Grantham, a quiet township nestled in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, is no stranger to adversity. Known to many across Australia as the face of severe floods in January 2011, Grantham carries the weight of a single devastating event. But to those who call it home, Grantham is much more than its disaster history. It’s a place of rich heritage and extraordinary resilience.

Thanks to a $9,980 grant from FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program, funded by Hand Heart Pocket – The Charity of Freemasons Queensland, the town has taken a small but powerful step to shift its narrative. Grantham District Community Inc used the funds to commission The Grantham Storyboard in a heartfelt, community-led initiative aimed at preserving and celebrating the town’s deep and diverse history.

Installed under the shade structure in McGarva Park on William Street, the three double-sided storyboards span 183 years of history, capturing Grantham’s journey from 1841 through to 2024. Featuring historical images, key events and powerful storytelling, the panels serve as a living tribute, not just to what has been lost, but to everything that’s been achieved, endured and rebuilt.

While the 2011 floods are part of that story, they are not the whole story. As the community gathered memories, photographs and moments to include, the focus remained clear: to honour the evolution of the township and remind residents that it was and is so much more than a single flood.

The project itself became a symbol of unity. When the park’s old and flood-damaged equipment was earmarked for removal, locals came together in March 2023 to preserve what they could. That momentum carried into a dedicated working group of twelve passionate residents who steered the vision for the storyboards. They consulted widely with locals, curated images and shaped a narrative that captured Grantham’s tale.

Support from the Lockyer Valley Regional Council made the installation possible, and the storyboards were brought to life by Prographics, a local family-run business. Their work, along with custom marketing materials, helped promote the opening of the installation in December 2024. This was a significant a moment of celebration and Mayor Tania Milligan and MP Jim McDonald were in attendance alongside the community.

Since its unveiling, the storyboard has done more than educate visitors; it’s sparked conversations and created connections. Newer residents have been astonished by the township’s heritage, while long-time locals have found fresh pride in sharing their memories.

Given the town’s relocation, creating a new centre of gravity for communal life has been invaluable. The installation at McGarva Park has become that focal point – a shared space for reflection, connection and healing.

The Grantham Storyboard is a testament to community strength, to the power of coming together and to the importance of owning and reshaping our own stories. The project is a reminder that for disaster-impacted communities, identity is something they can reclaim and celebrate.

By Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience & Recovery Lead

While every disaster is hard to deal with, responding to a flood in a vast and remote region of Australia has unique complexity.

Right now, parts of Western Queensland are experiencing the biggest flood in more than 50 years. Some places had two years’ rain in just a couple of days. And while rain was much-needed, for many it has turned from a blessing into a curse.

For context, we are talking about nearly 54% of Queensland’s land mass, but with only 1% of the state’s population. In the main, the population of the Local Government Areas (LGA) varies between 266 and 27,836; a modest average of 5,400 people per LGA for the remote and very remote locations. At this stage, it is estimated that for remote and very remote Local Government Areas, nearly 70,000 people in total may be impacted, but they are spread across more than 927727 square kilometres. Yes, that is roughly 2.4 times the size of Victoria, by a southerner’s yardstick.

FRRR Grantees such as Western Queensland Drought Committee Inc. are playing a critical role in the response phase:

We’ve had a lot of people reaching out to either offer support or seek assistance. I have been sharing crucial information with the right parties—whether that’s directing requests for help to those who can provide it, or ensuring that people are aware of resources available to them in the affected areas. The flow of communication has been fast-paced, but necessary, as everyone tries to come together during this crisis.

As the waters recede, the clean-up has begun both on-farm and in the communities that support these vast regions. Many organisations are involved in the immediate relief and recovery phase – federal, state and local government, national response charities, local business operators and community organisations – the coordination of which often becomes complex and exhausting.

Being less visible and less resourced, it is during the medium to long term recovery that we know these communities will especially need support. Local people, government and community organisations will gradually work to return to business as usual, yet be deeply fatigued, emotionally drained and often under-resourced (both in human and financial terms).

As the immense and complex response and recovery process kicks into gear, the deep systemic issues of remote living become apparent – and will remain, long after the initial emotive rush to help. These communities will need our support, now and well into the future.

