved a powerful drawcard as community groups look to self-sufficiency and reduce overhead costs. The Royal Historical Society of Victoria meanwhile is looking to digitise their records given the bushfire-prone environment.

“As we approach 2019 and the ten-year anniversary of Black Saturday, it’s heartening to see these communities continuing to work together to recover. Community needs continue to evolve and local leaders – many of whom have been involved since 2009 – continue to find ways to support the community and bolster their resilience in the years to come,” said FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton.

“While it’s nearly a decade since this horrific event, it’s important that these communities take the time to reflect on the impact the fires had and, in many cases, continues to have,” Ms Egleton continued.

“As in the aftermath of the fires, it’s the communities themselves who know how to serve their people best, and we are pleased to be able to support them in achieving this.”

GR&W – Round 14
Organisation	Project	Location	Grant
Alexandra Secondary College	MY ( Murrindindi Youth ) Reflective Garden Increase connection to place and space for reflection at Alexandra Secondary College through establishment of a reflective garden.	Alexandra	$16,014
Arthurs Creek/ Strathewen Brigade Country Fire Authority	Fire Safety Community Messages for 2019 Creation of two animated fire safety adverts to consolidate the learnings from Fire Education Sessions delivered at Strathewen Primary School.	Strathewen	$20,000
Arthurs Creek/ Strathewen  Brigade   Country Fire Authority 10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	Black Saturday 10-year memorial Eric Bogle Concert. Increase opportunity for the Strathewen community to connect and support each other while acknowledging the 10th anniversary of the bushfire disaster through delivery of a community concert.	Arthurs Creek	$3,455
Balook and District Residents Association (BADRA) Inc   10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	Rainforest Rhythms Increase community connections and stimulation for local tourism through delivery of a live memorial concert, Rainforest Rhythms, held in the Tarra Bulga National Park.	Balook	$2,500
Boolarra Folk Festival Committee   10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	Boolarra and District Community 2019 Commemorative Bushfire Event Opportunity to reflect on the 2009 bushfire disaster for the 10-year anniversary, via delivery of a commemorative service and community dinner for Boolarra and the surrounding region.	Boolarra	$19,000
Cire Services Inc.	Supported playgroup for Healesville area based at Badger Creek Increase support and reduced isolation for local parents, through delivery of supported playgroup program at Badger Creek Primary School.	Badger Creek	$11,021
Hazelwood – Jeeralang Community Association Inc.   10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	Hazelwood Jeeralang 2009 bushfire commemoration activities Increase community connectedness and opportunities to support each other, through delivery of a Black Saturday 10th Anniversary event at Hazelwood Jeeralang.	Jeeralang North	$9,193
Kinglake Historical Society   Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc.	Kinglake Heritage Centre Increase access to local historical information, through upgrade of an unused community space to accommodate the Kinglake Historical Society.   This organisation will also benefit from the project submitted to CGF Rd 7 by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria Inc. The project will support Kinglake HS to digitize and preserve historic material.	Kinglake West /   Pheasant Creek	$20,000
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc.   10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	Respect and Remember – “The Kinglake Ranges Journey” Opportunity for the community to reflect on the 2009 disaster event and 10 years of local recovery, via a six-week interactive community art exhibition displayed in Kinglake.	Kinglake Kinglake West Flowerdale Toolangi	$28,176
Lions Club of Kinglake Inc.	Avenue of Honour Recognition and commemoration of soldiers who fought for Australia with the creation of an Avenue of Honour leading up to and surrounding Kinglake’s war memorial.	Kinglake	$2,000
Maiden Gully Hall Committee Inc.	New Chairs for the Maiden Gully Hall Increase comfort and safety for community groups that meet at the Maiden Gully Hall through the purchase of new chairs.	Maiden Gully	$8,316
Men’s Shed at St Andrews	Shed extension and machinery upgrade to enhance member and local community health and safety Increase storage area and upgraded machinery, increasing space and improving working conditions at the Men’s Shed at St Andrews.	St Andrews	$19,776
Mitchell Community Radio Inc.	Broadford Monthly Increase awareness of local initiatives and community activity, via outside community radio broadcast delivered from Broadford Living and Learning Centre.	Broadford	$1,880
Firefoxes Australia Women Rising Together From Black Saturday	90 Up: Stars burning brightly Increase awareness of how to overcome adversity and build resilience, through capturing and sharing the stories of Murrindindi Shire residents who are over 90-years-old.	Alexandra Yea Eildon Buxton	$20,000
Mudgegonga Hall Reserve Committee Inc.	Mudgegonga Hall Child Safety Fence Increase safety for families with children when attending community events and activities, due to upgrade of fencing around Mudgegonga Hall.	Mudgegonga District	$10,863
Nillumbik Shire Council	Tech, Tea and Tales Increase skills in technology and communication for local seniors via delivery of the youth led Tech, Tea and Tales program in collaboration with the St Andrews Community Centre.	St Andrews	$20,000
Reedy Creek Progress Association Reedy Creek Progress Association Inc.	Reedy Creek Community Gatherings Opportunities to connect and build community resilience, through the delivery of seven community gatherings at the Reedy Creek Hall over 2019.	Reedy Creek	$2,500
Resilience Planning Community of Practice Inc.	Beechworth Festival of Change Increase inspiration and motivation to implement solutions to community issues, through delivery of skill development and resources at the Beechworth Festival of Change.	Beechworth	$20,000
Rotary Club of Alexandra	Go Green Increase support for residents to clean up their properties in preparation for the bushfire season, through purchase of tipping trailer for volunteer run green waste program.	Alexandra Taggerty Thornton Eildon	$5,500
Toolangi District Community House Inc.	Staging for the C J Dennis Hall Support cultural development and improve audience experience with the purchase of a portable stage for community hall in Toolangi.	Toolangi	$5,457
Traralgon South and District Association   10th Anniversary Commemorative Event	10-Year Black Saturday event Opportunity to reflect on the 2009 bushfire disaster for the 10-year anniversary, via delivery of a commemorative service and community dinner for Traralgon South and the surrounding region.	Traralgon South Callignee	$12,395
UCA – Kinglake West Uniting Church	Feeding the Many Needs Increase social and physical wellbeing and strengthened community networks through delivery of fortnightly community meal program.	Kinglake West /   Pheasant Creek	$4,400
Whittlesea Community House	A mosaic of community connections and resilience Strengthen community connectedness achieved through the delivery of inclusive creative art workshops that will produce four mosaic installations for the Whittlesea community.	Whittlesea	$15,130
Women on Farms – West Gippsland Inc	Sponsorship for women to attend the Women on Farms Gathering   Opportunity for farming women from bushfire affected areas to increase wellbeing and resilience, through support to attend the Women on Farms Gathering 2019 in Warragul.	Warragul	$9,800
Yinnar and District Memorial Hall	NO LIMITS Removing barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities, through delivery of a weekly Exercise program for Seniors 60yrs+ in Yinnar.	Yinnar	$18,500
Ellimatta Inc.	A Bright & Positive Future for Youth – 2   Continue access to support services and programs for youth through supporting the employment of staff at Ellimatta Youth Service in Kinglake.	Kinglake	$30,000
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc.	Be Well in the Ranges   Removing barriers to mental health support for the Kinglake community during the 10th Anniversary of Black Saturday by providing ease of access to locally based mental health professionals. Removing barriers to mental health support for the Kinglake community during the 10th Anniversary of Black Saturday by providing ease of access to locally based mental health professionals.	Kinglake	$89,206

