Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) is excited to announce the return of the local foundation Matched Giving Campaign for 2023.
Thanks to longstanding national partner The Thyne Reid Foundation and other generous supporters, all donations made to CEF local foundations during September and October will be matched dollar for dollar up to a capped amount.
With Finance company Finder reporting that 70% of Generation Z respondents to its survey stated they were under financial stress, in its latest cost of living report in March, the need to support regional students with their educational expenses has never been more important.
"The gap in further education participation between regional students and their metropolitan counterparts continues to be an issue. This Matched Giving Campaign is one way rural and regional communities can play our part in bridging that gap," says CEF Chief Executive Officer, Juliet Petersen. "Not only can local people donate and have their financial impact doubled, but this support also demonstrates belief in their regional youth, something we know is just as important, if not more so, to the success of our students."
Recipient of a CEF Nyngan grant, as well as Findex Community Fund and University of New England (UNE) Foundation National Scholarships, Sophie Barclay, said her $7600 in funding this year allowed her to achieve the best results in her Bachelor of Business at UNE so far, in the first trimester this year.
"Without the support from the CEF I believe I wouldn't have been able to apply myself as diligently as I did. I was very proud of my efforts in my first trimester and happy with how I approached my study and I believe I owe that massively to the support from the CEF funds," she said.
In 2022, the campaign raised $347,061 for its 45 CEF local foundations across five states and territories. This year, the organisation is hoping for even bigger results with regional students and their families continuing to face the aftermath of drought, floods, bushfires and the current cost of living crisis.
"With everything regional students have faced in addition to geographic isolation, we are encouraging people to get involved in the Matched Giving campaign by donating directly to the local foundation of their choice through the CEF website, or by taking part in fundraising initiatives being held in their communities. The matching funds pledge is an amazing opportunity to have double the impact on the lives of regional youth,' says Ms. Petersen.
