Deadline: 29-May-24
Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) in collaboration with ABC Heywire is looking for applications to help communities across Australia to take action on ideas generated by young Australians on issues that matter to remote, rural and regional youth.
The FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program helps communities act on issues of current concern for young Australians, as identified by youth at the annual Canberra Heywire Youth Summit.
Aims
- Through these grants, this program aims to:
- Make remote, rural and regional Australia a better place to grow up for young Australians;
- Put young people at the centre of decision making about issues affecting them within their community;
- Strengthen young people’s connections to their community, by providing an avenue for organisations to engage well with youth.
Focus Areas
- They have grouped the kinds of projects communities commonly ask them to help fund into seven areas, which they call the Activity Tree:
- Building community resilience
- Developing organisational resilience and capacity
- Enhancing environmental sustainability
- Fostering cultural vibrancy
- Lifelong learning and education
- Economic strength
- Improving community health and social wellbeing
Funding Information
- Grants of up to $10,000 are available for communities across Australia to adopt, adapt and act on the ideas generated at the Heywire Summit.
- In 2024, there is $100,000 available nationally, thanks to the generous support of the David Mactaggart Foundation, Sally Foundation and private donors.
- In addition, there is $17,500 specifically for Queensland projects thanks to the support of The John Villiers Trust.
Project Ideas
- The Heywire Youth Summit provides an opportunity for youth from across Australia to collectively identify issues that have impacted them growing up in remote, rural and regional Australia, and then develop project ideas that address these issues.
- The 2024 Heywire issues impacting young Australians are:
- Bussin’: How might they create more accessible transport options for young people in regional and rural communities?
- MEE (Mentoring Educating Empowering): How might they close the gap in accessing quality education for young people in regional, rural and remote communities?
- A Place for You: How might they improve accessibility to mental health services in remote and regional areas of Australia?
- The Bigger Picture: How can they empower young people in regional towns to celebrate their differences and foster connection among themselves?
- Safe Sphere: How might they ensure that young people in regional and remote communities receive relevant and comprehensive sexual education?
- Youth 2 Grassroots: How might they promote a stronger connection between individuals and their land by fostering a culture of environmental protection and stewardship?
Priority Projects
- Priority will be given to projects that are either:
- Youth-led projects: This program highly encourages projects where youth are responsible for the design and delivery of the entire project, with oversight from supporting organisations where needed. Through this grant program, youth are provided with the opportunity to gain experience and skills in project delivery and the granting process.
- Partnerships between youth and community organisations: This program encourages projects that facilitate meaningful partnerships between organisations and the youth in their community. Youth should have input into the design and delivery of the project, with the community organisation responsible for the actual program delivery. Opportunities should be provided for youth to step in and out of the project design and delivery as needed. In developing and strengthening these partnerships, youth will be supported to become active participants in local community organisations.
- Youth participation in projects that strengthen the connection to their community: Community organisations that have strong connections with youth can deliver projects for the benefit of local youth. These organisations should still clearly demonstrate how local youth have been consulted with in the development of the project to ensure it meets their needs, and that they will participate in the project if it is delivered locally.
What can be funded?
- Funds will be available to implement or pilot one of the Heywire ideas. A broad range of charitable projects are considered under this program, including:
- Delivering, or providing activities, events, programs and services;
- Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
- Community infrastructure projects;
- Organisational capacity building;
- Community resource development.
- Projects must be undertaken between August 2024 and January 2026.
What can’t be funded?
- There are several areas that they can’t fund through this program:
- Projects that support core business and areas of responsibility of Federal, State and Local Governments;
- Ongoing core organisational operational costs (e.g. rent, utilities, regular wages, loan repayments);
- The encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation and social activities are not considered charitable activities under Australian law.
- Applications from sporting organisations need to clearly demonstrate charitable outcomes and benefit to the wider community that are above and beyond the sporting activities of the club;
- Overseas travel and overseas projects;
- Prizes, gifts, trophies or awards;
- Political lobbying;
- Projects that primarily benefit private business, a sole trader, or private interests;
- Projects solely focused on animal welfare.
Eligibility Criteria
- To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- 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),
- Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
- Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
- Organisations can submit one application per grant round;
- Projects must address a local issue distinctive to your community.
- Projects must take place in regional Australia, as defined by ABC Heywire – that is, outside of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney.
- For program purposes, youth is generally defined as ages 12-28.
Ineligibility Criteria
- 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 not a legal entity (i.e. a registered not-for-profit), without the written consent of the governing / partnering body who holds the ABN / Incorporation Certificate;
- Application is submitted without required financial documentation (see below);
- 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.