Continued demand for small grants to support local initiatives

More than 150 not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in rural regions across Australia are sharing $1,579,380 in grants for projects that will strengthen their communities.

Awarded through FRRR’s flagship Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program, the grants will fund projects that address a range of diverse needs, including fostering community connectedness and wellbeing, as well as supporting ongoing COVID and disaster recovery and preparedness.

The 151 grants range from $750 for a lawn mower to help local volunteers prepare the community for future bushfires, to $25,000 for a “Get Started Emergency Preparedness” program to empower people with disabilities through tailored disaster readiness education and planning.

Jill Karena, FRRR’s Place Portfolio Lead, said that the Strengthening Rural Communities program has been a consistent support for local NFPs in rural places, helping to fill funding gaps needed to get projects off the ground or sometimes bring them to conclusion.

“FRRR’s small grants have supported rural Australia for the past 23 years. Within our Strengthening Rural Communities program alone, we have awarded nearly $18 million in small grants since 2019 and the program’s flexibility is one of the key reasons why it continues to be so popular.

“Flexible funding means that we can support projects that meet a wide range of needs, reflecting what the community sees as a priority. For some, this may be a new roof for the town hall, for others it may be an event to bring people together, and for others it could be mental health first aid training.

“Virtually every part of Australia is recovering from one or more disasters, from the pandemic to floods, bushfires or drought – and many have experienced successive or even overlapping events. The cumulative effect means that even within the same region, there are people working to respond and support recovery, while others are putting planning and training in place to build their resilience and prepare for the next, inevitable, event.

For example, in Shepparton, local groups are working to address different community needs and, collectively, help their community to recover, grow and thrive.

“Shepparton Foodshare is one of the NFPs supporting their community’s recovery. The organisation will use a $25,000 grant to purchase a refrigerated delivery truck, which will boost organisational capacity so that they can provide food relief to those impacted by the flooding that the region experienced in September 2022. Meanwhile, the Goulburn Valley Woodworkers will use their $10,000 grant to strengthen social connections that have been challenged by COVID lockdowns. The NFP wants to build the capacity of its volunteers by providing a safe gathering space with concrete flooring that has been sealed and finished. North Shepparton Community & Learning Centre is also helping to strengthen connections for diverse communities by using their $10,000 grant to deliver creative workshops and an exhibition.

“Grassroots organisations, which are often led by volunteers, play an important role in the vitality of rural Australia, because they drive the projects that maintain and sustain their communities. But to do this, they need funds. We’re honoured to play a small part in helping rural Australia thrive and we encourage others to join with us to support local initiatives that really do make a difference,” Ms Karena said.

Some of the projects funded in this round of SRC grants include:

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by donors, ranging from private individuals to larger foundations, who are acknowledged on the SRC webpage. This round there were a further 50 funding-ready projects, requesting more than $610,000, that FRRR could not support. We are urgently seeking new partners, so that we can fund more projects like these in the future.

FRRR always accepts applications to this program, which awards funds four times a year. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

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

It’s not often that a toilet block is a tourism drawcard for a community, but that’s just what this project has achieved.

The Snowtown Centenary Park Inc oversees the grounds at North Terrace, Snowtown, 145 km north of Adelaide in SA. They’ve been on a mission to improve the facilities and, over the past 10 years, have extended the football change rooms, built a skate park and recently renovated the interior of the toilet block.

The outside of the toilet block however, still left a lot to be desired – a dull and dirty bessa block structure, with no visual appeal. It was truly a ‘blank canvas’.

An SRC grant for $10,000, funded by a private donor, enabled the Park Committee to engage a professional artist to paint a mural on all four walls, to brighten the centrally located facilities.

The mural has transformed the dull façade of the Centenary Park amenities block with vibrant images of bird and animal life. It is now regularly admired by locals and visitors to Centenary Park. With animals and objects of every letter of the alphabet to find and discover, it’s great for people of all ages, from young children looking for animals, teenagers posing for photos and adults enjoying the beautiful artwork. This mural is bright and colourful and a wonderful sight for tourists calling in off the highway and visitors to the region.

“So many people have stopped to admire the artwork and we have had an increase in caravan visitors to the park … the mural has had a positive impact on the image of the whole town. The toilet block looks amazing. Before it was dull and boring, now it is bright, vibrant and interesting.”

