The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) is offering grants through the ANZ Seeds of Renewal Program to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.
The program is in its 21st 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: 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 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.
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.
Outcomes
Projects prioritised that demonstrate one or more of the objective outcomes 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 favorably – it is highly recommended that you include these within your application.
Note: Where structured volunteering by ANZ staff would add value to the project, ANZ is keen to facilitate this in-kind support, but it is not a requirement.
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.
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
Please note, you will be considered ineligible if the:
Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses;
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;
Final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years has not been acquitted;
Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred / is occurring prior to the announcement of funding.
There are several areas that they can’t fund through this program:
Political organisations;
Religious or sectarian organisations involved in purely religious / sectarian activities;
Primary and Secondary Schools;
The encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation and social activities are not considered charitable activities under Australian law.
