IMB Bank offers $50k in funding to Australia’s Future Heroes

Miles Franklin wrote ‘My Brilliant Career’ at age 19. Isaac Newton created calculus at age 23. Charles Darwin set sail on HMS Beagle at age 22. And thanks to a leadership opportunity from IMB Bank Community Foundation (ICF), Wollongong’s Melissa Abu-Gazaleh set up the Top Blokes Foundation at age 19.

Now in its 21st year, IMB Bank Community Foundation (ICF) is celebrating its coming of age with the announcement of an innovative new funding category for 2020 – Future Heroes.

In an IMB Bank Community Foundation first, this category is exclusively dedicated to supporting projects led by under 30s. ICF is encouraging all youth-led community groups, not-for-profit organisations, and charities to apply for a share in the $50k worth of grants now available.

“I was fortunate enough to be given a transformational leadership opportunity, funded by the IMB Bank Community Foundation. This led to me to starting the Top Blokes Foundation,” said Melissa Abu-Gazaleh. “It really helped me build the organisation to where it is today. The announcement of the Future Heroes grant is really exciting for any young Australian leading a community project.”

IMB Bank Community Foundation has a rich and diverse history of community  engagement, particularly with youth-targeted projects. These have ranged from new driver training, mental health, climate action initiatives, refugee support, leadership and business training, even risk-related trauma prevention programs such as the P.A.R.T.Y. Program (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) at Liverpool Hospital.

“The Top Blokes Foundation is just one great example of a community group making a real difference,” said IMB CEO, Robert Ryan. “IMB Bank Community Foundation is tremendously proud to be able to help make change at a grassroots level – we really are here to help.”

A key focus will be projects which demonstrate tangible benefits for local communities in the years to come.

“In celebrating our 21st birthday, we are looking ahead to the next 21 years – and aiming to fund future-focused initiatives and projects which have the potential to improve the lives of generations to come,” said Robert Ryan. “We’re very proud of the new Future Heroes category for IMB Bank Community Foundation 2020. We encourage all hard-working young leaders to put their hand up for project funding, you never know where the extra dollars may take you and your initiative.”

IMB Bank is the longest standing mutual in NSW and RFi Group’s Best Mutual Bank of the Year in 2018. Its Community Foundations program is considered one of the best of its kind in Australia.

Applications close on February 28, 2020.