Project Manager and Committee member Bernie Altmann.

Originally a resting place for passing drovers, Foster is a small town just north of the Gippsland coast. Like much of regional Victoria, Foster was hit hard by COVID, with long-lasting economic, health and social outcomes. Impacts on social connection, the need to provide food relief for the community, and the reduced ability for community groups to fundraise were all felt strongly by the volunteers at Manna Community Garden.

Established 22 years ago, Manna Community Garden strives to improve food security and social wellbeing in the community. Working closely with Manna Gum Community House, community lunches are held and meals are provided for people in need of support. Demand for these lunches and meals was heightened during the pandemic and continues today, with the need exacerbated by escalating cost-of-living pressures. The two organisations also work together to provide assistance and information via workshops on topics such as grafting and seed saving, and a community stall at the local farmers’ market.

The fire pit in the gardens is an important gathering place for community members. The facility hosts the local youth group, community lunches, evenings in the garden events and NAIDOC week activities.

Before the pandemic, fundraising efforts were underway to pay for desperately needed upgrades to the Manna Community Garden, including to the garden beds and the amenities around the fire pit. A large Christmas in July fundraiser had to be cancelled two days before it was due to be held due to lockdown orders and while local sponsorship allowed the garden upgrades to go ahead, the works around the fire pit remained unfunded. The seating was dangerous and needed replacing if the gardens were to continue to provide an important social space for the community.  

The volunteers at Manna Community Garden applied for an FRRR grant to supplement their fundraising strategy and allow them to continue with these much-needed works. Through an Australian Government-funded SRC Rebuilding Regional Communities grant for $2,600, the fire pit seating was able to be upgraded. The community of Foster is now able to safely enjoy the gardens as a space to socialise, come together, learn and provide food relief for the town.

President of Manna Community Garden, Ms Juneen Schulz, explained the importance of the garden upgrades for reconnection:

“The space has provided a beautiful location for members of our community, especially our garden group, to connect. This is particularly important in the recovery from COVID-19, as it gives us a safe space to be together and rebuild our community.”

With the easing of COVID restrictions, Manna Community Garden has since joined together with other community gardens in the district to run annual events, bringing the wider South Gippsland and Bass Coast communities together and celebrating the benefits of growing locally. The first event, held in Foster in the newly renovated garden, attracted 60 guests and included workshops, guest speakers, and of course lots of beautiful locally grown produce!

“We wanted an inclusive day where community gardens across our slice of the universe could come together and discuss our favourite topics – growing food, looking after our hamlets and communities, sharing our knowledge.”

The neighbouring town of Meeniyan will host the next event, in what is hoped will be a long-running tradition – supporting communities that were badly impacted by COVID-19 to come together and encourage the health, economic, environmental, and social benefits of growing produce locally.

The work of Manna Community Garden shows that a small project can have a big, and long lasting, impact!

By Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead

Philanthropy invests significantly in communities by making grants right across Australia. In FRRR’s case, we are focused on supporting remote, rural and regional communities, especially grassroots organisations that often can’t access traditional philanthropy. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why we offer a range of programs – some where we work deeply over multiple years through place-based initiatives to build the capacity of a group of local not for profits, and others where we work broadly through our small grants programs – offering up to $25,000, although most are around $10,000.

These small grants programs are our most in-demand which are well suited to co-funding approaches that enable collective contributions to achieve more together and create leverage for funders and communities. While not always ‘sexy’, the needs met through these grants address areas of disadvantage and basic quality of life in communities with little visibility to funders and policymakers. They range from upgrading toilets and kitchens, which improves accessibility of community facilities, to installing air-conditioners to manage climate extremes, and seed funding new ideas to stimulate new approaches to volunteering, health services, and disaster preparedness. Moreover, their value goes far beyond the dollars themselves. From more than 20 years of experience, we can safely say that in the case of many grassroots community groups, small is good.

Small grants, big impact

By their very nature, small grants are simpler to navigate and have lower barriers to entry, making them more appealing to a wider range of organisations. Some grant programs, like FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities, also offer expert support by phone or email, making the process even easier.

Small grants can be the straightforward and friendly ‘front door’ through which grassroots organisations can step to build their capability, connect their community and navigate and drive change. In fact, for many communities experiencing disadvantage, small grants are one of the few ways that they can get the resources and opportunities to launch new ideas or approaches in their communities. And they deliver far more than just money.