Having worked with disaster impacted communities in remote Australia, we have observed a few things over the years, which may not be top of mind for those who don’t work in this space day in, day out:

• Disaster has a unique way of shining a light on the real issues – the things long-recognised and tolerated by locals, but the structural inequality due to their geography becomes magnified for all to see.
• The disruption has a profound impact on children, families, school and business communities, and local organisations. An increased focus on ‘just getting by’ can result in less social connection, isolation and decreased wellbeing overall, over many years. It is also not uncommon for families to relocate out of an impacted region due to a downturn in paid work, unmet education needs or opportunities or a lack of suitable housing, leaving fewer volunteers to do the work in already small communities. Many on short-term funded contracts leave, leaving long-term social recovery to local community organisations.
• An increased focus on ‘returning to normal’, coupled with a necessary focus on home and family, often results in reduced time and energy for volunteering in the few, often stretched, local community organisations. These organisations themselves are often also trying to rebuild critical community-owned infrastructure, which is common in remote areas. A temporary shift in funding eligibility is sometimes required so local organisations can pay local people to do the work, so there is less reliance on local volunteers while people get back on their feet.
•  Local economies, many of which are driven by small local business and tourism ventures are highly disrupted and more economically fragile, meaning local people on casual wages have variable income. The simple economics of living in remote areas, where things already cost more than urban or regional locations, makes managing the day to day costs of living even more challenging.
• Freight costs remain higher than many other parts of Australia, at times more than the item itself; restricting access to goods and equipment needed to recover effectively.
• Specialist advice and support is often only available outside the community – leading to long wait times and inevitably higher costs when they are available, as travel costs have to be factored in. This can range from accessing structural engineers to allied health.
•  Housing, often damaged by the disaster, is either unliveable, in short supply, or liveable but with insurance claims not yet resolved. Trades people are typically thin on the ground, meaning lengthy waits for repair, further impacting the health and wellbeing of people.
• Road quality is very variable; sometimes patchy before the floods, now non-existent in some areas, where maintenance and reconstruction cost and logistics massive, further amplifying social and economic isolation.

Looking forward

The points above are just some the issues that FRRR has witnessed as we’ve supported communities long after the immediate response and flurry of activity. We have stood beside and behind disaster-affected regions for more than 25 years, distributing over $76 million for community-led disaster recovery and resilience initiatives in that time. With the help of our partners, since 2017, we have funded 141 projects to the value of over $3.7 million in this region alone, and we need support to do so again.

While flood disasters create serious challenges for remote communities in Australia, informed, considered and collaborative support can significantly aid their recovery and resilience across the disaster cycle. Long-term support is critical to creating vibrant, resilient and sustainable communities that enable our nation to thrive.

If you want to show these remote communities that they aren’t forgotten, please donate to FRRR’s 2025 Disaster Recovery Appeal, and help us to empower the grassroots community groups that underpin these communities.

A quick update: 17 April 2025

As is often the case in disasters, the numbers continue to change on a daily basis and the impact widens.

As at today; Thursday 17 April, here are some updated “Fast Facts” for what this disaster means to remote, rural and regional Australia.

Nationally, 1,902,302 people are potentially impacted across nearly 40 Local Government Areas, in 4 states; QLD, SA, NT and WA, within a vast (conservative) land mass of 1,278,220 km. (That is about 5.6 times the size of Victoria).

For regional and remote* communities, that is:

•  97% of the impacted LGAs,
• 64% of the impacted population, and
• 99.89% of the impacted land mass.

*Inner Regional, Outer Regional, Remote and Very remote as per the ABS.

We are paying particular attention to the likely recovery needs of remote and very remote people and communities where:

• 106,468 people are potentially impacted, but they are spread across a very vast land mass of 1,178,146 square kilometres.
• 15 small Local Government Areas (LGA), some with populations as small as 266 people (no, that’s not a typo, that’s an entire LGA under 300 people), and some more than 2,000km from their state capital.
• In Summary, and to highlight the unique need in this disaster compared to others: 6% of the potentially impacted population, is spread across 92% of the total land mass.
• Getting the right help, to the right location, to the right person, at the right time, and over an extended recovery time is the challenge in this disaster.

