Grants up to $10,000 to tackle issues that matter most to rural youth

FRRR has grants of up to $10,000 available to not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in rural communities to work with local young people to kickstart projects inspired by this year’s ABC Heywire winners.

The FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program, encourages NFPs in remote, rural and regional areas to engage, consult and involve young people to design and develop projects based on one of six ideas identified at the annual ABC Heywire Regional Youth Summit.

The ideas address some of the most critical issues affecting remote, rural and regional youth today, as workshopped by the 38 young Summit participants at the week-long event in early February.

This year, the projects need to adopt, adapt and respond to one of the following ideas:

• Youth Ignite: Rekindling community spirit andimproving trust between young people and their communities
• How 2 Adult: Equipping young people with practical life skills needed for post-school life
• Full Plate Pantry: Breaking down the stigma surrounding food insecurity in regional communities
• HARK (Helping Australians in Rural Kommunities): Making career opportunities more accessible for young people living in the country
• Wellness Wagon: Connecting regional young people with the health support they need
• CommUnity: Using lived-experience to educate and celebrate different cultural diversity

There is $100,000 in funding available nationally, thanks to the generous support of The Sally Foundation, David Mactaggart Foundation and private donors. An additional $17,500 is also available specifically to fund projects in Queensland, thanks to The John Villiers Trust.

Tayah from Pambula Beach, NSW, is a 2025 Heywire Winner and was part of the group that created the How 2 Adult project idea.

“If we want a bright future for our country, we need to empower and educate young people about how to make informed decisions in all areas of their life.

“I’m hoping Pambula Beach charities are just as passionate as I am about our community’s future generations. I’d love to work with one of them to create and deliver a program that teaches life skills to young people. Making this happen would be a dream come true,” Tayah said.

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead said that the success of youth-led programs such as Heywire have been demonstrated through the real impact that funded projects can make.

“It’s a magical thing to see such drive and innovative thinking spring from young people in rural communities right across Australia. It’s so evident that they love living in the places they’re from, and they are passionate about shaping a better, sustainable future for other young people.

“We have seen incredible initiatives and outcomes over the last 13 years of the program. This is a real testament to the value of empowering our youth to lead, to continue developing their skills and to know they are supported to play an active role in addressing issues that are relevant to them as young people in regional areas.

“There is such strength in harnessing the perspectives and lived experience of our young changemakers and it’s a real joy to see how past Heywirers continue to show up for their communities. They do more than advocate for change; they live it, and make it happen.

“I look forward to seeing how the next generation of young rural leaders can work with their communities to deliver meaningful projects,” said Ms Samuels.

Justin Stevens, ABC Director News, said the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program is one way that rural communities can collaborate with young people to create a sustainable future for their towns.

“This work offers a tangible means to motivate the next generation of leaders from remote, rural and regional areas. The projects directly respond to the issues that are most important to them and to their communities,” Mr Stevens said.

To date, more than $1.7 million in community and philanthropic investment has helped to fund more than 210 projects in more than 151 communities.

Applications close 5pm AEST Wednesday 30 April, and recipients will be announced in August.

More information about the six ideas is available at https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/grants, and more information about the available grants can be found on the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants page.

With a long career teaching STEM in regional Queensland high schools, Sarah Chapman understands first-hand the significant gender disparity in STEM fields. In Australia, women remain underrepresented in STEM education and careers, making up only 27% of STEM-qualified professionals. Sarah knew that addressing this gender imbalance would be essential, as industries are increasingly facing shortages in skilled, diverse workers, impacting Australia’s future growth. She also recognised that there were few opportunities specifically for her students.

Sarah believed that engaging young people in STEM, especially those from underserved groups – girls, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and regional students – would foster aspirations for a lifelong STEM journey. To achieve this, Sarah applied for and received a $50,000 Backing the Future grant to establish STEM Changemakers. After decades of meaningful conversations with a diverse range of young people, Sarah was able to design a concept that was informed by the needs of regional girls. The initiative connects young regional girls to transformative STEM experiences and mentorship, equipping them to envision themselves in impactful STEM roles in the future.

Supported by the grant which was funded by Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF), Sarah took extended leave from teaching to dedicate herself to STEM Changemakers, securing an additional $18,500 from other sources to amplify its reach. From August 2023 to June 2024, STEM Changemakers unfolded in regional Queensland, beginning with a STEM Faire in Townsville. Attended by 4,100 people, the event included a youth forum for idea generation, leading to three Girls in STEM Youth Forums and collaborations with local STEM experts. Between September and December, 22 girls participated in weekly STEM activities, including a project that secured $10,000 in funding to repurpose PVC pipes for aquaculture, a circular fashion collaboration, and fully funded scholarships for national STEM programs.

By mid-2024, Sarah launched the STEM Changemakers Pilot Program for 33 girls from rural areas, culminating in a youth-led celebration where participants shared their STEM journeys. One participant reflected, “STEM Changemakers has brought me from a girl interested in science to a girl interested in a career in science.”  Sarah credits the Backing the Future Grant with bringing her vision to life, saying, “The trust VFFF had to fund this idea and see what it could grow into is pretty unique.”

As a result of the program, the proportion of participants seeing STEM as a potential career grew from less than 40% to 91%, with 95% showing an increased awareness of STEM pathways.

From the work catalysed by VFFF funding, Sarah hopes to see STEM Changemakers grow to have national reach into regional, rural and remote Australia. She sees the format of STEM Changemakers influencing other organisations across Australia, to address and sustain the engagement of underrepresented girls in STEM.

“The main aim is changing the narrative for regional girls engaged in STEM.  It’s really important as a lot of STEM talent lies in the regional and rural areas of Australia.” 

Excited for the future, the project pilot has affirmed to Sarah the need for a program like this to continue: “I’m excited to continue to find new funding partners to continue to ensure that young regional females are able to see themselves as the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians.”

You can see STEM Changemakers in action below!

Sabrina’s Reach4Life (SR4L) creates public awareness around suicide prevention through community-based events. The founders draw on their lived experience to provide peer support to those bereaved by suicide, and assist adults who are struggling to get timely and appropriate support for young people.

They wanted to increase the capacity and confidence of local communities to better understand what a developing mental health problem or crisis looks like and develop the skills and confidence to offer support and apply behaviours that reduce the incidences of suicide.

Using a $20,000 In a Good Place grant SR4L developed ‘Heads Up’, a project that resulted in bespoke training across various locations in the Northern Territory.

In Darwin, a men’s only course engaged men aged between 27-73 on what the next steps can be once you discover a friend is struggling with their mental health. Topics involved a three-step action plan to apply if someone is feeling suicidal, which was fully embraced by participants. Feedback indicated that all attendees walked away with more confidence on how to sit alongside someone who was not doing okay.

Training in Litchfield was really successful, with lots of residents attending across two Sundays to learn more about recognising a developing mental health problem and subsequent action plan. Participants reported a significant shift in understanding following the training.

The training also engaged schoolteachers across the NT through a face-to-face Youth Mental Health First Aid course. Independent teachers from remote communities came from as far out as Nhulunbuy, facilitating cross-community connection and learning on how to best tackle the problem.

SR4L said, “These groups are traditionally difficult to engage. The funds really supported people to increase their knowledge and confidence around supporting someone who may not be travelling ok, as well as their own mental health.”