As the Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program culminates in the South Coast communities, one of the biggest impacts has been the growth in the people that have delivered the program.

The Community Facilitators have not only held the space for conversations, nurtured the roadmaps, listened deeply to community; they have also gained important skills and knowledge around leadership, storytelling, “Art of Hosting” techniques and a deeper cultural understanding. Along with many other wonderful social impact skills, these will be an asset to their communities for many years to come. 

Last week Monique, Kate, Steph and Carolyn had the chance to connect in person, reflect on the last few years and enjoy a wonderful lunch at The Cup’N’Cake’N’Co, a social enterprise that was initially seeded with an IRCF start up grant in 2020. It was wonderful to be together and feel the connection that has been forged through shared experience in delivering this impactful program. 

The team also took the time to gather a parting gift for each of the 50+ organisations we have been on this journey with over the last five years, with special items from a few of the social enterprises who have been partners in the IRCF journey on the South Coast. 

Much gratitude to facilitators: Monique Carson, who has been on this journey since the first roadmapping in Ulladulla and always gives above and beyond; Kate McBride, who has stepped up with poise and confidence in the Bay and Basin Community; Stephanie Chiu, who in a deeply connected way stepped into the Batemans Bay community with such impact; and Leah Szanto who supported the Bega Valley community with such professionalism and commitment. A deep and heartfelt thank you to Kate Dezarnaulds, Jules Klugman, Meg Stratti, Natalie Lloyd and Bree Morgan who supported their communities in the program.

The IRCF program is not possible without the key element of investing in people and engaging local facilitators who are part of and know their community deeply, these committed individuals who do so much in their two days a week with us are the key reason for the incredible impact this program has delivered. Thank you all for your generosity, humour, kindness and sharing of your love for community. 

In the Bega Valley, strengthening capability for sharing resources was a community roadmap goal. The Bega Valley Data Collective (BVDC) had support through the Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program to develop a community-led wellbeing framework aimed at empowering the community to thrive.

The first stage of this was the Measuring What Matters in the Bega Valley project, which has now been successfully completed. As a community engagement initiative, the project provided crucial insights into the issues and priorities that matter most to Bega Valley residents.

Organisations who participated learnt how to access and use community data and how wellbeing frameworks can achieve meaningful impact for community-led decision making, as well as enhancing grant applications.

To mark the official launch of the Living Well in the Bega Valley campaign, BVDC hosted a film screening on November 18^th in Merimbula. Titled Purpose, the documentary follows the journey of political economists Katherine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramonti as they seek to change the way progress is measured to change what governments do. Envisioning a world in which the economy serves the people, rather than the people serving it, the pair initiate political projects in the hope of shifting economic systems away from endless GDP growth, towards what really matters for people and planet.

The screening was followed by an enthusiastic Q&A session. April Merrick, FRRR’s NSW Programs Manager and committee member of BVDC, said the event provided a thought-provoking exploration of the wellbeing economy. “It was great to see so many engaged people turn out. It reinforced what we heard in our recent survey where over 90 percent of respondents rated community-led decision making as an important factor for community wellbeing.

BVDC has been developing partnership agreements with the University of Canberra and the Australian Bureau of Statistics and will be announcing two projects to come from these collaborations in early 2025.

Uniting – Firefly Bay & Basin is one of nine Uniting NSW / ACT Future Horizons community initiatives that aim to build a better world by focusing on communities and places with the greatest need. They bring together young people, parents and carers, schools, organisations, governments and residents to collaborate, find solutions and create lasting change for that community. Firefly works with, supports and advocates for young people in the Bay & Basin region of NSW, and collaborates with the broader community and local organisations for better outcomes and experiences for local youth.

Firefly partnered with Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc to receive a $26,000 grant through FRRR’s Investing in Rural Community Futures program to create the Youth Voice project for the Bay & Basin community. They drew on the invaluable expertise of Western Sydney University to develop a high quality, research-based program that resulted in four youth-led projects for the community.

The Youth Voice project acted as a vehicle to engage and empower young people to ‘Ask, Amplify & Act’. The grant money was allocated to increase the capacity of Firefly Bay & Basin by employing a Youth Practitioner at Firefly to collaborate with Beyond Empathy to deliver this project. This resulted in a number of projects being pitched to the community and each Youth Voice team engaged with community to create a network to co-design the implementation of the final four projects, which include:

1. Repairing and revitalising the Malcolm Moore Reserve Basin View BMX track;
2. Expansion of Vincentia High’s Breakfast Club to have more inclusive options and have made it available to students five days a week;
3. A purpose built wall in Sanctuary Point for young people to have access to creative arts activities; and
4. Providing community events and advocacy for families of people with autism spectrum disorder.

