Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
FRRR has today announced that 19 community organisations across Australia will share more than $157,766 from the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program grants to implement projects based on the ideas generated at this year’s ABC Heywire Summit in Canberra.
This year’s grants will help activate projects based on four of the ideas developed at the annual youth summit, all of which respond to issues that concern young people in remote, rural and regional Australia.
The original ideas were:
As part of FRRR’s commitment to supporting the transition of leadership to the next generation, the successful grants were reviewed and recommended by a Youth Assessment Committee, under the guidance of FRRR Directors and staff. FRRR also employed two interns, both former Heywire winners, over the last few months, who assisted with the program administration and assessment.
Mahsa Nabizada, Youth Assessment Committee Chair, said, “The Heywire Grants offer an incredible opportunity for young people from all corners of Australia to bring their ideas to life and actively shape their communities. It’s empowering to see these young leaders take ownership of the challenges they face and turn them into meaningful change. These grants show that when we invest in young people, we’re investing in the future of our communities.”
Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead said that pleasingly, many of these projects funded will be led by the young people that they are designed to benefit.
“Representation matters and valuing the lived experience and unique perspectives of young people is vital, so we’ve actively sought ways to involve more young people this year, plus we actively invited young people to apply for the grants. And it worked, as we saw a significant uptick in the number of applications for projects led by young people. After all, who better to know what’s going to work for other young people than their peers.
“For example, Riverland Youth Theatre has received a grant to implement The Bigger Picture idea. Led by a Heywire winner, the funds will support nine months of activities, including monthly events tailored to the interests of young people in that part of the Mallee, with a focus on queer and socially isolated youth. This kind of project is exactly why we love this program so much. It will not only deliver on the issues that the Heywirers raised at the national Summit, but in doing so, it will also build leadership skills and create employment opportunities for young people.
“This round we also saw the largest number of projects we’ve funded in Queensland, thanks to The John Villiers Trust and The Clem Jones Group. Their support has meant that we can fund seven wonderful initiatives in six communities. I really can’t wait to see what impact each of these projects has in their community over the coming year,” Ms Samuels said.
Justin Stevens, ABC Director News, said that the ABC Heywire Summit brings forth ideas created by young individuals from regional communities, aimed at benefiting their peers. “These grants provide remote, rural, and regional areas with a practical way to inspire the next generation of leaders to voice their concerns and take action on issues that matter to them and their communities.”
These grants are generously co-funded by contributions from The Sally Foundation, The John Villiers Trust, The Clem Jones Group, David Mactaggart Foundation, and several private donors. This funding announcement brings the grants total to more than $1.7 million over the last 13 years.
The full list of recipients and a snapshot of their projects are below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
| The Dunn & Lewis Youth Development Foundation Limited on behalf of Connect 4 Community | The Bigger Picture Enhance community identity and wellbeing by creating social spaces and activities for young people. | Ulladulla | $4,000 | |||
| The Dunn & Lewis Youth Development Foundation Limited on behalf of Live Skillfully | MEE (Mentoring Educating Empowering) Equip young people with essential life skills and boost their confidence for post-school life. | Ulladulla | $2,200 | |||
| The Returning Indigenous Corporation | Youth 2 Grassroots | Alstonville | $10,000 | |||
| QUEENSLAND | ||||||
| Ability Agriculture Foundation Limited | The Bigger Picture Empower students with disabilities in agriculture by funding Vegepods for 10 rural schools, promoting inclusive education and fostering interest in agricultural careers. | Various Locations | $10,000 | |||
| Beaudesert State High School P&C Association | The Bee Your Personal Best Project Strengthen food security education by funding an apiary at Beaudesert State High School, enhancing student engagement, community involvement, and environmental understanding. | Beaudesert | $7,764 | |||
| Bundaberg Regional Council | A Place for You | Bundaberg | $10,000 | |||
| Co-Exist Australia Ltd | Youth 2 Grassroots Empower youth leaders to sustain environmental action by funding Collective Leaders, ensuring consistent monthly events and enhancing wellbeing for young participants. | Cairns | $9,960 | |||
| National Rural Health Student Network | MEE (Mentoring Educating Empowering) Promote rural health careers inspiring Indigenous students in rural and remote QLD to pursue health careers, to enhancing healthcare access and representation. | Yarrabah | $10,000 | |||
| The Trustee for Top Blokes Foundation | MEE (Mentoring Educating Empowering) Inspire young men in schools through a peer-led mentoring and personal development program. | Toowoomba | $10,000 | |||
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Barmera District War Memorial Community Centre Inc on behalf of Part of Things | The Bigger Picture Establish a creative youth space for young people to come together and connect. | Port Lincoln | $10,000 | |||
| Riverland Youth Theatre | The Bigger Picture Establish a '3rd place' program for young people to come together and connect. | Renmark | $9,995 | |||
| The South Australian Youth Forum Inc | The Bigger Picture Enable regional youth to have their voices heard as part of a regional youth forum tour. | Various Locations | $10,000 | |||
| TASMANIA | ||||||
| Huon Valley Police & Community Youth Club Inc | A Place for You Create a space for youth to come together and foster supportive networks and connections. | Huonville | $9,702 | |||
| St Helens Neighbourhood House Association Inc | The Bigger Picture Foster an inclusive community with a youth-led LGBTQIA+ community event. | St Helens | $8,125 | |||
| THEIRS Inc | A Place for You Improving mental health awareness for youth with a mental health advocate tour across Tasmania. | Burnie | $10,000 | |||
| VICTORIA | ||||||
| Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd | Youth 2 Grassroots Empower rural youth with skills to become leaders in grassroots climate advocacy at a national camp. | Various Locations | $10,000 | |||
| Wycheproof Community Resource Centre Inc | The Bigger Picture Provide Wycheproof youth with their own space with a kitchen renovation, outdoor garden and podcast series. | Wycheproof | $4,020 | |||
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
| Green Skills Inc | Youth 2 Grassroots Promote sustainable fashion and waste reduction through upcycling workshops and fashion show. | Denmark | $9,000 | |||
| Shire of Cunderdin | A Place for You Empower Cunderdin youth with mental health support and coping strategies in a one day event with workshops and presentations. | Cunderdin | $3,000 | |||
In partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC, FRRR has awarded $40,000 in grants to eight youth-led community projects in remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Trailblazers program. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.