Donations will support all regions impacted by disasters in 2025

FRRR (Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal) has expanded its call-out for donations to meet the recovery needs of the growing number of remote, rural and regional communities affected by recent severe weather events.

FRRR has supported remote, rural and regional communities across the country to prepare for and recover from disasters and extreme weather events since 2006.

We therefore know that recovery in these communities will take years and that’s why FRRR’s focus is on ensuring there is support in the medium to long-term. Donations to FRRR will be used to make grants to local not-for-profit groups for community-led projects that address the most pressing needs that emerge 12-18 months after a disaster event. People also have the option to donate to a longer-term investment fund, which will ensure community organisations have access to recovery grants, in the years that follow.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that 2025 has already proven a challenging year for remote, rural and regional communities across states and territories.

“In the space of just a few months, we’ve seen Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the associated flooding in South East Queensland and northern New South Wales; widespread flooding in Far North Queensland; and Ex Tropical Cyclone Dianne in Western Australia.

“In recent days, we’ve seen the devastating floods affecting western Queensland, which has impacted nearly 40% of Queensland’s land mass, despite only affecting around 1% of the population. This sparse population and isolation makes recovery all the more challenging for these small, remote communities.

“When remote and outback areas experience disasters, the impacts can be catastrophic for those communities on so many fronts. Yet they are often less visible and therefore, less supported. Impacts will include stock and property losses, isolation, disruption to economies and wider supply chains, and increased demand on not-for-profit organisations. All of which impact on mental health, wellbeing and the prosperity of those who work tirelessly to produce food and fibre for the world and the communities that support them.

“With our connections into these communities since 2000, FRRR is uniquely positioned to make sure these smaller, remote communities are supported and not forgotten. We know there isn’t a one-size-fits-all response and so we will provide funding that is flexible, allowing communities to recover at their own pace, and lead projects that are meaningful and meet the recovery needs of locals.

“Your donations will help to fund the medium to long-term recovery these communities, so that resources are available to meet needs that arise, long after the emergency relief money is expended,” Ms Egleton explained.

Click and donate to FRRR’s 2025 Disaster Recovery Appeal.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Applications now open for $50,000 grants

FRRR and VFFF are inviting applications from eligible individuals for grants of $50,000 through the Backing the Future program. The funding supports people aged 18+ to develop innovative ideas that enhance the lives of people aged 12-30 in remote, rural and regional Queensland.

Unlike many other programs our Foundations offer, Backing the Future funds individuals and doesn’t require the backing of a community or not-for-profit organisation, eliminating one of the barriers that often exists in accessing philanthropy.

VFFF CEO, Jenny Wheatley, said VFFF is excited about the program’s potential to discover and back truly transformative ideas.

“We have already supported 17 incredible community changemakers in QLD through previous rounds of this program, and we look forward to backing 10 new ideas that will create lasting impacts for young people in their communities,” she said.

“Another thing that makes this a unique opportunity is that the focus is on new ideas and initiatives. To be eligible, projects need to have been in development for less than three years. We’ve deliberately put this time-limit on it, as we know that often, the hardest part of getting a project off the ground is securing initial funding to test the idea. This is especially true in rural and remote areas, where high costs and smaller populations make piloting new projects even more challenging,” she explained.

“Backing the Future bridges this gap by trusting communities and leaders to create transformative opportunities for young people when provided with the right resources – both money and capacity-building support.

“The feedback we have had from previous grantees is that they deeply appreciate the unique opportunity that Backing the Future offers, especially the trust and willingness to back an idea in its infancy.

“Providing early-stage support has given past participants the confidence to develop their ideas and deliver real impact for young people. It’s so rewarding to hear about Backing the Future funding leading to the development of new events, social enterprises and charities that continue to benefit young people across QLD,” Ms Wheatley said

One of the inaugural QLD grant recipients, Jameson Harvey, used his $50,000 grant to deliver robotics workshops in remote QLD schools, breaking down barriers to STEM education. Jameson describes the Backing the Future grant as a unique opportunity to resource the deep work needed to support access for very remote communities.

“Access to robotics and 3D printers is hard to come by in regional and remote communities. To see students walk into the classroom a bit nervous and unsure about these fancy technologies, and then, by the end of the session, walk away confident in programming and design skills—even skills that were tricky for me to learn—is incredibly rewarding.”