They received further funding from the NSW Premiers Department, Local Small Commitments Allocation to support the Youth Voice team in implementing these projects, which are due for completion by the end of this year.

The Firefly team has also developed the skills to be able to deliver the Youth Voice project in the high school again next year and will encourage more young people to be changemakers in their community. The capacity developed within the Firefly team has also resulted in them developing a partnership with Sanctuary Point Primary School, where they will delivered an adapted version of the Youth Voice project in terms 3 and 4, 2024. 

Project organisers at Firefly and Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc said that another significant change has been the increased collaboration between Sanctuary Point Community Pride, Firefly and other community organisations in the Bay & Basin region, who have enthusiastically supported the four Youth Voice projects.

“These relationships continue to strengthen and are ongoing. These projects have brought the community together. Firefly has strengthened its relationship with Vincentia High School and Sanctuary Point Community Pride will work closely with Firefly to continue to grow these connections.

“Firefly’s ability to offer a program that has provided young people with valuable skills and an opportunity to build confidence has created a deeper level of connection between the organisation, young people, their families and the wider community.”

Watch the mini documentary on the Youth Voice program.

Positive impact of place-based capacity-building pilot program in rural NSW

The significant impacts and lessons of a five-year pilot program aimed at building collective not-for-profit (NFP) sector capability in small rural and regional communities have been revealed in a report recently released by FRRR.

Leeton, Junee and Nambucca Valley NFPs participated in the Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) pilot, a partnership between FRRR and the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF), which committed $5 million over five years across the three local government areas, with $1 million in funding available to support each of the three pilot communities.

The IRCF program set out to develop and trial a collaborative model that would work to strengthen local NFPs, so they could better service their communities. Through this co-designed, multi-year program, each community came together to learn, identify strengths and common challenges and then work collaboratively to lift up each organisation for the benefit of broader community.

On-the-ground support from a local facilitator was coupled with a rigorous, regular ‘roadmapping’ process through which local NFPs agreed on gaps and opportunities and prioritised activities. Grants and flexible funding were then available to enable agreed priorities to be actioned.

Running alongside the entire program was an evaluation program, delivered in partnership with Matrix on Board. In November 2024, this robust evaluation process was announced as the winner of the 2024 Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA) Awards.

Through this evaluation program, FRRR identified several factors as critical to successful place-based NFP capacity building, including:

• Investing in people and leadership capability enables fundamental improvements in governance, processes, equipment and systems;
• Face-to-face support and engagement is essential;
• A collaborative approach focusses community and guides funding;
• NFP organisations need to be ready, willing and able to participate actively to extract full value and optimise the investment required to make place-based change; and
• Building trust and changing habits takes time – a five-year commitment was needed and elevated thinking from immediate needs to strategic capability.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR CEO said the ultimate goal of the program was to help organisations “fit their oxygen masks first”, so they could maintain their critical community work well into the future.

“As we walked alongside these organisations, we saw them grow in confidence, as well as develop strategic partnerships and networks that have led to advocacy efforts to advance local and systemic issues,” Ms Egleton said.

“The evaluation we’ve undertaken confirms that IRCF has been a significant contributing factor to the growing impact of these organisations and the vitality of these communities. Early work indicates that the $5 million investment has leveraged a further $8.7 million across the three communities.

“We have learned that providing flexible support and funding targeted at the capacity and capability of NFPs leads to more collaborative and resilient organisations. We also confirmed that change in not linear, takes time, and is the work of many working together on common goals.

“Or, to put it another way, time, trust and tenacity are essential to a thriving community-led, not-for-profit sector in local communities.

“None of this would have been possible without the willingness of VFFF to work with us – to take a leap of faith on this pilot and to engage with us, and with community groups directly, over the last five years,” Ms Egleton said.

Following its success as a model, the IRCF program has extended to numerous other regions across rural New South Wales and is about to launch in three further communities in Victoria. Click here to read more about the impact of the pilot program.

Funded through Snow Foundation under the Investing in Rural Community Futures program, the Ulladulla community co-designed a roadmap articulating goals decided by the community, for the community. As part of their roadmapping, Ulladulla IRCF participants identified having strong, respectful relationships and making a commitment to walk alongside First Nations people and organisations as key goals.