Trailblazers are invited to apply for funds to help them to take their project ideas to the next level, or for personal development opportunities to build their skills and networks and boost their capacity to strengthen their community. This year’s themes centred around inclusivity, access to services and education, as well as improving social connectedness.
Lauren Ryan, FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, said that it was great to have several alumni on the Advisory Panel.
“This year we had four previous Trailblazers helping out with the selection process, all of whom provided unique insights, curiosity and constructive feedback to the applicants.
“Three of the Trailblazers to receive funding this year are previous grant recipients. The idea behind funding them again is to help in developing capacity for the sustainability of their projects, which are making a great impact within their communities.”
The Sally Foundation partners with FRRR through a Giving Sub-Fund, which helps to ensure that their funding reaches groups and young people in all corners of the country. The priority of this fund is to invest in young regional leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities.
Co-founder of The Sally Foundation, Geraldine Roche, said “The Trailblazers program has shown to be an important stepping stone for the young people involved to achieve and exceed their goals within their communities. Grants from the Development Fund are designed to help these change-makers do what they can to make regional Australia a better place.
“This is our fifth year in supporting Trailblazers, and it’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm and the impact of their projects addressing the needs of young people in their local communities.”
This year’s recipients are detailed below.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
| Ability Agriculture Foundation Limited | Audiovisual Podcast Pilot Raise awareness and promote inclusion for persons and families with disabilities in agriculture by sharing the story of an individual with a neurodiverse invisible disability in rural Queensland, highlighting their talents and skills through an audiovisual podcast pilot. | Kempsey | $6,000 | |||
| NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||||
| Artback NT Incorporated | One Percent - Better Communities Offer free, accessible programs to build resilience and promote healthier lifestyles through kickboxing, team building, mindfulness, and men’s behaviour change models while addressing domestic violence, concluding with meditation and key topic discussions. | Darwin | $8,000 | |||
| QUEENSLAND | ||||||
| Now I Can Run Inc | NICaR Educational and Upskill Development Fund Support compliance and opportunities for the organisation through purchase of governance software. | Gold Coast | $2,925 | |||
| TASMANIA | ||||||
| Now I Can Run Inc | FIST 2025 Improve social connections, reduce isolation and grow a connected community for people interested in Esports through the Esports major competition. | Launceston | $2,515 | |||
| Self Help Workshop Inc | Project Vulcan - Adelaide Fringe and Hobart Tours Explore ancient myths while highlighting facts about climate change and Australia's relationship with fire, told by actors living with disabilities, emphasising that we all have a voice regardless of age, ability, or gender. | Exeter | $4,000 | |||
| THEIRS Inc | From Little Things, Big Things Grow - Growing THEIRS Capacity Strengthen sustainability and impact in the community through financial management, self-development, relationship building and branding initiatives. | Launceston | $6,560 | |||
| VICTORIA | ||||||
| Now I Can Run Inc | Money for the Young Address the lack of financial literacy resources in rural and regional areas by providing interactive workshops for individuals aged 15 to 26. | Bairnsdale | $2,000 | |||
| Now I Can Run Inc | Social Vision for Young Adults Provide a safe space for 18 to 30 year olds who are blind or have low vision to discuss issues and enhance independence, mental health and community engagement through events, podcasts and professional support. | Ballarat | $8,000 | |||
The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has made changes to two other roles in the Leadership Team.
In response to increased focus on climate change and in particular energy transition in remote, rural and regional communities, FRRR has created a new role on the Leadership Team to focus on climate solutions.
Former FRRR General Manager of Partnership and Philanthropy, Sarah Matthee, has been appointed Climate Solutions Portfolio Lead. In this role, she will work with funders and community groups to better respond to changing climate impacts and drive local solutions that reduce emissions through education, engagement and action.