This is the first QLD round delivered by VFFF and FRRR. This partnership leverages VFFF’s ability to fund individuals and FRRR’s extensive reach, ensuring the funding reaches even the most remote parts of the state. Additionally, FRRR provides capacity building support to successful applicants.

FRRR’s CEO, Natalie Egleton, said that FRRR is excited about the potential for Backing the Future to bring new opportunities and activities for young people in remote, rural and regional QLD.

“We know that young people are the future of vibrant, resilient and sustainable rural communities. By providing opportunities that strengthen their connection and open doors to new possibilities, we can empower them to create transformative outcomes for themselves and their communities.”

Applications for the Backing the Future program are invited from anyone aged 18+ who has an idea that will benefit young people in remote, rural or regional communities. Applications close 17 March 2025.

FRRR encourages anyone interested in applying to reach out to FRRR’s Youth Futures team to have a chat about the potential project. To ensure as many people as possible hear about opportunity, FRRR staff will be visiting in the Burnett and Emerald regions. Dates and venues will be shared on FRRR’s social media channels and the team is excited about the opportunity to meet face to face with the hidden gems who are quietly doing work in community.

For those outside those regions, FRRR will host a webinar to explain more about the program and answer questions at 12 noon (AEST) on Wednesday, 5 February 2025. Register at: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-qld-backing-the-future-grants. To learn more, visit www.frrr.org.au/backing-the-future or call 1800 170 020 and speak to FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, Lauren.

Kowanyama is a small, very remote town in the Gulf Country in QLD and it ranks as one of Australia’s most socially and economically disadvantaged communities.  

Sadly, the community has experienced a disproportionate amount of sorrow and trauma in recent years, yet it has limited places for families and community groups to safely meet and hold traditional gatherings, eat together or hold community events.

But that’s changed thanks in part to a $10,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant. A new communal fire pit, picnic table and shelter against harsh weather conditions have been built. The people of Kowanyama now have a place to socialise and connect, which is a critical part of fostering wellbeing and strengthening the community.

This project was led by Out There Kowanyama (OTK), a dynamic, volunteer-run organisation that works to create hope and opportunity in the remote community by empowering youth with various projects and activities. OTK has a strong understanding of the community’s needs, and this project was an expansion of the community park and picnic area they had previously developed.

Although the pandemic caused a delay in completing this project, the new amenities were successfully installed by 2021 and the community reaction has been wonderful.

OTK Treasurer, Lara Wieland, shared the following with us:

“This is a place we could come and relax and get away from things when we’re stressed.”

“This could be a neutral place for mediations.”

“Counsellors could use this to catch up with people who don’t want a home or clinic visit.”

“We will hold our next women’s group here.”

“What a great place to come and hold an event. I especially like the firepit.”

“People can gather here in the shade after funerals or christenings and the old people will have somewhere shady to sit.”

Funding for prevention, preparedness and recovery projects

FRRR and Suncorp Group are inviting local not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in remote, rural and regional Queensland communities impacted by Cyclone Jasper and Kirrily to apply for a share of $300,000 in funding to support ongoing resilience building and recovery efforts.

This week marks six months since Cyclone Jasper crossed the Far North coast (13 December 2023) causing widespread destruction and five months since Cyclone Kirrily crossed the North Queensland coast (25 January 2024) and became a state-wide disaster event, as the rain moved south and west (3 February 2024).

Local NFPs in the Far North and North Queensland, and other remote, rural and regional communities impacted by the cyclones, including McKinlay  and Western Downs[1], can apply for grants up to $20,000 through the Rebuilding Futures program, for community-led activities that address local prevention, preparedness and recovery needs.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s Disaster Resilience & Recovery Lead, said that it is vital that disaster-impacted communities, are supported to proactively take action to prevent and prepare for, as well as respond to, the impacts of extreme weather events like Tropical Cyclones Jasper and Kirrily.

“The effects of an extreme weather event do not dissipate when the immediate danger is over. Recovery needs to evolve over the medium to long-term, as locals identify ways of building community resilience and reducing the impact of future disasters on community wellbeing and physical infrastructure.