Community Group Futures – Round 7
Organisation	Project	Location	Grant
Art Resource Collective Incorporated	Solar PV Project Installation of solar panels for the Art Resource Collective Inc, Yinnar, reducing energy costs and increasing the viability of an entity that supports community access to cultural and artistic opportunities.	Yinnar	$10,000
Ellimatta Inc.	Ellimatta Sunshine for Power Increase viability and sustainability for Ellimatta Youth Centre, through installation of a solar power system.	Kinglake	$7,781
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc.	Sustainability in the Ranges – Solar Build community resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through installation of 6.4 kW solar system.	Kinglake	$10,000
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc.	Kinglake Ranges Arts Recovery Officer Increase collaboration and support for arts organisations and initiatives through employment of an Arts Recovery Officer for the Kinglake region.	Kinglake Kinglake West Pheasant Creek Kinglake Central	$20,000
Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre Inc.	Volunteering for Success Increase volunteerism for community organisations in Mount Beauty, through employment of a Volunteer Coordinator to increase awareness of, resources and support for, volunteer roles.	Mt Beauty Bright Tawonga Myrtleford	$20,000
Murrindindi Little Athletics Centre	Good Governance in Murrindindi Increase support for community-based Committees of Management, through delivery of Governance training to 10 groups in Murrindindi Shire.	Alexandra Kinglake Yarck Taggerty	$14,300
Royal Historical Society of Victoria Inc.	Digitise or lose it! Preservation of local history through the purchase of equipment and the delivery of training to digitise historic documents and photos at four historical Societies in bushfire prone areas.	Marysville Kinglake Alexandra & Fawcett	$20,000
Toolangi District Community House Inc.	Solar Panels for the Community House Reduce running costs and increased investment in community through installation of solar power system for Toolangi District Community House.	Toolangi	$8,800
Yarra Valley ECOSS Inc.	Project Development Officer at ECOSS Enhance program outcomes and organisational viability, through employment of skilled support to develop policies, procedures and workplans that underpin program delivery.	Wesburn	$20,000

