Eight not-for-profit capacity building projects have been announced as the recipients of Bendigo Bank’s 2020 Social Investment Grants, comprising a total of $288,000. Offered since 2014, the programme is dedicated to helping not-for-profit organisations create impact in their local communities.  

From restoring the UNESCO World Heritage Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland to coordinating emergency food relief in regional Victoria, this year’s not-for-profit grant recipients will be making a profound impact on their communities.  

“The eight successful projects were chosen because of their vision to create a sustainable and positive impact for the community. Each recipient addresses a specific need in their community and will be better supported in doing so thanks to these grants.” said Bruce Argyle, senior manager not-for-profit at Bendigo Bank and social investment grants committee chair.  

Bendigo Bank is providing more grant funding to not-for profits than ever before, supporting eight projects at a total of $288,000. Since 2014, the Social Investment Grants Program has now invested more than $1.45 million in the not-for-profit sector. 

Branden Barber, CEO of Rainforest Rescue said the support of Bendigo Bank was a real comfort and powerful boost in their delivery of a tree nursery to support restoration efforts in the Daintree Rainforest. 

“Australia’s largest and most biodiverse, and the world’s longest continuously surviving rainforest, is going to grow thanks to this powerful partnership,” Barber said. 

Meanwhile, Cathie Steele, Chair of the Bendigo Foodshare board said their grant had the potential to change the landscape for the provision of emergency food relief. 

“The grant will enable Bendigo Foodshare to take our online Community Food Pantry service from a single provider system to a multi-agency food relief ordering service. Multiple agencies will be able to seamlessly coordinate to better meet the emergency food needs of their community through natural disasters and pandemics,” Steele said. 

Argyle said the bank was again overwhelmed by the number of worthy applicants, making the choice of recipients extremely challenging. 

“We recognise the not-for-profit sector’s immense need for more funding, especially given the challenges this year has presented from bushfires, droughts, floods and COVID-19,” Argyle said. 

“We know the importance not-for-profits play in creating strong communities, so this year we continued our focus on capacity building. By building the capacity of their organisations, these organisations will be in a greater position to support more members of our community, more effectively,” he said.