“But for a community to build back better after a disaster, it’s critical that the needs of all groups in the regions, particularly members of the community with less access to resources, information and support, are considered and prioritised, both in recovery and in planning for potential future events.

“Ultimately, it is the people and processes that really make communities tick and make a difference in effective disaster recovery, prevention and preparedness.

“These grants are flexible and can support a wide range of projects, so we encourage groups to think laterally about what can assist their community,” Ms O’Brien said.

Funded by Suncorp Group, the Rebuilding Futures program has already distributed more than $1 million in recent years to 62 community groups across the country.

Steve Johnston, Suncorp Group CEO, said Suncorp was proud to support community-led recovery projects for regional Queensland communities impacted by severe weather events.

“Queensland is the most disaster-impacted state in the country and regional Queensland, particularly the Far North and North, has certainly borne the brunt of events like Cyclones Jasper and Kirrily,” Mr Johnston said.

“Suncorp is a proud Queensland-based company and will always be there to help our customers rebuild their lives following these devastating events, but we also understand how important it is to help community groups be prepared, build back better and assist that recovery in the medium and longer term.

“That’s why we partner with FRRR to distribute grants directly to community organisations because these groups have the local knowledge to know where funding is needed most.

“I want to encourage local organisations who may have been impacted by Cyclones Jasper and Kirrily to apply for funding for projects that will make their communities more resilient for the future,” Mr Johnston said.

A Grantseeker Workshop, including a Q&A on the Rebuilding Future’s grant program, will be held online on Tuesday 18th June 2024, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm AEST. Register for the Workshop at: https://events.humanitix.com/suncorp-rebuilding-futures-2024-grantseeker-workshop.

Grant applications close 5pm AEST, 11 July 2024.

For more information about which LGAs are eligible, the type of projects that can be funded and to register for the Grantseeker Workshop, visit www.frrr.org.au/Rebuilding-Futures.

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[1] List of eligible LGAs – https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/R4-Eligible-LGAs.pdf

Tell us a little bit about Hand Heart Pocket, its background and how you have designed your giving strategy.

Our purpose is stated as we partner for change for people in need in Queensland and Papua New Guinea. We put that purpose together with lots of thought around the fact that we partner, which means we don’t build things, and we don’t necessarily deliver ourselves, we find great organisations, and great leaders doing things that are very impactful, and we focus on people in need. Our strategic partnerships are focused on young people in need in Queensland, and then we do a range of other things where we support the community more generally, and we also support the members of the Freemasons of Queensland, in their community activity at a local level.

The Freemasons and Hand Heart Pocket have always been involved in responses to disasters when disaster strikes, and also been a very regionally spread organisation. There are lodges of the Freemasons of Queensland right across the state – there’s about 200. They’re very connected to their local communities. Queensland is the most regionalised of the states – there’s more people living outside of the capital cities in Queensland than any other states. And we really understand the importance of the vibrancy and the sustainability of those communities, for the people who love to live in a more rural setting with more space. It’s really important that we remember that sometimes it’s more difficult to live there. It’s more expensive, the services don’t necessarily reach all the places in Queensland where people love to live. So it’s a combination of where our members are and the heritage of the organisation and also understanding that to sustain healthy and vibrant communities in Queensland. We have to remember that a huge portion of Queenslanders don’t live in the capital city.

Tell us about Hand Heart Pocket’s interest in supporting communities recovering from a preparing for disasters, and also in driving climate solutions?

The board is very forward looking and future focused. And so we understand that an investment in our young people is the best investment that we can make, and that the future that they’re facing is changing quickly. There’s lots of strategic level risks that the community is facing and it could really derail a lot of things about the way that we live our lives and a lot of things that we enjoy. We’ve done some really good risk analysis in our strategy process to understand what climate change will mean, for our organisation and for our members and the local communities. Really, climate change is probably the number one risk. So it, it poses risks to our members and to their communities but it also poses a risk to our organisation from the point of view of what it might do to the assets that we invest in through our investment portfolio and what it might do to in terms of shocks to financial markets, what it might mean for us to have investments that might become stranded assets. So that’s a big part of how we think about it.

And then also, what the possible negative impacts of climate change are on local communities – what it will do to food security, to people’s health, future pandemics, also what it’s going to mean for industries in Queensland. It will have negative impacts on tourism, it will have negative impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. And so there’s lots of communities in Queensland that are facing into very uncertain future.

