The NAB Foundation has today announced 57 local and regional communities across Australia who will receive grants of up to $10,000 to help them prepare for, or recover from, natural disasters.
The $1.2 million Community Grants program attracted applications from community groups across Australia. Common themes of applicants included emergency response equipment, wildlife support, mental health and wellbeing, urban permaculture, reforestation, and carbon footprint reduction.
NAB Executive Personal Banking, Rachel Slade said the successful projects are examples of local communities coming together for one another when it really matters.
"We believe in helping Australian communities to get ready for natural disasters and be there on the long road to recovery," Ms Slade said.
"Life on the land presents many challenges and we are pleased to know this funding will go directly where local communities need it most."
The NAB Foundation Community Grants program is part of NAB Ready Together, an initiative from NAB to support Australians before, during and after natural disasters.
Four of the 57 grant recipients were chosen through a poll of NAB employees to receive an additional $25,000 because of their potential for longer-term social or environmental impact. These are:
Jet Helping Hands (VIC): The grant will be used to purchase a food truck to serve communities affected by natural disasters or pandemics and help the communities with freshly cooked meals.
Girls on Fire (NSW): The Girls Fire & Resilience Programs are delivered by female firefighters in collaboration with NSW fire and emergency service agencies. This grant will fund the roll out of a greater number of Programs in areas impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfires and/or have high at-risk populations.
Stokes Bay Community Hall (SA): First established in 1953, the Stokes Bay Community Hall was severely damaged by the 2019-20 bushfire season. The grant will assist in the recovery from trauma from the bushfires, by rebuilding the Hall and provide the community a place to gather again.
Esperance Zone Innovation (EZI) Group (WA): This grant will fund a pilot technology system that provides local fire captains or emergency management teams with real-time information on water availability across water assets (i.e. farm water tanks) in the Esperance Shire.
Bronnie Mackintosh, founder of Girls on Fire said the money would go a long way to continue to roll out a greater number of Girls Fire & Resilience Programs in areas impacted by fires, floods and drought in 2019-2020.
"We teach community resilience so participants can make an active contribution to help their communities prepare or recover from fire and other emergencies.
"It's incredible, with NAB's support I'm going to be able to really take Girls on Fire to new locations and communities - it just builds scope and momentum," Ms Mackintosh said.
Through NAB Ready Together, more than $4 million in emergency grants has been distributed in 2021 to customers impacted by floods in NSW and Cyclone Seroja in WA and a further $5 million was distributed in 2020 to relief and recovery efforts for the black summer bushfires.
A complete list of NAB Foundation Community Grant winners can be viewed at www.nab.com/nabfoundation
ABOUT NAB FOUNDATION:
The NAB Foundation 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 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 May, 55 local and regional communities across Australia were named as the inaugural recipients of the 2021 program. A total of $1.2 million is awarded every year to communities across Australia.
Applications for NAB Foundation Community Grants are open all year. The next round closes on February 28, 2022 and will be awarded in April 2022.
Learn more about the program and find out how to apply for the next round at www.nab.com/nabfoundation
ABOUT NAB READY TOGETHER:
NAB Ready Together is an initiative from NAB to support Australians before, during and after natural disasters. Through NAB Ready Together, the bank has committed funding and resources to customer and community support projects including the $1.2 million NAB Foundation Community Grants program and the NAB Foundation Environmental Resilience Fund of up to $10 million over ten years.
NAB has provided more than $4 million in disaster relief packages for customers in regions impacted by events such as Tropical Cyclone Seroja and NSW flood-affected areas.
