ANZ and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) have awarded $250,000 in grants to 22 community groups and not-for-profit organisations through the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program.
Now in its 22nd year, the program provides grants to community groups across remote, rural and regional Australia. The awarded funds will support projects that align with one of four key areas: improving access to housing; increasing financial wellbeing; advancing environmental sustainability; or helping communities to thrive.
ANZ Head of Agribusiness, Mark Bennett said: "For over two decades, Seeds of Renewal has provided more than $6 million to approximately 930 projects, helping around 870 communities in remote and regional Australia build their resilience, sustainability and vibrancy.
"We are proud to provide funding for a diverse mix of projects that will support lasting economic and social growth for rural communities. These targeted and well-informed grants allow local organisations to implement initiatives that will have a meaningful impact and ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia."
FRRR CEO, Natalie Egleton said: "Across remote, rural and regional Australia, not-for-profit organisations play a vital role in helping address the critical environmental, financial, housing or wellbeing needs of their communities.
"Through partnerships, such as our longstanding association with ANZ, we can support and fund these groups to lead local initiatives and continue to strive for, and celebrate, the liveability, sustainability and vibrancy of Australia's remote, rural and regional communities," Ms Egleton said.
Some examples of the projects funded this year include:
Improving access to housing:
- Gnowangerup Community Resource Centre on behalf of GNP360 Co-operative Ltd, Universal Access for Gnowangerup Accommodation and Family Hotel Precinct, Gnowangerup, WA - Redesign and construct an all-abilities-access entrance and provide correctly-designed toilet facilities at the 100-year-old Gnowangerup Hotel. $15,000.
- PlusCommunity Limited, Wirree Crisis Refuge Laundry Upgrade, Orange, NSW - Repurpose the existing laundry space at Wirree Crisis Refuge, allowing people sleeping rough to access private, free, and safe laundry, shower and bathroom facilities. $15,000.
Improving environmental sustainability:
- Dalby Family Support Association Inc., Increasing Sustainability, Reducing Footprint, Dalby, QLD - Install solar panels in the office building to increase organisational sustainability and decrease electrical expenses, releasing funds to benefit the local community. $15,000.
- Trentham Sustainability Group Inc., Energy Resilient Trentham, Trentham, VIC - Construct an energy resilience hub, so that key businesses and residences in the Trentham township have electricity during extreme weather events. $15,000.
Improving Financial Wellbeing:
- Mooghalin Performing Arts Incorporation on behalf of Kids Get Money Pty Ltd, Increasing Financial Literacy in the Brewarrina Shire, Goodooga, NSW - Develop financial literacy across three Indigenous communities in remote NSW by supporting a program to build core financial knowledge. $15,000.
- Oceania Indigenous House of Ecommerce Limited, Oceania DigitalX Pathways Workshop, Kunnanurra, WA - Provide women from the Kimberley region with digital literacy and entrepreneurship skills to enable informed business decisions and enhance economic participation. $6,500.
Assisting local communities to thrive:
- Great Lake Community Centre Inc., Renewing Comfort: Empowering Our Community Hall with Smart, Sustainable Heating, Miena, TAS - Replace the more than 20 year-old heating systems, increasing capacity to open the meeting hall throughout the sub-Alpine winter months for community activities and special events. $15,000.
- Price Progress Association Incorporated, Price Community Club Shed Upgrade, Price, SA - Upgrade existing facilities into an inclusive and accessible community hub that will cater for multi-purpose use and benefit the wider Price community. $15,000.
The full list of the recipients is available on FRRR's website.
About Seeds of Renewal: Over the past 22 years the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program has provided more than $6 million to support around 870 community groups achieve their goals. Administered independently by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program offers grants of up to $15,000 to community groups for projects that support environmental sustainability; improve access to housing; or financial wellbeing in regional communities of fewer than 15,000 people.
About FRRR: The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal - FRRR - (phonetically: F-triple-R) - is the only national foundation specifically focused on ensuring the social and economic strength of remote, rural and regional communities. FRRR's unique model connects common purposes and investment with locally prioritised needs, to create communities that are vital and resilient. Since FRRR's start in 2000, it has delivered more than $200 million to more than 15,000 projects.