As a philanthropic foundation, we don’t think about it just in terms of what we give, although it’s embedded into our strategy throughout our relationship with FRRR, but it’s also embedded into our strategy in terms of the way that we invest as well. And we have a responsible investment policy that has an exclusion for new fossil fuels and expansion of fossil fuels. We also have a real focus on investing our money in a way that drives a positive transition, and a sustainable future.

In our giving, we’ve had a historical ability to respond in times of disaster to support communities in Queensland when disaster does strike. We still do that, but we also have a way of giving through FRRR that allows us to invest into what I would call climate adaptation, which is preparation for possible natural disasters and natural hazards like cyclones and floods and fires at a grassroots level. The relationship with FRRR has allowed us to provide a large lump sum of money that FRRR administers and distributes as smaller grants to local grassroots community organisations who are working on all sorts of projects around resilience building in their local community.

We’ve also provided a second round of funding to FRRR to do an additional grant round of small grants that are focused not just on adapting to a potential different future threat from climate change, but also positive action by local communities, to reduce their carbon emissions, and actually mitigate the effects of climate change by changing up their activities in ways that are going to better protect the environment or reduce the carbon emissions. So our response to climate is I suppose weaved through lots of different in different ways through our strategy and the way that we work. And it’s about being future focused, it’s about being really understanding those big system level risks that our community faces. We try really hard to be kind of holistic and really authentic in the way that we address climate.

Part of the reason that we’ve partnered with FRRR is because as a philanthropic foundation, we have a small team, and we’re not really geared up to deal with like lots of local communities and do multiple small grants to a large number of organisations across the community.

And so it’s a great partnership for us from that point of view, in that FRRR’s got the expertise, and the relationships across Queensland or across regional and rural communities. And they also have the infrastructure as an organisation to run those grant rounds, which we don’t have. We knew that if we were going to put philanthropic money towards resilience building, that sometimes those small investments, but across a number of different communities can be really, really impactful. We wanted to make sure that the money got down to the grassroots and out to the rural communities, and we didn’t have the capacity to do that. So we were looking for a partner who had the relationships and the internal mechanisms to be able to do it efficiently.

FRRR provides that for us and being able to have a focus on resilience building, and climate adaptation, was what we were looking for. FRRR had the ability and the understanding from a thematic and technical point of view about what those projects would look like in local communities. And then this year, when we came to FRRR saying, we’d like to shift from just disaster response to action on climate, FRRR was really open to that idea, and worked with us to develop the climate solutions grand rounds, so that that extra money could be focused on that as a very specific issue and a specific set of responses from local communities. Again, we didn’t have the infrastructure internally and the people to run those grant rounds and to be able to connect to local communities that we really love the fact that if FRRR already has all that. Our purpose is partnering for change, so we like to work with other organisations, and to be more efficient in the way that we give by joining together with other organisations who are already doing really good work.

There’s an interesting partnership that’s kind of complementary to the work that we do with FRRR. We also have a partnership with GIVIT. Being a Queensland organisation, we know that there’s going to be disasters during and things happening to communities during the summer, which is really unfortunate, but it happens almost every year.

So, in anticipation of that we have a placeholder in our budget for what we might be able to give to disaster. If disaster strikes, we already have a relationship set up with GIVIT where we can respond quite quickly, and we can give them funding and then they distribute that to people in need in local communities. And that’s actually through grassroots organisations. They’re a fantastic partner because they complement what we do with FRRR – so if we want to give immediate disaster relief to GIVIT, which is immediate and small amounts for things like emergency accommodation and replacement of furniture, and then, at the end of the year, if we have some budget put aside for FRRR for disaster response, which is the longer-term recovery, and the planning, and the climate adaptation work.

So those two are complementary – we see them as great partnerships for us to respond to local communities. Both organisations are really set up to support larger donors like us and distribute funds. FRRR’s expertise is in understanding local communities, and how to best inject that support that will really bolster the community’s own capability and GIVIT has a different set of skills, which is really around standing up things quickly in a disaster. So that’s an example of another partnership, but it’s kind of the way that we work – to find organisations that are doing really good work, that have great leaders that have really excellent strategies and are really good at executing. And then we partner with them and back them in their work.

