Strengthening Rural Communities – Rebuilding Regional Communities Program (Australia)

Deadline: 31-Aug-23

Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) is inviting applicants for the Strengthening Rural Communities – Rebuilding Regional Communities 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.

Priority

• 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-forprofit 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.

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.

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-forprofit (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;
  • Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
  • Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Please note, you will be considered ineligible if:
  • More than one application is submitted per grant round in the Strengthening Rural Communities program — either Small & Vital, Rebuilding Regional Communities or Prepare & Recover;
  • 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-forprofit), 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.