With support from Snow Foundation, Walking Together in the Milton Ulladulla District used grant funds from FRRR for the ‘Together We Thrive’ project to organise attendance at the Giiyong Festival, the largest Aboriginal cultural festival on the southeast coast, near Pambula, NSW. Being engaged in an immersive cultural celebration strengthened pride and community connection, and inspired planning further opportunities for deeper cultural participation.

Miribi Bunbal, Ulladulla High School’s youth didgeridoo group, had previously attended a two-day cultural camp with their teacher Hamish Richardson and Aboriginal teacher Moose (Michael Lloyd), gathering foods, making spears, creating art and practicing didgeridoo together. At Giiyong, they played in the didg’ jam session and hugely enjoyed the whole celebration.

First Nations individuals in attendance loved the celebration, with many expressing a desire to reconnect with cultural opportunities.“Coming here and sharing my cultural knowledge again, I’ve realised that it’s been a while since I’ve done that. It has been really good to do it again. I feel like it is time for me to step up into that role again.”

Being immersed in Aboriginal community and cultural celebration was an experience attendees expressed gratitude for, including being able to participate without any financial barriers. Non-Indigenous attendees also shared valuable learnings and self-reflections. “The really powerful and amazing thing for me is this experience of cultural immersion. It’s not just that the dancers and performers are so good and so powerful, but it’s stepping into their world. On the site, you can actually feel the difference in it being owned and run by Aboriginal community, and everything about the day is immersed in their own ways of being and doing things.”

The community has been inspired to build further on these cultural connections, with plans to facilitate members of the girls dance group Bunaan Yandabal and more families being involved in the future. Ulladulla Yarning Mob, Wandarma AECG, and Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council, have expressed hope that something similar will run next year, with additional lead time allowing them to attract even stronger community involvement. 

An increase in partnerships between organisations and a decrease in working in silos has been a key feature of IRCF on the South Coast. Partnerships support has increased capacity and broader service delivery, and led to projects where NFPs are working with business groups to share skillsets and expertise.

A good example is how Shoalhaven Business Chamber (SBC) partnered with local NFPs, with the support of Snow Foundation, providing access to annual SBC membership, helping them improve the way they ‘do business’ and increasing networking opportunities.

Shoalhaven Women’s Resource Group Limited (ROCC) has provided strength-based support services to women in the Shoalhaven for four decades, and offers holistic long-term case management and regular group programs. ROCC’s services foster resilience in, and advocate for, women, facilitating improved social connection, life skills and psycho-social supports.

Through the Investing in Rural Community Future’s program, ROCC established links with SBC. Twelve months later, ROCC was announced as a finalist in the Shoalhaven Business Awards and was thrilled to win the Outstanding Community Organisation award, in recognition of the dedicated work the NFP delivers supporting women.

The awards process required ROCC to demonstrate not only that it provides impactful support to its clients, but also that ROCC business is being run with best practice governance, a sustainable financial strategy, risk management and compliance frameworks, as well as appropriate care for clients, staff and stakeholders.

The successful partnership with SBC helped build the profile and confidence of ROCC, while simultaneously strengthening relationships between SBC, other members and the NFP sector. 

Local NFP leaders invited to join online sessions

FRRR, is currently seeking three Victorian communities to partner with in a five-year, place-based program that will strengthen the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) and community groups to undertake vital work in their communities.

Called Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF), the program offers flexible and tailored support to strengthen local organisations to more effectively advocate on shared issues, contribute to a thriving community, and achieve long-term impact across key priority areas.

As part of the exploration and selection process, information sessions are being held in five rural VIC communities – Hamilton, Portland, Colac, Swan Hill and Maryborough – to explain the program, what’s involved in partnering with FRRR as a community and how the process will work. Details will be provided about the next steps for communities keen to express their interest in being involved over the coming years. After an EOI process and in-community workshops in the New Year, three communities will be chosen.

The program includes the combination of a locally-based Community Facilitator, community-led and informed grants, participatory planning processes, skill-building workshops to support individual and community capacity, local networking across the sector and encourages collaboration on shared objectives.

Access to this support will be free, thanks to FRRR’s partnership with four philanthropic organisations – Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, Jack Brockhoff Foundation, The Ross Trust, and William Buckland Foundation. Each community will receive a total investment of around $600,000 in grants, as well as capacity building workshops and support.

Jo Kemp, IRCF VIC Program Manager, said that IRCF recognises the crucial work of local NFPs and community groups.