Bendigo, 23 February 2017: Today 24 community groups impacted by the 2009 Victorian bushfires received funding to support the community needs that continue to emerge post the devastating disaster.

Thanks to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, these community groups will share in $344,856 across two grant programs to implement their locally led projects.

• Grants for Resilience and Wellness (GR&W) will fund 15 community groups, sharing in $254,634, to implement their local projects. To date, the GR&W program has funded 111 projects to a total value of $1,413,705.16  
• Community Group Futures (CGF) program will fund $90,222 across nine community groups. To date, CGF has funded 24 projects, valued at $286,004.

Rebuilding a community after a natural disaster takes many years. This month marks the eighth anniversary of the Black Saturday fires and the impacts are still being felt.

FRRR’s CEO, Natalie Egleton, said that the projects being supported via the GR&W and CGF programs reflect the need to facilitate long term recovery and to continue to build resilience through community identified solutions to support all parts of the community.

“Recovery takes time and while immediate support is vital, the ongoing demand for this support reinforces the need for people wanting to help in situations like the recent NSW fires to consider putting some funds toward long-term support programs.

“From our work with communities affected by the 2009 fires, we know that it’s been a tough journey and there are still challenges. Together with our donors, FRRR continues to support the impacted communities through the rebuilding and recovery process,” Ms Egleton said.

The Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) program recognises that an important part of community recovery is having opportunities to connect, share experiences, enhance individual and community wellbeing and resilience. This round, there was a common theme of strengthening community connectedness through local events, and a strong focus on supporting students of all ages through skills development, raising self-esteem and school preparation. 

The Community Group Futures (CGF) program is designed to help community groups experiencing operational and service delivery challenges post the bushfires, helping them look forward and build their sustainability, viability, capability and capacity. The most common projects funded this round were solar panel installation to reduce energy costs, paid positions to increase community engagement and participation, and developing strategies for long-term viability in the community.

Ms Egleton noted that there is still funding available for communities affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

The projects funded in this round are detailed below:

Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) – Round 10 recipients

Organisation	Project	Location	Amount
Bendigo Baptist Community Care Inc.	MADCOW (Make A Difference Change Our World) Community Garden – Bike Butcher Support and empower disadvantaged and disengaged young people via the MADCOW Community Garden Bike Butcher project, an educational bike, scooter and skateboard workshop program. The GR&W grant will fit out a 40ft shipping container for the project to operate.	Eaglehawk	$19,466
CFA – Arthurs Creek / Strathewen	Strathewen Fire Education Partnership Engaging Strathewen Primary School students in Grade 5 & 6 in a fire and country education program, culminating in the creation of a story book to present to the local community, and a DVD documenting the process for wider distribution.	Strathewen	$15,730
CIRE Services Inc.	Bringing Up Great Kids Supporting respectful, caring and nurturing relationships for parents and carers of 0-6 year old children, through a suite of free parenting programs.	Yarra Junction	$3,900
Clonbinane Community Action Group	A More Resilient Clonbinane Addressing a priority item from the newly developed Clonbinane Neighbourhood Emergency Plan, by purchasing and installing a 55Kva Diesel Generator at the Community Hall.	Clonbinane	$10,000
Continuing Education & Arts Centre Alexandra Inc	90 Up: Living Links to Alexandra and District’s Past Celebrating the stories of resilience shaped by disaster and adversity of Alexandra and District residents who are 90+ years of age, via an oral history project will capture, record.	Alexandra	$19,000
Dixons Creek Landcare Group	Dixons Creek School Walking Track Improving community connectedness to the Community Safe Area by construction a 1.5km walking track between the Dixon’s Creek Primary School and Dixon’s Creek Reserve.	Dixons Creek	$20,000
Ellimatta Inc.	A Bright and Positive Future for Youth Ensuring high quality youth services continue to be offered to the Kinglake Ranges through a multi-year grant to fund the Youth Development Officer and Executive Officer wages for three more years. FRRR funding is matched by Kinglake Ranges Foundation (VBAF) and project costs by Kinglake Rotary. Funding will be staged over three years to facilitate building sustainable business and funding strategies.	Kinglake	$80,000
Glenburn Hall and Progress Assoc. Inc.	Glenburn Growth – Fly Screens and Refrigeration Support volunteers and enhance community cohesion, by installing new refrigeration to store food and screen doors and windows for better ventilation to make community meetings more comfortable.	Glenburn	$6,941
Healesville Living & Learning Centre Inc.	Bush Works Supporting local bush knowledge and bushfire preparedness through a practical, all ages program of up-cycling bush materials into furniture and creation of ‘found object’ art.	Healesville	$8,964
Marysville Motoring Expo Inc	Marysville Motoring Expo Encouraging social and economic recovery post the Black Saturday Bushfires by supporting the three-day Motoring Expo community event.	Marysville	$7,065
Mirboo North Primary School	Provision of a Disabled/Universal Toilet Facility for Community Use                      Supporting community cohesion and community resilience by upgrading the Primary School toilet facility to universal/ disabled functionality for the numerous local groups that access the school facilities.	Mirboo North	$19,000
Rotary Club of Alexandra	Sesqui Alexandra Building a strong sense of place and contributing to economic recovery by engaging the community to co-create a one-day event to celebrate the sesquicentenary of Alexandra.	Alexandra	$5,012
Toolangi District Community House Inc.	KEYS – Kinglake Early Years Support for local families to get children school-ready by researching and documenting family engagement in early childhood services in the Kinglake Ranges district.	Toolangi	$16,995
Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre	Centre Community Edible Food Garden   To aid ongoing recovery from the bushfires, a self-managed edible garden will be established.	Yarra Glen	$15,381
Yarram Community Emergency Planning Committee (Yarram & District Traders & Tourism Inc.)	Yarram & District Emergency Registration Point Educating district communities on the Emergency Registration Point in Yarram, by developing and disseminating an information brochure to communicate actions to take in an emergency.	Yarram	$7,180

Community Group Futures (CGF) – Round 3 recipients:

Organisation	Project	Location	Amount
Boolarra Men’s Shed Inc.	Purchases of Computer Improve communication and connectedness of the Men’s Shed members by purchasing a desktop computer and lessons in IT.	Boolarra	$3,170
Broadford Living and Learning Centre (Mitchell Shire Council)	Community Engagement Officer Broadford Living and Learning Centre Build capacity and increase community ownership and participation through a community engagement strategy for the new Community Centre for Broadford.	Broadford	$14,976
Churchill and District Community Assoc.	Burned Out and Burnt Out   Minimise volunteer fatigue and recruit new members to the Churchill District Community Association (CDCA) with the assistance of a consultant to engage with local community groups and individuals to build wider ownership.	Churchill	$9,000
Flowerdale Community House Inc.	Improving Flowerdale’s Operational Capability Improve and build operational capability, with the support of a paid employee to develop financial management, reporting and compliance policies and procedures for Flowerdale Community House, Flowerdale Landcare, and Flowerdale Men’s Shed.	Hazeldene	$17,062
Glenburn Hall and Progress Assoc. Inc.	Glenburn Growth Project                            Lower the energy costs to improve operational capital by purchasing and installing 4.5kw solar panel on the roof of the Glenburn Hall.	Glenburn	$7,350
Happy Valley Hall	Shining the Light on Sustainability          Reduce ongoing energy costs for funds to be redirected to other community activities by purchasing and installing a 3.9kw solar panel.	Rosewhite	$9,848
Quercus Beechworth	Connecting Beechworth Increase the connectivity, cohesion and resilience of the community through a collaborative project to analyse, develop and implement a town-wide communication strategy.	Beechworth	$13,400
Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges	Governance Training                                     Supporting existing members of the Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges to effectively fulfil their responsibilities by running Governance training.	Kinglake	$1,100
Women’s Health Goulburn North East	Learning From Lessons in Disaster              Engage with partner groups to be disaster prepared and resilient by co-design a ‘train the trainer’ program to deliver Gender in Disaster education.	Wangaratta	$14,316