Dipping a toe in, learning as they go

For communities that have not applied for funding before, small grants build their experience and confidence in developing project ideas, applying for funding, project management, budgeting and meeting reporting requirements. In the last 12 months, more than a third of Strengthening Rural Communities grant applicants (503 organisations) were first time applicants.  Even if they aren’t successful the first time around, constructive feedback, such as the detailed information we always offer to unsuccessful applicants, can give them the confidence to apply again.

Biting off just what they can chew

Many communities are great at developing a long-term vision for their community that might focus on local services, economic development, environmental sustainability or climate change adaption but much as they’d like to do so, it’s simply not possible to achieve everything at once. Small grants enable a community to tackle making those big changes one project at a time. This supports them to make incremental progress against their long-term goals, while the lower scrutiny and risk associated with a small amount of funding can be less anxiety-inducing for organisations who are new to grant seeking.

Attracting more funding

Securing their first small grant is a pivotal moment for an organisation. It’s not just about funding support – it is also a recognition of the value of an organisation’s work and its ability to contribute to their community’s future. Once they’ve been successful, it’s often a catalyst for aiming higher and developing self-belief and self-reliance to create positive change in their community.

Demonstrating that they can successfully manage their first small grant and deliver tangible results builds an organisation’s credibility and can help open the door to securing larger grants to scale-up their project or take on a more ambitious idea. Often, it’s also the vote of confidence that other donors need to see to also come in and support the group’s work.

Getting to work sooner

Small grants usually have shorter application and approval timelines and offer more flexibility to enable communities to tailor projects to meet local priorities and needs, or quickly respond to unexpected disasters and other shocks. Smaller grants also usually come with fewer restrictions and reporting requirements compared to larger grants, which can often make it easier to negotiate with the funder to adapt their project if conditions change.

Finding and piloting local solutions

The flexibility of small grants also encourages communities to experiment with local problem solving, potentially sparking new approaches that are scalable or portable to other communities. Often small grants are seed funding to pilot locally generated or adopted ideas that are not of interest to larger grant programs. Using small grant funding to demonstrate the viability of a community idea can generate the evidence needed to secure larger grants or other support to bring the idea to reality.

“Thank you so much for providing the funds for this grant. This renovation has given Council initiative to support the Toy Library by maintaining the building so we can provide an inviting space and nurturing space for the community. The Toy Library has had many, many years of dedication by passionate volunteers to support and nurture the children of Tamworth and I think it deserves it!

When I started as president the library looked awful and didn’t reflect the commitment, love and pride that our small but dedicated group deserved. Now I feel like our space reflects our organisation. An important community organisation that cares and values the children, parents and carers of Tamworth and feels that learning through play is core to a child’s life and development! Another positive change is that the renovations have been a catalyst for council to complete much needed (and much requested) maintenance on the building by fixing gutters, replacing doors and cracked tiles and replacing the old sink and toilet.”

Tamworth Toy Library Incorporated

Connecting the Community

Small grants also offer a reason for different groups in the community to work together to develop and deliver projects that are meaningful and manageable. When community members, other community organisations and Local Government see the results from a small grant project that makes their community better, it is a great morale booster, and they are more likely to be motivated to get involved in future community initiatives.

“The event’s success lies in its ability to bring the community together, boost the local economy, and celebrate cultural heritage. The event provided a platform for residents to come together after the floods, share their experiences, and rebuild social connections. Through artistic workshops, events, and exhibitions, community members bonded over shared creative experiences, fostering unity and a sense of belonging.”

Arts Deloraine – festival / youth workshops (flood recovery)

Building local capacity

It’s not just the mere fact of offering smaller-value grants that makes an impact. It’s what those grants fund that also helps to build local capacity, especially in small communities or where a new group has formed. For example, many of the grants FRRR funds are about helping groups build their own capacity – whether that’s the likes of governance training or strategic planning support.

“The grant received for strategic planning has paid for itself many times over. We had members who had ideas in their head but didn’t know how to plan or implement them. Since receiving the grant, we’ve been able to increase attendance of our market to over 5000 visitors in November 2021! We’ve also been able to provide free stalls to local community groups to increase their outreach. This also has a flow on effect to small businesses in the town. The pub is booked out for lunch, little local businesses thrive due to the amazing success of the market.”

Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges

Bigger is not always better

Often, we hear suggestions that larger grants are better – but the reality is that many of the most deserving groups in the smallest and most remote locations simply will not – or indeed simply are not able to – apply for many of those grant opportunities.

While it’s great to see larger grants made available to communities, especially through Government programs, it is critical that we not lose sight of how important small grants are in strengthening capability and capacity in remote, rural and regional communities. Small communities, as you might guess, are, well… small! This can make it hard to compete with larger communities, especially when it comes to demonstrating measures of impact which funders often ask for – small communities can’t point to economies of scale or large numbers of beneficiaries.

With fewer people to draw on, volunteers are often stretched and there are less likely to be paid resources or an experienced grant writer to chase high-value grants or manage large-scale projects. Groups often won’t apply because they don’t have the capacity to meet the reporting requirements or to manage the other governance expectations, such as the frequency of reporting or detailed probity plans. Even the prospect of managing large sums of money can be scary for a first-time grant applicant and some small communities can find it simply overwhelming!

What makes small grants so impactful in rural and remote Australia is their flexibility and relative simplicity, which means they’re more accessible and attractive to those communities that don’t have the resources to wrestle with the complexities of large grants. So we urge all those who are working so hard to grow the funds that are directed via the social sector to make sure that small grants continue to be a key stream of funding. If you’re funding large grants, consider coupling that with some smaller grant funding as well – they may well become organisations you’re able to fund in the future. Or, if you’re funding with a very tight focus, consider how small grants with more flexibility may bring unexpected pathways to that impact. Of course, we always welcome more partners for our collaboratively-funded Strengthening Rural Communities program, so get in touch if you’d like to know more.

Additional $150,000 per year going into canola-growing areas to support sustainability initiatives

FRRR has welcomed a three-year commitment from canola seed business, Nuseed, to support its flagship small grants program, Strengthening Rural Communities.

Announced at an event in Horsham on Wednesday 11 October, Nuseed Australia GM, Rachel Palumbo, said that with deep roots in rural communities, they wanted to give back to causes and organisations that are important to the farmers who invest in their seed, particularly around sustainability initiatives.

Ms Palumbo said, “Our team works hard to develop high-performing canola varieties for Australian farmers, and we know that we are successful because of the support we get in the local communities in which we operate. By partnering with FRRR we can support canola-growing communities in a tangible and significant way. The majority of our Nuseed team are also based in communities just like these, and see the benefits that community-focused projects can bring.”

“Nuseed is delighted to be adding our name to the list of organisations that are partnering with FRRR to ensure that funds get to the projects that really need support. Our funding will be directed at projects in canola-growing areas across the country that focus on sustainability related initiatives, in line with our strategic intent to provide plant-based solutions to some of food and fuel challenges we’re facing.”

Jill Karena, FRRR’s Place Programs Portfolio Lead, said the $150,000 annual donation will mean that many more community groups can invest in projects that they know will make a difference to the liveability and vitality of their communities.

“We are seeing more and more requests from community groups to help them respond to their changing needs, so it’s wonderful to be able to have dedicated funding available in canola-growing areas to be able to support these great projects.

“In some communities, that might look like installing air-conditioning in community owned buildings to reduce energy costs, providing sustainability focused education, undertaking tree planting, or waterway restoration initiatives. For other communities, it could be that the priority is to have a backup generator, solar panels or water tanks to ensure community gardens can be maintained.

“That’s the value of small grants programs like Strengthening Rural Communities. They are flexible and allow communities to get the funding to support the projects they prioritise, so we are really grateful for Nuseed’s support of this program. Our partnership will also mean that community groups get access to advice and support that builds their confidence and enables them to lodge a great application. We look forward to awarding many more grants thanks to their contribution,” Ms Karena said.

The Nuseed funding will be included in the next round of SRC, which is open now and will be announced by late February 2024. Community groups can already apply for SRC support, as this program is always open, with quarterly assessments. The program offers grants up to $10,000 through the Small and Vital stream for projects that strengthen community connections and meet local priorities.

Funds support communities to prepare, recover, rebuild and thrive

FRRR has awarded a record $2,728,993 in grants to support and strengthen more than 200 remote, rural and regional communities across Australia through this quarter round of its flagship Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program. This is the most funding awarded in any one round in the 25 years of FRRR’s small grants programs, and demand for support continues to rise.

