The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) has launched the round 19 of the Strengthening Rural Communities – Small & Vital grant program to provide 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 Areas
Projects that support communities in remote, rural or regional Australia with fewer than 15,000 people;
Projects initiated and delivered by local community groups and not-for profits;
Organisations that do not have DGR status.
Funding Information
Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).
Outcomes
Projects funded must align with one or more of the following charitable 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;
Enabling locally-led responses within rural, regional and remote communities endeavouring to reduce the impacts of the changing climate within their community.
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;
Organisational capacity building; and
Community resource development.
For the SRC Small & Vital stream, additional specific funding is available for:
Projects that help people alleviate poverty and/or disadvantage;
Indigenous Australians or health and wellbeing projects that support disadvantaged women and children nationally;
Projects that improve physical health and local food security and sustainable local food systems nationally;
Projects benefitting older people in VIC;
Projects that support digital inclusion in QLD and NT; and
Projects in the Wiluna and Leonora shires in WA.
Eligibility Criteria
SRC is a national program with funding available in remote, rural and regional regions in all States and Territories.
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), please contact FRRR;
Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
Not-for profit organisations with or without DGR endorsement are eligible;
Organisations can submit one application per grant round; and
Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.
Ineligible
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 information;
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.