“The program and activities we undertake are based on the principle that if individual organisations can strengthen their own capacity and sustainability, then collectively the NFP sector will be more effective in contributing to a thriving community.

“’I’ve been fortunate to meet with NFPs recently in towns across Victoria. I’m always inspired by their passion to make a difference in their community and their willingness to share local insights and aspirations. Their resilience and positivity truly shines through.

“But I’ve also heard about ongoing challenges their communities face and I know NFPs are often under-resourced to tackle these. Further, volunteers are integral to their work, and many are experiencing fatigue. This is where the IRCF program can provide tangible help through resources and capacity support when the time is right.

“Ultimately, we are looking to partner with communities who are ready to embrace this kind of approach with FRRR. We look forward to sharing with NFPs in each community details about how the program could add value to their work.”

FRRR has successfully delivered the IRCF program alongside eight NSW communities, starting with Junee, Leeton, and Nambucca Valley, and then on the South Coast region including Nowra, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Bay and Basin, and Bega Valley. Learn more about the outcomes as these communities conclude their five-year partnerships.

For more information about the IRCF program visit, www.frrr.org.au/IRCF-Victoria.

Thirteen South Coast not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) are sharing more than $166,000 in funding for projects aimed at strengthening their capacity to support their local communities.

The substantial investment has been announced through FRRR’s Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program, in partnership with Snow Foundation and Bendigo Bank’s Community Enterprise Foundation.

Toolbox grants are available at any time throughout the program and the most recent grants will be some of the final awarded as part of IRCF, which has been operating across the region since 2020.

Earlier this year, each community came together at “roadmapping” workshops, reflected on what had been achieved to date and then identified their shared priorities for this remaining funding. This process has guided FRRR and its partners on how to prioritise and direct investment throughout the program.

Carolyn Ardler, FRRR’s Program Manager for the IRCF South Coast program, said that the funding will support collaborative community-led projects, as the program enters the culmination phase.

“The IRCF program has fostered tangible outcomes in the community sector and we are so thrilled with the way organisations have engaged with these opportunities to develop their skills and share resources.

“Our community facilitators have worked closely with participating groups in each locality to provide time for collaboration, discussion and submission. It’s wonderful to see initiatives put forward that will benefit the whole community,” Ms Ardler said.

“Through the program, local not-for-profits have formed connections with other groups and access to additional resources, which means they can face challenges together with a solutions-led approach, which has been empowering for community,” Ms Ardler said.

Georgina Byron AM, CEO of the Snow Foundation, reflects on her father’s enduring legacy, Terry Snow AM, the Foundation’s co-founder, and his deep connection to the South Coast. She describes the latest funding initiative as a meaningful tribute to his commitment to supporting local communities in the region.

“My father loved the South Coast and was very proud to be able to support so many wonderful community-led organisations through the IRCF program. It’s wonderful to know that this funding will strengthen local groups even further, so they can continue to make the South Coast a vibrant place to live, work and play,” Ms Byron said.

Ulladulla projects

In the Ulladulla area, six projects are sharing $93,082 thanks to Snow Foundation.

These projects are focussed largely on networking, storytelling and strengthening youth and cultural initiatives.

Batemans Bay projects

Four projects in Batemans Bay area will share $53,402, also with the support of Snow Foundation. The projects funded have a focus on skills development which will improve volunteer capacity, cultural awareness and succession planning. Additionally, engagement of a coordinator will provide direct support for existing networks to continue to flourish as they build capacity, social cohesion and resilience for the future.

Bay & Basin projects

In the Bay & Basin area, three projects are sharing $19,986, thanks to the support of Bendigo Bank’s Community Enterprise Foundation.

These projects have a focus on increasing cultural capacity, youth leadership skills and improving platforms for community collaboration.

David Impey, CEO of the Community Enterprise Foundation, said supporting projects that the groups had identified as they continued their ongoing recovery from the Black Summer bushfires were going to be of real benefit to the broader community.

“As the program has progressed, the confidence of local organisations to lead projects in a sustainable way has clearly grown.”

“The Foundation is glad to back initiatives that will see effective collaboration in the community and continued engagement of young people,” Mr Impey said.

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

A small investment in tools or equipment often doesn’t just generate practical outcomes for communities but also provides a foundation for community groups to build their confidence. 

In the case of the Dunn Lewis Youth Foundation in NSW’s Shoalhaven region, the Youth Local Podcast Program has provided young people with more than just a microphone. It’s given them an opportunity to find their voice and feel more empowered, while also exploring, learning and connecting with their community.