Thanks to donations from many generous supporters, 213 grassroots not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) across rural Australia will receive grants ranging from $465 to $50,000.

The projects will address diverse needs, including ongoing COVID and disaster recovery, strengthening community resilience and preparedness, and address small, yet vital, needs of remote, rural and regional communities.

Jill Karena, FRRR’s Place Portfolio Lead, said that wonderful volunteers in local groups continue to find meaningful ways to support their communities.

“One of the best parts of my job is seeing the way people in remote, rural and regional areas come together to support one another. We see it time and again in the projects that are put forward, usually led by volunteers, all of whom want to make things better for their community. So I want to acknowledge all those people and thank them for all they do.

“I know it’s tough, as the diverse impacts of successive shocks – COVID and various disaster events – continue to ripple through remote, rural and regional communities. The mental health implications of this sustained stress are clear but so too is the commitment to improving things, especially by combatting social isolation.

“Finding ways to connect with others and with their community is an important part of the healing and growing process and there are some creative solutions. In the southern Arnhem Land community of Ngukurr, in the Northern Territory, Wanta Aboriginal Corporation’s Ngukurr Bagai Barista Social Enterprise Cafe project is an inspiring example of the community working to reduce social isolation and foster resilience. The Corporation will use a $47,075 grant to create a community gathering space by fitting-out a café to be used as a vocational teaching site.

“We are also noticing an increase in creative recovery projects, as communities shift from responding to the immediate impacts of the pandemic or other disasters and begin to look at the longer-term recovery and resilience needs of their region.

“Mapleton State School in Queensland will use a $6,588 grant will support a therapeutic drumming program. The program is a creative way for the learning community to improve social connectedness, reduce levels of anxiety and enhance the process of recovery for young people from the pandemic. Similarly, the people of Gingin, Western Australia, will use their $10,000 grant to include wellbeing activities in the Flavours of Gingin Festival to help the community connect and build resilience.

“Our research has confirmed these kinds of arts projects have a unique ability to build long-lasting community resilience and wellbeing, and local capacity for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.^[1]

“Not all the projects we’re supporting relate to disasters. There are also a range of initiatives that capitalise on opportunities or help to bridge service gaps, while other projects like a mural in Smithton will honour local Aboriginal heritage, culture and identity and help attract more visitors to the town.

“Since 2000, FRRR has delivered more than $155 million to nearly 13,000 projects, most of which are funded by small grants through programs like Strengthening Rural Communities. And we see the amazing impact that these small grants can have on a rural community.

“So it’s great to be awarding record funding this round and we look forward to seeing the difference it will make in the future,” Ms Karena said.

Record demand for grants

The reality is, FRRR would have liked to support far more projects, as there were many great initiatives seeking funding, with the impacts of inflation adding pressure to already small budgets and the capacity of locals to contribute to projects. However, FRRR simply didn’t have the funds to do so.

Ms Karena explains that projects like those that this program supports are often catalytic, so FRRR is actively seeking additional partnerships to enable more of these initiatives to get the support they need.

“Remote, rural and regional areas make up nearly a third of Australia’s population and generate approximately two-thirds of its net exports,^[2][3][4] so ensuring the vitality of these communities is not only critical to the wellbeing of those who live in these places, but it’s also vital for a sustainable Australian economy.

“Grant programs, like SRC, are one way that we can work with government, business and philanthropy to ensure those communities remain attractive places to live and work. Flexible programs like SRC mean that communities can access funding to develop and lead projects that meet locally identified needs and priorities – which are often about bridging gaps in services that many in the cities take for granted, like public transport or being able to access health services, without travelling hundreds of kilometres. So we’d love to hear from anyone who might like to join with us to fund more of these initiatives.”

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by donors, ranging from private individuals to larger foundations, who are acknowledged on the FRRR website.

