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Rural groups awarded nearly $1.45 million in grants

Menchie Khairuddin
January 19, 2023

FRRR has awarded $1,448,968 in grants to 121 projects across remote, rural and regional Australia as part of their Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

This program awards grants to community-led initiatives that directly benefit those living in remote, rural and regional Australia. There are three streams of funding: the Small & Vital stream, the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire recovery stream and the Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream, which supports recovery from COVID-19.

Small and Vital stream

Through the Small & Vital stream, $368,227 in grants will be awarded to 43 community groups and NFPs. This stream funds grassroots initiatives that locals in remote, rural and regional areas feel are a priority when it comes to strengthening their community. One example of a project being funded in this stream in this round is the Meandarra Primary P&C Association in Queensland, which is using their grant to boost community wellbeing and encourage socialising by opening the school pool to the community free of charge.

Black Summer grants

Also included in this round are 44 grants that will go towards initiatives that are supporting the ongoing recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires. These projects will share in $792,136, with initiatives like the Country Fire Authority’s Yackandandah Fire Station Readiness being funded to increase the capacity of volunteers to support bushfire preparedness by installing a workstation and storage units.

Rebuilding Regional Communities – supporting COVID-19 recovery

In this round, 34 grants will go towards recovery from the pandemic. Funded by the Australian Government, the Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) grants total $288,604. Among the recipients in this stream is (It’s no) drama, a physical theatre ensemble for people living with and without disability. This community group will reduce social isolation in South Gippsland, Victoria by delivering an accessible community dance project designed and facilitated by disabled and non-disabled artists.

According to Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, Jill Karena, the diversity of projects put forward by communities highlights the importance of offering flexible funding that can respond to local needs and priorities.

“More than half of the funding in this round is going towards recovery from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires which really highlights the need for ongoing support to disaster-impacted areas,” added Karena.

“Elsewhere, in the Small & Vital stream of the program, we continue to see a focus on food security and energy efficiency with requests for funding for solar installation, energy-efficient equipment in local amenities and support for community gardens. These recurring themes are no surprise given the current cost of living crisis.”

Some more of the 121 projects funded include:

Workways Australia Limited -Clarence Valley, NSW (Bushfire Recovery)
MJD Foundation Limited – Ngukurr, NT (Small & Vital)
Atherton Performing Arts Inc – Atherton, QLD (Rebuilding Regional Communities)
Snowtown Centenary Park – Snowtown, SA (Small & Vital)
Lower Barrington Community Hall – Lower Barrington, TAS (Small & Vital)
Tatura Civic Halls Committee – Tatura, VIC (Small & Vital)
Marribank Aboriginal Corporation – Marribank, WA (Small & Vital)

“When it came to RRC this round, we started to see more focus on the recovery process and rebuilding, alongside mental health and social isolation as the focus. This is an encouraging sign as it indicates that remote, rural and regional communities are increasingly looking towards the longer term.

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, which are acknowledged on FRRR’s website.

This program always accepts applications. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the expanded program guidelines and proceed to apply.

A full list of grant recipients is available on FRRR’s website.