REAPing Rewards: Targeting Educational Outcomes in Rural and Remote Communities in Australia

Deadline: 15 January 2018

Applications are open for the Rural Education Australia Program, which is known as REAPing Rewards, is a national program targeting educational outcomes in rural and remote communities.

It is a flexible program that provides grants of up to $10,000 to not-for-profit community groups, early childhood service providers, and primary and secondary school community support committees, for locally developed or locally driven ideas, projects and programs that directly enhance the educational outcomes for children and students (0-18 years) in remote, rural and regional communities.

Activities

Projects and activities that extend, engage, ignite and broaden student learning and education outcomes in remote, rural and regional Australian communities through:

Reducing the barriers to education by supporting broader, more effective learning environments and opportunities;
Fostering a positive attitude to learning in students, families, teachers and community members;
Enhancing early childhood learning resources and facilities leading to improved, quality learning experiences;
Building local capacity for community groups and schools to develop or expand programs and activities that enhance learning outcomes and opportunities and support student aspiration;
Increasing opportunity to participate in curriculum enrichment opportunities;
Encouraging collaborative partnerships between education providers, community and not-for-profit organisations to support remote, rural and regional communities;
Opportunities to enhance student aspiration and learning goals through links with local community, business and industry;
Supporting the innovative delivery of quality programs such as school readiness / transitions, student engagement, leadership and retention programs, work skills/work readiness, links with local industry and supporting student resilience and social and emotional health and wellbeing.

Eligibility Criteria

The program can assist community based not-for-profit organisations and educators to support education in remote, rural and regional communities through the provision of quality, positive educational experiences in the early childhood, primary and secondary years, including:

Community based Early Childhood Service Providers such as playgroups, kindergartens, preschools, day care / family care centres, toy libraries;
Primary Schools and Secondary Schools, community based support committees such as Parent & Citizens Committees, After School / Out of School Care Programs and Homework Programs;
Not-for-profit community groups for projects and activities that directly support students and education providers.

To be eligible, projects must offer a clear public benefit, be for a charitable purpose and clearly address an identified educational need.

Organisations must have an ABN or Incorporation Certificate.
Applications from communities with a population of 15,000 or less will receive priority.
Organisations and / or projects demonstrating community and school partnerships are preferred to multiple applications from one community (please submit only one application per organisation).
Projects and activities should:
- have clearly defined educational objectives, timeframes and evaluation strategies;
- be community driven;
- show creativity and innovation;
- and where possible, include a financial and / or in-kind co-contribution.
Projects should be undertaken between May 2018 and May 2019, as projects cannot be funded retrospectively.
Note: Previous FRRR grant recipients who have not completed final reporting requirements are ineligible.