Three Victorian not-for-profit organisations (NFPs), working in places impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires, have been awarded grants in the closing round of FRRR’s Bushfire Recovery Fund. 

 These grants will enable multi-year projects to be undertaken by key community groups, providing sustainable support for the long-term recovery of fire-affected communities. 

The Bushfire Recovery Fund was established in 2021, in partnership with the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Sidney Myer Fund, seeking to reduce the stress and burnout of NFPs playing a central role in the recovery of fire-impacted communities in North East Victoria (Alpine and Towong) and East Gippsland (including Far East Gippsland). 

The Bushfire Recovery Fund grants awarded in this final round are: 

• Yoowinna Wurnalung Indigenous Healing Service Ltd – Lakes Entrance/Bairnsdale/Far East Gippsland – Healing our Heart, Healing Our Mind – Building the capacity of Yoowinna Wurnalung to continue delivering services, programming and partnering that has demonstrated value for the recovery of Indigenous people in East Gippsland impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires. $100,000/2 years 
• Cann Valley Bush Nursing Centre Incorporated – Cann River and surrounding communities – Governance, Capacity Building and Sustainability Program – Enhancing the delivery of the bush nursing services in the community through training and strategic development consultancy for the Bush Nursing Manager and Committee of Management. $92,076/2 years 
• Sarsfield Community Association – Sarsfield – Sarsfield Volunteer Support Worker – Burn Out Circuit Breaker ­- Providing staff to enable the execution of both large and small recovery projects that contribute to the development of essential infrastructure, foster community engagement, and deliver positive environmental outcomes. $105,122/2 years 

In 2021, Corryong Neighbourhood House (CNH) was awarded a two-year grant of $103,340 to improve organisational efficiency and capacity. To continue to meet the needs of their community, grow youth programs and build on social enterprise development, CNH has been awarded an additional $16,232. 

In total, the Bushfire Recovery Fund has supported nine NFPs, with a total of $950,000 awarded via multi-year grants.  

The funds will go towards projects that address organisational needs, identified by each group, so that they can provide the services or programs that support their communities’ recovery from the Black Summer bushfires. 

Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead, FRRR, said that despite the challenges of COVID restrictions, compounded by impacts of additional natural disasters, local groups have shown true determination to sustain operations in order to support community recovery. 

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“With the first round of grants awarded in 2021, we have already begun to see how these NFPs are building their resilience and capacity so that they can do what they do best, and help their community to heal, for the long-term.” 

Like FRRR, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Sidney Myer Fund are dedicated to ensuring that the impact of these grants is lasting and transformative, aiding the sustainability of the organisations to better support long-term recovery and resilience of the communities in North East Victoria and East Gippsland. 

“Having worked with each organisation over multiple years, FRRR is inspired by their ability to leverage the strengths of local knowledge, experience and care for the community and Country, which are critical for the future of these human and environmental landscapes,” said O’Brien. 

Leonard Vary, CEO, Sidney Myer Fund, highlighted that awarding core support grants over longer periods to organisations was vital to strengthening the process of community-led recovery. 

“The Bushfire Recovery Fund recognises the criticality of communities having a sense of control over and a direct say in their recovery and rebuilding. The Fund offered grantees both certainty of funding and time to identify their needs, plan strategically and implement effectively.” 

Debra Morgan, CEO of Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, said the resilience and tenacity of the supported communities is evident in the projects we are seeing delivered with support of the Bushfire Recovery Fund. 

“The grant funding, together with the embedded support and guidance from FRRR, is resulting in positive outcomes for the bushfire affected communities, and we hope will set them on a path to a strong future.” 

A full list of the nine NFPs and their capacity-building projects supported by the Bushfire Recovery Fund can be found on the FRRR website. 

Since 1 January 2020, FRRR has awarded a total of $14.6 million in grants to support the response, recovery and preparedness of remote, rural and regional areas impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.