Apply for ANZ Seeds of Renewal Grants Program – Australia

Deadline: 01-Aug-2024

The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) is inviting applications for the ANZ Seeds of Renewal Grants Program.

ANZ Seeds of Renewal is a small grants program designed to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia. The program is in its 22nd year and celebrates collaboration and commitment between ANZ & FRRR to shape a world where people and communities thrive.

It is built on two key tenets:

• Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and
• Sustainable communities innovate, expand and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.

Focus Areas

• The program will support a wide variety of charitable projects that align to one of ANZ’s four focus areas:
  • Improving environmental sustainability 
    • Supporting local causes to improve environmental sustainability practices, including initiatives that restore and conserve the natural environment or which contribute to lower carbon emissions, water stewardship and waste minimisation.
    • Examples may include:
      • Educate local communities about the importance of environmental sustainability;
      • Improve environmental standards within communities;
      • Support or accelerate the adoption of better environmental practices;
      • Encourage community participation at events or activities to improve environmental sustainability.
  • Improving financial wellbeing within the community 
    • Supporting local programs and initiatives that improve financial wellbeing, particularly for underrepresented and disadvantaged people in the community, including initiatives that improve economic participation, for example through building financial literacy and vocational skills and providing access to meaningful work.
    • Examples may include programs that:
      • Build financial knowledge;
      • Support job-readiness;
      • Promote better financial behaviours and decision-making;
      • Build financial confidence and wellbeing;
      • Assist with financial goal-setting;
      • Improve money management skills.
  • Improving access to housing 
    • Initiatives and programs that support those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness (including at risk youth, older people or those escaping domestic violence), or programs that provide housing support and services for people living with disability.
    • Examples may include:
      • Improve disability access to community facilities;
      • Programs and initiatives for those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness;
      • Improve accommodation facilities for people living with disability;
      • Encourage community participation in initiatives to support those experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
  • Other community projects that assist local communities to thrive 
    • Projects seeking to deliver outcomes that align to either of the key program tenets of:
      • Enabling vibrant communities that are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and/or
      • Creating sustainable communities which innovate, expand and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.

Priorities

• All requests will be considered with a focus on the priority areas listed below:
  • Projects that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term benefit to a remote, rural or regional Australian community;
  • Projects that benefit a large number of people from a diverse range of social groups;
  • Projects that encourage inclusion and participation of under-represented or marginalised groups;
  • Projects that demonstrate co-contributions (either in-kind services or volunteering from within the community or from other funding sources) and broad community support will be looked upon favourably – it is highly recommended that you include these within your application.

Funding Information

• Through the Seeds of Renewal program, ANZ commits $250,000 which is distributed through grants of up to $15,000 to community organisations for projects that will help their community thrive.

Eligibility Criteria

• To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
  • Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
  • Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN. If you are unsure if your organisation is a registered not-for-profit (e.g. if you are a Co-operative, Other Unincorporated Entity, Public Company or Trust), please contact FRRR;
  • Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
  • Organisations can submit one application per grant round;
  • Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.

Ineligible

• You will be considered ineligible if the:
  • Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses (as per the submitted ABN);
  • Application is submitted by an organisation that is a non-legal entity and the nominated legal governing/partnering organisation has not provided written confirmation of their willingness to assume responsibility for management of the funds and acquittal of project;
  • Application is submitted without required organisational financial information and quotes or rational for budget items over $1,000;
  • Overdue final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been acquitted (delivery organisations should check with legal organisation to see if there are any outstanding final reports);
  • Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred/is occurring prior to the announcement of funding;
  • Application is incomplete.
• Note: Due to the volume of applications received, applications are assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application. FRRR is unlikely to follow up missing documentation after applications have been submitted.

For more information, visit FRRR.