Another thing that we do in our partnerships is we also really believe in that maxim about pay what it takes. With both FRRR and with GIVIT, when we work out a partnership there’s an amount that goes to the partner for their capacity. Every organisation needs governance, and you need to invest into your IT systems, and you need to invest into your people’s learning and development and all those things. And we actually believe that it’s really important when we work with partners that we have, that a good generous amount that actually goes to the organisation on expenses and work. We talk to our partners about that, and we like to understand how much is needed for those organisational costs. So that’s a key part of the way that we work as a partner.

Do have any advice for other philanthropic organisations or individuals, when choosing a not for profit to partner with?

Well, the first thing I’d say is that there’s lots of collaboration happening both with the community in the community sector between organisations that deliver services there, and amongst the funders and the organisations that give, and sometimes there’s organisations that straddle as well.

So, in the kind of area that FRRR focuses on, if you were starting out as a funder, in regional communities or in resilience building or in climate solutions or anything like that, I’d suggest there’s probably two places you could go. First one would be Philanthropy Australia. Philanthropy Australia has great networks of both organisations who deliver services and want to attract philanthropy and organisations who give and want to be part of philanthropic giving, and they have networks that they establish around different topic areas that people are interested in. So if you’re really interested in giving to Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander organisations or issues then you can you can join a network – like a learning circle around how to partner well. They have also lots of professional development opportunities and Philanthropy Australia also run a really interesting network that they call Second Gen, which is about younger people who are starting out in their giving journey, or the second generation of families who have a family history and a real tradition of giving and how to engage in in an interesting way for younger people.

Another really interesting collaborative network is called the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network. And I know that there’s lots of people within AEGN who are long term staunch supporters of FRRR. And that’s a place where you can go to meet people who are specifically interested in environment and climate. They have a climate community of practice around giving in and responding to climate as a philanthropist or a funder, which is really quite new but really a great place to meet other people who are trying to respond to climate in both their giving and their investing.

Through FRRR you can get connected to other donors, and I think one of the things that FRRR does really well is they act as an intermediary and a channel combining funds from different organisations, so I’m sure FRRR could also be a place where you find collaborations to join.

FRRR Disaster Resilient: Future Ready Burnett Inland (Queensland)

The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has recently commenced the implementation of its Disaster Resilient: Future Ready (DR:FR) initiative in communities and across the Burnett Inland in Queensland. FRRR is delivering this program through local partner Red Earth Community Foundation. The program is made possible through the financial support of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Preparing Australian Communities – Local Stream, and Minderoo Foundation.

FRRR is seeking proposals from experienced social impact evaluation providers to work with us to:

1. Design a Monitoring Evaluation Learning (MEL) approach for the program; and
2. Undertake a comprehensive evaluation to understand the outcomes from this investment and the contribution the program has made to disaster resilience in individual communities and across the region.

Supporting Documents

For full details of the evaluation scope and submission requirements please see below:

Request for Proposal – Disaster Resilient Future Ready Burnett Inland Evaluation (PDF)

All submissions must include a completed Budget Template (.docx).

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience in social impact evaluation (as distinct from social research).
2. Demonstrated understanding of the requirements, objectives, and motivation of the evaluation.
3. Demonstrated knowledge of the program context, policy, purpose, and key stakeholders.
4. Proposed evaluation methodology that meets the requirement and suitability of the program and community context.
5. Evaluation outputs. Proposals that include a range of outputs including a combination of written reports, case studies, short videos, most significant change interviews, and infographics will be highly regarded.
6. Demonstrated knowledge and experience working collaboratively with rural, regional, and remote communities.
7. Alignment with FRRR values and aspirations.
8. Evidence that relevant insurances, licences, policies, and procedures are in place and compliant with State or Commonwealth laws. Demonstrated health and safety measures including Working with Vulnerable Persons, Working with Children, Occupational Health, and Safety Policies as well as relevant insurances such as Public Liability and Professional Indemnity.
9. Willingness to build capability within both FRRR and Red Earth team in the delivery of the project regarding evaluation methodology.
10. Overall value for money.