FRRR always accepts applications to this program, which awards funds roughly four times a year. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

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_{[1] https://frrr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Impact-of-Creative-Recovery-Research-compressed-2.pdf}

_{[2] https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health}

_{[3] https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regional-australia}

_{[4] https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Former_Committees/Regional_Development_and_Decentralisation/RDD/Final_Report/section?id=committees%2Freportrep%2F024136%2F25543}

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

Wagait Beach is located on the Cox Peninsula just west of Darwin and is accessible by ferry (15 mins) or road (90 mins). Young people make up around 14% of the 461 residents and beyond seasonal sports, there are very few organised activities on offer locally. Parents and young people alike had been keen to increase access to drug and alcohol free activities which would build skills and support emotional, social and physical wellbeing and in 2021, Wagait Shire Council supported to the creation of the Wagait Youth Group.

The Council received a Strengthening Rural Communities grant of $6,000 to assist with establishing their youth program that focused on building more opportunities in the community for young people including the co-design of a local Skate Park. Across four skate workshops, the children designed, built, and decorated portable ramps that went into immediate use, while plans are now well underway for the permanent skate park. Beach cricket, movie nights and discos for the school aged children have since followed.

In addition to a more physically active lifestyle, the young people felt listened to and have become more engaged and active in civic affairs. A collaboration developed between Health Lifestyle Seniors participants and the young people which saw the seniors sharing their skills such as cooking and sewing, which in turn built intergenerational bonds of appreciation and understanding.

Furthermore, the Council employed a Year 12 student for 12 months in the role of Youth Development Officer. This role takes the lead on designing, delivering, and reporting on the ongoing youth program. The Council hopes to continue offering this position annually and expand it into an internship, covering other aspects of council work and community service to develop youth leadership skills locally.

Environs Kimberley (EK) is the peak not-for-profit environmental organisation for the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. Since 1996 EK has been dedicated to conserving and protecting the Kimberley’s natural, environmental, and cultural values. EK has supported and coordinated cultural-natural resource management (CNRM) projects in the region since 2007.  

EK collaborates respectfully and over the long term with Aboriginal rangers and their communities, First Nations groups, community groups, government, and scientists to apply traditional knowledge and the best scientific methods to CNRM projects including: invasive species and fire management; ecosystem restoration, threatened species, ecological survey, and monitoring; eco-cultural documentation and education.

EK’s Kimberley Community Seedbank (KCS) project was established in 2015 and EK has been working to develop the Seedbank into a sustainable social enterprise that furthers the conservation and protection of the Kimberley’s incredible natural and cultural values. In 2020, Environs Kimberley received a Strengthen Rural Communities (SRC) grant of $24,995, thanks to John T Reid Charitable Trusts, as funding towards Strengthening the Kimberley Community Seedbank: a sustainable social enterprise project.

A First Nations-led bush resource industry can support Aboriginal communities across the Kimberley to participate in economic development on their own terms and to undertake meaningful and sustainable work on Country.  As a backdrop to this, the Australian bush resource industry has seen enormous growth over the past few decades, but despite this, a national survey by Bushfood Sensations (2019) found only 1% of the industry was led by First Nations people.

Hence, EK’s Sustainable Communities team has worked to build capacity for First Nations people to engage in and lead a Kimberley native plant resource industry. EK worked with four ranger groups to co-design business plans and complementary industry resources for two emerging social enterprises: Kimberley Seeds, and Wattleseed Collective where EK has supported Aboriginal collectors to develop skills in the exciting bush food and restoration industries to produce sustainable, socially responsible products.

The grant funded Environs Kimberley project management, co-design workshops, and the development of viable business models. EK delivered training to communities and ranger groups across the West Kimberley and established seed storage, roasting and cleaning infrastructure.

The Bardi Jawi Oorany Rangers, Karajarri Rangers, Nyangumarta Rangers, Yawuru Country Managers and Yiriman Women’s Bush Enterprise’s provided in-kind time and vehicle use for seed collection. EK provided in-kind time, seedbank and seed collecting equipment and coordinated volunteer activities. EK supported groups to develop their own business plans, financial models, packaging, marketing materials and a sales strategy.

EK coordinated the first pilot for commercial scale harvesting of wattleseed in 2022. The harvest saw the Wattleseed Collective gather and clean 40 kgs of (mostly) soap wattle (Acacia colei). This amazing effort resulted in sufficient product to enable Environs Kimberley to enter a product development phase and begin a process of securing access to markets for the coming year’s collections.

EK developed resources including a business plan template, a wattleseed harvesting guide, and wattleseed cleaning guide which are now available to share across the network of Kimberley-based Aboriginal-led businesses and individuals.

