27 initiatives funded to enable change now and for the long-term

FRRR has awarded $685,242 in grants for 27 initiatives that will empower rural communities across Australia to adopt practices and solutions that reduce emissions and address the impacts of climate change. The projects will enable positive and sustainable environmental, social and economic outcomes.

Thanks to the support of FRRR’s donor partners, the Community Led Climate Solutions program (CLCS) offers grants via two streams, offering different grant funding. The program allows not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) to prioritise local needs and address factors affecting the community’s ability and capacity to adopt new ideas, adapt to a changing climate and take actions to mitigate the risks of climate change.

Organisations from every state and the NT will share $417,742 in grants via the Engage and Deliver stream. Initiatives funded through this stream promote or action practices and solutions that can reduce emissions and benefit their community’s ability to adapt to changes.

Through the Scaling stream, $267,500 has been awarded across four community groups to broaden the reach of locally-led initiatives that alleviate socio-economic challenges and enable communities to thrive.

Sarah Matthee, Climate Solutions Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that the Community Led Climate Solutions program emphasises the importance of empowering local people to lead local climate solutions.

“Local NFPs and community organisations want to play a bigger role in creating sustainable and enduring climate solutions for their communities. This program responds to that need, which is why it continues to attract more and more applications.

“The intent is to empower and enable communities to lead change, by innovating and responding to local opportunities and challenges.

“The 27 projects funded showcase a diverse range of future-focussed, community-led climate solutions, including addressing energy supply, reuse and recycling, distributing knowledge and climate risk adaptation. This diversity reinforces the fact that each community’s experience of the social, economic and environmental impacts of a changing climate is unique.

“So too are the ways that communities want to respond to those circumstances. For example, more than half the projects funded in this round are designed to develop awareness, knowledge and skills. This perhaps also reflects that community groups are at different points in their journey – and each application reflected this,” Ms Matthee explained.

Larger grants to scale existing initiatives

FRRR recognises that NFPs in remote, rural and regional Australia can find it difficult to access funds for local initiatives that address climate change. In seeking to respond to organisations scaling their impact, FRRR also offered a small number of grants to support groups to scale long-term, future-focused solutions to address climate-related challenges.

“The four projects funded via the Scaling stream advance an existing, locally-led project to a more mature state, enhancing the capacity of the local community to take an active role in the mitigation or adaptation of climate change. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these initiatives have within their communities as they progress.

“Ultimately, we hope that the rural communities and organisations that are stepping up to roll out these initiatives will inspire and encourage other communities to take relevant action, engaging both business and philanthropy in local responses.”

FRRR is grateful to partner with a growing number of like-minded organisations including Boundless Earth, Hand Heart Pocket, Paul Ramsay Foundation and Elders Insurance, which is backed by the QBE Foundation.

FRRR and its donor partners are committed to funding community-led solutions that reduce emissions and address the impacts of climate change. FRRR welcomes further contributions to this collaborative pool of funds to grow the impact that can be generated across remote, rural and regional Australia. For more information, please visit https://frrr.org.au/giving/.

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

This story was submitted as part of FRRR’s 25th birthday celebrations.

“FRRR has been a catalyst for positive change, empowering communities to address local challenges and seize opportunities with tailored support and funding. This sort of funding simply does not exist in any other place. By investing in grassroots initiatives, FRRR has played a pivotal role in creating thriving regional communities that are equipped to respond to the wicked problem of climate change and embrace the future with more confidence. We deeply value FRRR’s vision and dedication, and we are proud to be part of its legacy. Congratulations on 25 years of empowering rural and regional Australia — we look forward to future partnerships.”

Darren McCubbin, CEO, Gippsland Climate Change Network

“FRRR funding helped us to develop and implement the Gippsland New Energy PowerPops, an initiative designed to engage and inform the community about renewable energy opportunities within the Gippsland Renewable Energy Zone. Using the New Energy Portal as a central resource, we created engaging materials, including VR headsets offering virtual wind farm tours and a database of skills and job opportunities. This project fosters a positive narrative around decarbonization and climate change, emphasizing opportunities for work and providing social acceptance, especially amongst younger people.

“The PowerPops initiative enabled us to bring information directly to local markets, schools, and community events, helping to dispel myths and build trust. Without this funding, opportunities to address misconceptions, showcase the benefits of offshore wind and involve the community in shaping the transition would have been limited, delaying progress and risking public opposition. This support has been critical to ensuring that the transition to offshore wind is seen as a positive and inclusive opportunity for Gippsland.”