Even for those initially hesitant, the experience has been transformative. Mia told us, “If I’m going to be honest, I was not keen for this, but now it’s the highlight of my week. It’s really fun, and the whole process of having ‘Living Skillfully’ as a segment within Youth Local has been really good.”

For Darcy, another one of the participants, podcasting has opened doors to new experiences and skills. “I’ve loved podcasting; it’s been an amazing opportunity. Not only do I get to meet awesome people, but I also get to try out new things every week and explore topics that I’m really passionate about.”

Darcy’s enthusiasm for the creative freedom that podcasting offers is infectious, and it’s clear that this program is more than just a hobby – it’s a pathway to a potential future career. “It’s got me inspired to actually explore this as a career path,” Darcy added, reflecting the broader impact of the initiative.

Claire, another dedicated podcaster, shared how the program has helped her grow in ways she didn’t expect. “Podcasting has been an amazing experience because I’ve gotten to meet new people and learn more about our local area and some strange facts that I did not know before.”

The group of podcasters shared the skills they were learning along the way including: planning, communication with peers and others outside the community, patience and listening skills, as well as technical skills like editing and using the deck.

These quotes aren’t just words; they are a testament to the value of giving youth a voice. As Jasper aptly put it, “I’ve learned that everyone is a little bit goofy in their own way doing this podcast,” and, “It allows you to be who you want to be.”

This program isn’t just about teaching technical skills – it’s about creating a safe space for self-expression, community engagement and personal growth. In a world where youth voices are often underrepresented, this podcast has become a powerful tool for empowerment. It serves as a reminder that when young people are given the tools and the platform, their voices can be both insightful and impactful. It leaves us with a thought-provoking question: what other untapped potential lies within our youth, just waiting for the right opportunity to be unleashed?

Local leaders play a critical role in the community. They are the driving force behind the growth and long-term sustainability of remote, rural and regional communities. But they also need to build their capacity.

FRRR was pleased to be able to support IRCF participants to attend the Social Impact in the Regions (SIITR) Conference held on Dungutti Country in the community of Kempsey, NSW. It’s focus was on investing in regional impact, empowering regional voices and understanding regional challenges.

This year’s delegation of 12 local leaders travelled from the Yuin Country communities of Nowra, Bay & Basin and Bega Valley and Nambucca Valley on Gumbaynggirr Country. Not only did they learn heaps but it was also a great way to build connections across communities and to meet more of the FRRR team.

Drawing on our participatory practice training, we started on the first day with a connection opportunity and check in overlooking the Macleay River, to share our intention for the next few days. This was then followed by a warm welcome to Country by Uncle Fred Kelly. Our People Portfolio Lead, Deb Samuels, co-hosted a master class on place-based design with Jesse Taylor, Jo-Anne Kelly and Chad Renando, sharing their place based experiences, and on the final day our CEO, Natalie Egleton, presented a keynote on Regional Challenges and Strengths. She highlighted how some of our community partners have flipped the narrative around how hard things are in remote, rural and regional communities to create strong, vibrant communities.

There were a lot of learnings throughout the three days. The standouts included the innovative adaptation of an event space – activating the main street of Kempsey utilising disused shopfronts – really emphasising the conference being IN community as apposed to AT a community – a huge and noticeable change from the inaugural conference, which was held at a conference centre. There were a lot of ideas that could be replicated in other communities. Youth participation and the inclusion of students from two Kempsey high schools was also great to see. These young people shared their aspirations and explored how enterprise models can support their endeavours. Another learning was how local voices can be amplified through the Ready Communities model.

On returning home, the local leaders who attended shared their gratitude for being supported to attend.

“Julie, our emerging leader, and I both enjoyed the conference immensely, especially the connection with new people and the wonderful opportunities we heard about. The conference dinner was fun, surprising and an unexpected treat from the usual conference dinners. We certainly have lots to think about and are now back at work and looking at what I can start putting in to practice.”

Nicki, Noah’s Inclusion Services, Nowra

Karen from the Bay and Basin Community Resources shared, “It was really great to get out and discuss new ideas, explore different models and network. It has been invaluable and very inspiring. We are already starting to put into practice some of our takeaways.”

Investing in people is a key pillar in the Investing in Rural Community Futures program and we recommend that you keep a close eye on any regional development or leadership opportunities and put your hand up for anything that comes your way. The ripple effects of these types of opportunities can last for years and reach many.