First Nations ranger programs are major employers in remote communities.  By continuing to increase the capacity of the rangers in seed collection and social enterprise development, and working with other community members, Environs Kimberley is backing stronger communities to engage in the development of local, sustainable, conservation and cultural economies.

The Shire of Cunderdin serves the small towns of Cunderdin and Meckering in the Wheatbelt region of WA. In addition to the usual Council services, the Shire also supports local community groups to help build a place where residents are happy and proud to live by providing excellent community facilities, services and community resilience.

The Council works closely with the Cunderdin Youth Council. This group of extraordinary young people identified that youth in the region have almost no support when it comes to mental health. This is backed up with research by the Commissioner of Children and Young Western Australia, which identified that many regional and remote communities have inadequate age-appropriate services and limited infrastructure such as transport and recreational facilities. Young people in the Wheatbelt raised concerns about confidentiality, lack of anonymity and stigma as impediments to seeking help for mental health issues. The Youth Councillors identified the desire to increase their knowledge of mental health, how they can access support and also how they can support their friends with mental health issues. This need led to the Youth Wellness Project being created.

The Shire of Cunderdin received a $5,000 grant from FRRR via the Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants program. It went toward helping increase the knowledge and skills of parents and carers of young people, as well as that of young people in Cunderdin and Meckering, with a focus on mental health support strategies and how to access external mental health support.

As part of the Youth Wellness Project, the Shire hosted the first Mental Health Parent Information Night. The session aimed to reduce stigma associated with mental health among the community and youth, with a guest speaker from Armed for Life Foundation, which focuses on how to support parents, carers and students with mental health related issues.

Research also identified an acute shortage of services and programs for young people who require early intervention and/or treatment services because they have a mental health issue. Crime statistics for the Wheatbelt show that most issues appear to be more of an anti-social manner, including online / cyber bullying, which  at times progresses to physical assaults. Other issues include mindless damage, which largely is attributed to boredom.

The project that the Youth Council put forward to the Shire of Cunderdin also sought to address these critical issues that young people from the Wheatbelt face every day. The second element of the Youth Wellness project included a full day session, designed to be interactive and free flowing, sharing experiences and building the young people’s confidence in identifying mental health knowledge, and when and how to access support.

Nearly 60 students from Cunderdin District High School, along with five teachers, attended the Youth Wellness Day, which was again run by the team from Armed for Life Foundation. While plans fell through for representatives from various allied and mental health agencies to attend the day, handouts provided information on the services that are available to the community.

Liezl De Beer from the Shire of Cunderdin said that while they would have liked a few more attendees at the information night, they were proud that 15 parents chose to attend. She also said that COVID was a big disruptor, causing them to postpone the event at very short notice.

The Shire of Cunderdin and its Youth Council will continue working together with support such as the Cunderdin Community Resource Centre, Cunderdin Police Officers and local schools to continue building and strengthening their relationships to bring about improved support for local youth.

Travellers now have a vibrant new site to visit on the NSW Silo Art Trail, with a mural adorning the Quandialla Soldiers Memorial Hall drawing tourists to the town.

Like so many small townships in agricultural areas striving to support their community and keep services sustainable, Quandialla needed to find a way to attract visitors off the main roads and to spend time in the town. With a focus on building tourism opportunities, there was strong community support for a project that would encourage sightseers to come and support existing businesses, contributing to the economic prosperity of this small town.

Seeing an opportunity to build on the momentum created by the Silo Art Trail,  the Quandialla Soldiers Memorial Hall Association (QSMHA) recognised the hall served as the perfect blank canvas to develop a large mural depicting the area’s history, development and to commemorate those who served in times of war.

Successfully securing funds through the Strengthening Rural Communities grant program, QSMHA commissioned Melbourne artist Simon White to design and paint a mural and paid for the hire of a cherry picker so higher areas of the building could be reached safely. The mural was completed in eight days and before the paint was dry created a buzz in the streets and on social media. QSMHA shared with FRRR that they are very grateful for the support and said, “Small grants are the only way groups can make projects like this a reality.”

The hall is now a landmark for the town’s main street and the grant has improved a key community venue for major events for the local community and surrounds. Along with drawing visitors to the town, the mural has also succeeded in capturing Quandilla’s history and local achievements, encouraging conversations, building awareness and strengthening community pride.