Suncorp and GIO in partnership with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), through the Rebuilding Futures program, offer $500,000 in grants of up to $25,000 to help not-for-profit groups and local community organisations to rebuild and recover flood-affected areas from this year’s flood events.

“The floods were devastating and, sadly, some places were affected more than once. On top of weather events and the impacts of COVID, not to mention the increased costs of living that are putting pressure on local businesses and community members, many groups are finding it really hard to access resources they need to support their community,” said Suncorp’s Head of Flood Response and Recovery, Cath Stewart.

Stewart also explained that this funding can be used to support locally identified recovery and rebuilding priorities, recognising that while the initial clean-up may have been completed, many community groups still have a significant amount of work to do to support their community’s ongoing recovery.

FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton, said that Suncorp and GIO’s support means that there is flexible funding available to help flood-affected areas rebuild and be better prepared for future natural disasters.

“We know that local community leaders are the ones who are best-placed to know what their community needs. That’s why we made sure these grants can fund a wide range of activities, events, initiatives and small-scale infrastructure or equipment projects.’’

“The aim is to ensure that the community can build resilience by improving facilities for mitigation and preparedness and creating opportunities to reconnect, share experiences or support overall wellbeing and improved mental health, in whatever way makes most sense to that community.” said Egleton

Egleton hopes that this grant opportunity will serve as a catalyst for projects that could reduce the impact of future disasters on community well-being and physical infrastructure.