NAB Foundation has today announced 55 local and regional community groups across Australia will receive grants of up to $10,000 to help them prepare for, or recover from, natural disasters.
The second 2022 round of the NAB Foundation's Community Grants program will see funding going towards projects such as emergency response equipment, wildlife rescue support, and mental health and wellbeing programs.
NAB Group Executive Personal Banking Rachel Slade said the projects would help businesses and communities prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
"Now more than ever, there is a growing need to support communities to rebuild and prepare for the challenges ahead. Not only are many communities in QLD and NSW still recovering from floods earlier this year, but more people are also weathering the storm of the current floods in VIC, TAS and again in NSW," Ms Slade said.
"Unfortunately, the devastation caused by natural disasters will continue, and we know that recovery extends well beyond the clean-up. Many of these projects focus on the long-term needs of communities including supporting mental health, building environmental resilience, and preparing for future disasters."
The NAB Foundation Community Grants program is part of NAB Ready Together, an initiative that helps customers, colleagues and their communities withstand natural disasters.
Four of the 55 grant recipients were chosen by a poll of NAB colleagues to receive an additional $25,000 each to scale their projects for long-term social or environmental impact. These are:
- The Penguin Foundation (VIC): NAB Foundation will award $34900 to The Penguin Foundation to fund green firebreaks in Australia's largest Little Penguin colony to protect vulnerable penguins against bushfires. The firebreaks also reduce the risk of bushfires impacting tourism and the local business economy.
- The Indigenous Futures Foundation (QLD): NAB Foundation will award $35000 to the Indigenous Futures Foundation to fund a food hub to ensure access to supplies in the event of a disaster and cooking classes for remote Indigenous families impacted by flooding in SEQ and remote communities on Thursday Island.
- The NSW Rural Doctors Network (NSW): NAB Foundation will award $35000 to fund Australian Life Support workshops which provide a set of life-saving protocols and skills for cardiac emergencies to rural GPs in bushfire and flood affected regions, promoting community cohesion and equitable health access in emergency situations for community members with accessibility requirements.
- Rural Business Support Service (SA): NAB Foundation will award Rural Business Support Service $35000 to fund two days of fire ground farm tours and a community mental health and wellbeing forum for local farmers impacted by bushfires.
The Indigenous Futures Foundation Co-founder Levi-Joel Tamou said the funding would enable them to expand their work to more Indigenous communities across Australia.
"During the 2022 floods, we donated over 50,000 meals to Indigenous and non-Indigenous families in South-Eastern Queensland and New South Wales, some of whom were completely isolated from food and other essential supplies."
"The grant means that we can fund a food hub for cooking classes for Indigenous families impacted by floods and support mental health wellbeing and recovery. We will also be able to get more meals for communities on remote Thursday Island."
A complete list of NAB Foundation Community Grant winners can be viewed at nab.com.au/nabfoundation
Through NAB Ready Together, almost $5.56 million in emergency grants and donations were distributed in 2022 to customers and communities impacted by the devastating floods across New South Wales and Queensland.
About NAB Foundation Community Grants Program:
The focus of the NAB Foundation Community Grant program is unique to corporate Australia. It aims to make communities more prepared for natural disasters, support long-term recovery and build community and environmental resilience to natural disasters and climate change. In 2022, the NAB Foundation awarded a total of 94 grants of up to $10,000 to local and regional communities across Australia to support their initiatives.
Applications for NAB Foundation Community Grants are open all year. The next round closes on February 28, 2023 and will be awarded in April 2023.
Learn more about the program and find out how to apply for the next round at www.nab.com/nabfoundation
About NAB Foundation:
NAB Foundation is NAB's philanthropic arm and is an independent charity that aims to be a catalyst for positive social and environmental change in Australia. Since 2008, the Foundation has supported programs that help address issues important to our customers and communities.
About NAB Ready Together:
NAB Ready Together helps customers, colleagues and their communities withstand natural disasters. Through NAB Ready Together, the bank has funded partnerships and customer and community support projects including up to $1.2million of grants awarded annually through the NAB Foundation Community Grants program, as well as through the NAB Foundation Environmental Resilience Fund.
