Deadline: 1-Mar-23
The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) is inviting applications for the Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) funding stream under the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC) stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.
Recognising the impacts of COVID-19 on communities, the Australian Government has partnered with FRRR to distribute $5 million from 2022 to 2024 to support community-led initiatives that:
- Enhance the process of recovery of remote, rural and regional communities from the COVID19 pandemic;
- Reduce social isolation and foster stronger, more resilient remote, rural and regional communities; and/or
- Sustain local, remote, rural and regional organisations and their work.
Priorities
While all requests will be considered, priorities for funding will be given to projects that:
- Enhance the process of recovery of remote, rural and regional communities from the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Deliver targeted support that will have a long-term impact on the health of the not-for profit sector across remote, rural and regional communities, whilst also supporting local self-generation and self-determination, improved amenity, service equity, strengthened identity, and improved quality of life and community-wide prosperity in smaller and more remote communities;
- Reduce social isolation and foster stronger, more resilient remote, rural and regional communities by:
- Focusing on reinforcing community social cohesion; celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the community; improving community health and social wellbeing; and enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and the confidence to lead and contribute to the prosperity and renewal of their community following the COVID-19 pandemic; and / or
- Sustain local remote, rural and regional organisations and their work by:
- Ensuring that community organisations are better resourced and prepared to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19 through digital transition, strengthening volunteerism, fundraising, delivery of programs and services, and support for vulnerable people.
Funding Information
- The Rebuilding Regional Communities stream received grant funding from the Australian Government. This round, there is approximately $300,000 available to fund grants up to $10,000, for communities with fewer than 50,000 people.
What can be funded?
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;
- Activities and resources that will strengthen your organisation (capacity building); and
- Community resource development.
Outcomes
FRRR funds projects aligned with the following types of charitable projects and outcomes:
- Bringing people and community organisations together to foster stronger, more resilient communities;
- Fostering and celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the community;
- Supporting diverse groups within remote, rural and regional communities including, but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, those living with disability, and LGBTQIA+;
- Improving community health and social wellbeing;
- Enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and contribute to the prosperity and renewal of their community;
- Building a sustainable volunteer base and/or supporting the wellbeing of volunteers;
- Celebrating and resourcing volunteer-led efforts;
- Increasing access and inclusion for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including remote communities;
- Enhancing places where communities gather;
- Promoting connection to place and enabling initiatives that champion a community’s social, cultural or economic aspirations;
- Reducing the divide on access to digital technology and connectivity for remote, rural and regional communities; and
- Enabling locally-led responses within remote, rural and regional communities endeavouring to reduce the impacts of the changing climate within their community.
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects will have a focus on recovering from or adapting to the impacts of COVID-19 in remote, rural and regional communities and may include:
- Supporting, training or attracting volunteers;
- Events and activities to reconnect the community;
- Enhancing community spaces to increase community use;
- Developing services and support to assist vulnerable people, and people experiencing disadvantage;
- Purchase of equipment or resources to strengthen organisations that support communities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN.
- Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
- Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
- Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.
For more information, visit FRRR.