The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF), has awarded $276,963 in grants to four not-for-profit organisations in Leeton. The funding will help these local groups build and strengthen the ways in which they are able to support the community. 

The grants are part of FRRR’s Investing in Rural Community Futures (IRCF) program – a five-year program to strengthen Leeton’s NFPs and support them to make lasting impacts in their areas of focus for the community. 

As part of the program, FRRR works with the groups to roadmap their aspirations, and provides funding to help bring these plans to life. 

Alli Mudford, IRCF Program Manager, said that the IRCF program, now in its second year, is helping Leeton NFPs become stronger.  

“Leeton’s NFPs have been working hard to identify common issues and develop strategies that will support their long-term sustainability. These latest grants will help these local groups with much-needed resources to employ locally skilled people to support growth, organisational efficiencies and take the pressure off their amazing volunteer,” Mudford said.   

Western Riverina Arts, which will receive $60,000 will help six museums in the region to better serve the community by employing a Development Officer.  Likewise, Leeton Multicultural Group will use the $150,000 grant to employ an Operations Manager to help support the rapid regional migration to the area.  

Both these projects are driven by a desire for long-term solutions, so with this in mind, the funding will be granted over three years. 

The Rotary Club of Leeton, which will receive $35,000 is addressing volunteer fatigue by coming up with new ways to encourage and diversify the number of local volunteers. Meanwhile, Leeton Community Care Development Inc is working to ensure their projects are both sustainable and safety-compliant by using their $31,963 grant to invest in new equipment  

“We look forward to continuing to work with Leeton NFPs, supporting them as they implement their community roadmap,” Mudford said. 

Tailored NFP coaching program kicks off 

As part of the IRCF program, FRRR and SEFA Partnerships have also teamed up to pilot a tailored coaching program for the Leeton NFPs. The sessions will coach three groups to build skills in their local leadership teams and work on areas including effective communication, strategic planning and governance. 

Leeton Arts Society, Leeton Community Care Development and the Rotary Club of Leeton are the first three groups to be selected to participate in February. 

The coaching program combines group workshops, followed by a series of tailored one on one coaching sessions with local FRRR IRCF Facilitator Claire Williams and Hannah Miller from SEFA Partnerships. 

 “We are pleased to be able to offer this support after such a trying 2020 and if successful we hope to expand the coaching support to others,” Mudford said. 

 In addition to Leeton, the rural communities of Junee and Nambucca Valley are taking part in the VFFF-funded IRCF program. FRRR has also partnered with The Snow Foundation to expand the program into the Shoalhaven communities of Batemans Bay, Nowra and Ulladulla.