Natalie says that while FRRR has always worked in this area, the increasing prominence of these issues prompted the organisation to separate Climate Solutions from the Disaster Resilience and Recovery portfolio.
“Sarah is personally passionate about this space and, having been with FRRR for the last six years leading our Partnerships and Services team, she knows the key stakeholders well and has hit the ground running.
“I am also delighted to announce that we’ve appointed Jillian Kirwan Lee as Head of Partnerships. Jillian joined us in 2022, working alongside Sarah, and brings great experience in strategic partnership development and relationship management.
“I’m delighted to have her join the Leadership Team, helping grow our network of supporters to achieve our goal of granting out $30 million per year to support the remote, rural and regional communities that are at the heart of Australia’s prosperity,” Natalie explained.
Networks to Build Drought Resilience and Drought Resilience Leaders
FRRR will soon be providing increased support into remote, rural and regional communities to prepare for the impacts of drought, after being selected by the Australian Government to deliver its Networks to Build Drought Resilience program. FRRR is also part of a consortium delivering the Drought Resilience Leaders program.
Funded through the Australian Government’s $5 billion Future Drought Fund, both programs will help remote, rural and regional people access the tools, skills and support to build and foster leader networks, and to develop and roll out drought resilience initiatives in their communities.
The Networks to Build Drought Resilience (NBDR) program will help people in agricultural communities to develop skills, participate in risk management planning, and foster projects that encourage connectedness and improve wellbeing. It will also support small-scale infrastructure projects to make community facilities drought resilient to increase overall wellbeing and reduce social isolation.
Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that the Networks to Build Drought Resilience program will support future-focussed initiatives led by local community groups and network organisations that play such a vital role in local and regional resilience
“Networks and community leadership are the backbone of strong, vibrant communities and are essential to ensuring future preparedness for drought and the associated social, economic, environmental impacts that can be so devastating for remote, rural, and regional communities.
“This is an exciting opportunity for building drought resilience from the ground up and we look forward to supporting the fantastic ideas and solutions that we know are ready to go across the country,” Ms Egleton said.
Through the Drought Resilience Leaders (DRL) program rural leaders will be able to access training and support that will help them to develop and undertake a project to build drought resilience in their communities. Partnering with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) and the Rural Economies Centre of Excellence (RECoE), FRRR will manage a grants stream that will allow leadership program participants and their communities to activate their community-strengthening ideas.
Ms Egleton said that this program means more opportunities for local people to take the lead in finding meaningful and tailored solutions for their community’s increased climate resilience.
“Local leaders know how to get things done. They know how to bring people together, to motivate and to problem-solve. Backing these leaders is key to ensuring the long-term vitality of Australia’s remote, rural and regional communities, particularly those battling drought.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the ARLF and RECoE to provide these local leaders with access to such invaluable training and help them to bring their drought resilience projects to life,” Ms Egleton said.
For more information visit
The Hon David Littleproud MP – https://minister.awe.gov.au/littleproud/media-releases/drought-leaders-networks-programs
Australian Rural Leadership Foundation – https://rural-leaders.org.au/arlf-to-lead-consortia-to-deliver-drought-program/
When the opportunity arose to provide the locals in Longreach and surrounding areas with leadership development and networking opportunities, Red Ridge Interior jumped at it – particularly, if it could be done in a way that allowed people to participate regardless of their financial means. Three years on, and the program is more successful than ever.
Leadership development is much more than learning how to run a meeting and pitch an idea. It involves building skills in developing positive interpersonal relationships, managing change and conflict, giving and receiving feedback, values-based actions and being open, honest and trusted. These skills are important for everyone, and they allow more individuals to support each other, particularly when times are tough.
Thanks to a $14,500 grant from the Tackling Tough Times Together program, which was co-funded by Qantas Foundation and Friends of FRRR, Red Ridge Interior was able to ensure that everyone could access leadership development and training and build these important skills. This grant allowed Red Ridge Interior to hire a space, provide catering and pay for a leadership coach and facilitator to come to Longreach for three days to deliver the program. Twenty people participated in the program.
Participants spent three days covering a number of leadership theories and putting them into practice. Some of the topics they covered included Colour Spectrum model of leadership, values in action, understanding change, communication and deep listening, time management, goal setting and more.
Participants also had the opportunity to attend an ‘alumni’ day which brought together participants from the past three years of the program to meet, discuss what they had learnt and the real-world applications. This also gave them opportunities to connect with other leaders in their communities that were experiencing similar challenges and offered opportunities for mentorship.
Participants got a great deal out of the workshops. One said of the experience, “I have learnt about who I am as a leader, where my strengths are and where I need to work harder. I have learnt so much and have gained so much for myself, my family, my work and hopefully my community.”
Another said: “I learnt about my strengths and weaknesses and knowledge of each individual having their own strengths and weaknesses. Leadership is utilising everyone to achieve.”