GCCN’s vision for the future

“We hope to see a region powered by renewable energy, with strong local industries supported by a skilled workforce and innovative technologies. Gippsland will be a leader in environmental stewardship, balancing economic growth with the preservation of our natural landscapes and biodiversity. Our community will be connected and inclusive, with a strong social fabric that values collaboration and equity. By 2050, Gippsland will be a model for regional transformation, demonstrating how communities can successfully navigate the challenges of a transition from coal fired power to large scale renewables while creating lasting economic, social, and environmental benefits for future generations.”

Community Action Inc (CAI) is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Gympie, QLD. It is a registered community housing provider with a mission to provide housing and support services in response to community needs. In partnership with Gympie and District Sustainability Alliance (GADSA), they received a $20,000 grant in Round 1 of the Community Led Climate Solutions (CLCS) program, funded by Hand Heart Pocket, for their Building Energy Efficiency Project (CAI BEEP). GADSA is a volunteer-led organisation committed to promoting sustainable communities through the use of technology to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

This project stood out due to its strong alignment to several grant criteria including reducing emissions, supporting a just transition, and educating and advocating for increasing energy efficiency practices in social housing. FRRR was also impressed by the letters of support accompanying the application, demonstrating close connections within the community.

The overall objective of CAI BEEP is to increase energy efficiency in two buildings: a duplex brick veneer structure used to accommodate survivors of domestic violence; and an older elevated timber dwelling, occupied by CAI’s Youth Services Office. The project identified a multifaceted solution that could be implemented in stages involving installing solar panels, batteries, ceiling insulation and modern reverse cycle air conditioning units.

The CLCS grant will fund their first priority – the solar panels, which are anticipated to significantly reduce use of electricity from the grid and save an estimated 30 tonnes of C0₂ emissions through the annual production of 37MWh of renewable energy. In addition to emissions reduction, the project will reduce electricity costs and enable additional spending on other social projects by CAI Inc – enabling the tenants of the buildings to also benefit from the transition to renewables. The energy cost savings are estimated to be $4,000 annually across both parties.

CAI Inc is first and foremost a social housing and support program provider, so their partnership with GADSA has been critical to developing and managing the project delivery, contributing their time and knowledge.

Among the first steps was assessing the duplex under the Building Energy Rating Scheme (BERS), which guided the work program. GADSA sourced quotes for all tasks and identified the trades necessary for each job.

GADSA believes every individual, household and business can make changes to reduce their climate impacts. To help them promote the use of renewables and building efficiency solutions, such as ceiling insulation, to other social housing providers to increase their emissions reduction and social justice impact, GADSA ultimately plans to document this project.

This project demonstrates the power of collaboration and the impact of highly-skilled and energised volunteers, leading to a locally-led and impactful, climate solution.

Mycelia Renewables is a social enterprise focused on supporting and enabling regenerative economy initiatives with Traditional Owners, rural businesses and regional communities, specifically in the areas of cultural and environmental governance and a fair transition to renewable energy.

Mycelia’s work on the ground to date is diverse and their value is far reaching, focussed on delivering tangible sustainability outcomes with communities, and aimed at strengthening and empowering through a service model of cooperative engagement, knowledge sharing, deep listening and co-design.

Mycelia has two central operations:

1. Co-designing and owning or co-owning renewable energy projects with communities and small to medium enterprises (SMEs), to increase the amount of affordable renewable energy and to develop an independent income stream for Mycelia’s charitable purposes
2. Supporting communities and SMEs to design and implement regenerative economy projects through their unique services at pro bono, low or full fee rates

Through an FRRR Not-For-Profit Fundraising Account, to date Mycelia has raised more than $70,000 to focus on engaging with local communities and SME’s across Victoria to co-design and implement renewable energy policies and strategies.

The group also created the Mycelia Energy Collective, an initiative which enables households and businesses with and without solar and batteries to share renewable energy through The People’s Grid. Currently supported by 104members, this has been their main focus of late. Mycelia is seeking additional funding to boost organisational capacity over the next 2-3 years to fast track the work being done to hone the Mycelia Energy Collective model to a scale that ensures a sustainable revenue stream. They are also developing partnerships with communities that wish to replicate the model.

In addition to further developing the Collective offerings, Mycelia would like to engage an organisation that can measure and report on the different benefits of the Mycelia Energy Collective, specifically social impact measurements through a community-wealth building lens to clearly demonstrate the value to other communities and future funders.

The work that Mycelia is doing closely aligns to many of FRRR’s purposes and objectives and is a good example of how FRRR can support organisations and communities to raise funds that align to our vision to enhance the long-term vitality and sustainability of remote and rural communities across the country. If you’d like to support them, you can do so via their Fundraising Account.

If your group has a similar project, contact Jo Kemp to explore whether a Fundraising Account could help your organisation achieve its goals.