Suitably qualified and experienced individuals or organisations must submit a proposal that includes:

Proposals should be no greater than 30 pages (including attachments).

Key Details

Closing date: Friday, 8 September 2023 at 5:00pm AEST.

Proposals must be lodged via [email protected].

For enquiries or further information, please contact Caroline Larcher, Disaster Resilient: Future Ready Program Manager on 0492 370 586 or [email protected].

On Djiru Country

In far north Queensland, 150 km south of Cairns, the Mission Beach Historical Society (MBHS) is a fledgling association – two years young and dreaming big.

Last month our QLD programs manager visited the MBHS and invited them to write a story to let everyone know about their great work to curate a historical photographic exhibition.

Before the advent of the MBHS in late 2020, Mission Beach had no effective means of making histories and images easily accessible to residents and visitors of this region.

For the two last years, MBHS members have captured and documented some of the Mission Beach histories, having made a bright start with that endeavour. The society’s growing challenge was to find effective ways to share and exhibit MBHS collections. Being without a museum or a building, MBHS relies heavily on online presence and displays. Despite such hurdles, a range of interesting and innovative projects have been undertaken. One of these projects was to present a photographic exhibition.

In 2022, MBHS partnered with Community for Coastal & Cassowary Conservation Inc to receive an $8,925 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, to develop a photographic exhibition ‘Echo of the Past – Historical photographs from Mission Beach, 1890s – 1950s’ and present a series of historical photographs and Djiru cultural objects – coinciding with the anniversary of the 1918 cyclone which devastated the area.

The exhibition project aimed to facilitate cultural connection and transmission of culture of and with Traditional Owners through community engagement, cultural expression and on Country experiences.

The exhibition project was led by MBHS president, Dr Valerie Boll, anthropologist and curator, who worked with Djiru Traditional Owner, Elder and artist Leonard Andy and the Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC – PBC, to source and document Djiru history and photographs. Mission Beach residents were also able to bring in old photographs to be scanned and used to illustrate stories that had been researched by MBHS members. The provided material was then collated.

Like many plans during the last few years, the start of the project was delayed due to COVID. Sadly, the project was also put on pause in the first half of 2022 because of ‘Sorry Business’. Another hurdle for the MBHS volunteers to overcome was the lack of adequate IT equipment. Regardless of this impediment, the efforts of the team came together, and the opening day approached fast.

An enthusiastic crowd (over 100 people) gathered on the 10March for the opening of the exhibition ‘Echo of the Past’, at the Art Print Frame Gallery and was enjoyed by the wider community until the exhibition close earlier this month.

A smaller version of the show is now on display at the Mission Beach library and there are plans for the exhibition to travel around the region for the rest of the year.

Girls from Oz (g-oz) is committed to improving education and employment outcomes for students in remote Australia, particularly Aboriginal girls and women. The g-oz program uses a tried and tested engagement model, developed over 30 years by the Australian School of Performing Arts, to engage and re-engage females living in some of the most at-risk communities in Australia.

Since 2010, more than 200 girls have participated in 14 trips to five capital cities for a week of shared cultural exchange and 105 instructors have assisted in running 126 week-long Community Programs, engaging more than 4,000 girls across five communities.

In 2022, FRRR contributed $9,212 via a Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded by Friends of FRRR and FRRR towards the g-oz ‘Helping to keep language alive in Kowanyama’ project. The aim of the project is to contribute to Kowanyama State School’s efforts to reintroduce the traditional languages of Kowanyama. To complement the initiative, g-oz has begun its support of language preservation and revitalisation via the completion of song translation and transcription.

Over the past four months, g-oz has been meeting and working with local female Elders each school term as part of their Community Program visits. Their instructors have had some great conversations and have identified a song that they can work together with the women to transcribe, record and teach in the traditional language.

g-oz has found that building trusted relationships and working in collaboration with the local women can be a slow process. As their goal is to support the ambitions of the women in the delivery of their language revitalisation project, and especially their work with school students at Kowanyama State School, g-oz plans to walk alongside them, working within the Elders’ timeframe to deliver the project.

g-oz plans to develop teaching resources as part of the recording process and to present the finished songs to the community in May, with monitoring and evaluation to be undertaken before the conclusion of the project in August 2023.