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Community grants to bridge Australia’s digital divide

Third Sector
September 12, 2024

In the image: Image: (L-R Top) Farmers for Climate Action, Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project (L-R Bottom) The Reconnect Project, Farm My School

Canon Oceania announced the winners of its 2024 Grants Program, recognising four Australian organisations that are making positive impacts in their local communities.

This year, the program introduced a First Nations Grant category for the first time, alongside the existing categories for Community, Education, and Environment.

This year’s winners are:

First Nations category: Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project

This First Nations-led project aims to expand the Cypress Pine population to support ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change and protect the species which has historical significance to the Kimberly region. The project also supports care of Country by First Nations knowledge holders. Canon’s grant and equipment will help local communities provide environmental education programs.

Community Category: The Reconnect Project

Closing Australia’s digital divide by distributing refurbished mobile technology to people in need and training neurodivergent young adults to repair devices. Canon’s cameras will help create virtual tutorials to extend the program’s reach to young adults in rural and remote communities.

Education Category: Farm My School

Transforming unused school land into market gardens that provide food to the local community and learning opportunities for students. Canon gear will record workshops with high-quality video and sound, allowing more people to access, learn and be inspired.

Environment Category: Farmers for Climate Action

Advancing strong climate decarbonisation policies that benefit farmers and farming communities through webinars and workshops. Canon camera equipment will capture these events, creating content for ongoing education, outreach and awareness.

Research conducted exclusively for Canon Oceania1 reveals that the rising cost of living is impacting Australians’ commitment to sustainability, with over half of respondents scaling back their support for environmental and community initiatives due to financial pressures. This shift underscores the need for community support initiatives to tackle this challenge.

“Today, we celebrate the inspiring achievements of this year’s Canon Oceania Grants Program winners, whose work is making an impact on communities across Australia,” said Canon Oceania Managing Director Kotaro Fukushima.

The 2024 Canon Oceania Grant Winners from Australia:

First Nations: Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project

The Kimberley region has undergone significant ecological changes over the last century, with Cypress Pines, remnants of the ancient Gondwana era, experiencing a significant decline in population. This environmental project aims to not only expand the Cypress Pine population to support ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change, but to protect a species with deep historical significance in the region.

“This grant not only validates my commitment to Cypress Pine regeneration, but also empowers me to further my work in preserving our natural heritage in the Kimberley region. With this support, I am inspired to foster sustainable practices that promote ecological resilience of Country for future generations,” said Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project Founder Donny Imberlong.

Education: Farm My School

Farm My School works to transform unused land within schools into market gardens that provide food to the local community and learning opportunities for students. By transforming urban spaces, Farm My School utilises permaculture principles, inspiring students to care for the Earth, themselves, and the people around them.

“We’re transforming disused school land into regenerative market gardens, to feed, nourish and educate communities – that’s impact,” said Farm My School Co-Founder and Director James McLennan.

Community: The Reconnect Project

The Reconnect Project is closing Australia’s digital divide by distributing refurbished mobile technology to people in need including women’s shelters, homelessness agencies, refugee support services, at-risk youth outreach programs and mental health recovery facilities. The project has also created Australia’s first Mobile Device Repair Training Program to train neurodivergent young adults not only with the technical skills required for device repairs, but the important soft skills needed for workplace interactions.

“Everyone should be able to access quality tech repair services and growing our network of qualified tech repairers in rural and remote areas means better services for those communities,” said /the Reconnect Project Founder and CEO Annette Brodie.

Environment: Farmers for Climate Action

Farmers for Climate Action Limited (FCA) is a not-for-profit organisation with over 8,300 farmer members and 45,000 community supporters who are dedicated to advancing strong climate decarbonisation policies that benefit farmers and farming communities. FCA’s Climate Smart Farming Toolkit and online webinars provide essential resources and education on sustainable agricultural practices and land management.

“To Farmers for Climate Action, it tells us people all over Australia are keen to see more farmers connecting and spreading climate-smart agriculture practice across communities and commodities,” said Farmers for Climate Action Business Impact director Walter Batt.

The New Zealand winners for 2024 who will receive a $5,000 grant ($2,500 in cash, $2,500 in Canon products) are: