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Case Study: Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR)
ProjectBushfire Recovery Fund
Amount$600,000 over three years
Date2021
ProgramCommunity
| TRUST OBJECTIVES | PROJECT OBJECTIVES |
|---|---|
| Rural and regional Victoria | Supporting Rural and Regional Victorian communities in long term bushfire recovery |
| Enabling financial sustainability | Enabling community organisations to plan and develop their operations for sustainability and growth |
| Building organisational capacity | Strengthening the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations and community groups operating in fire-affected areas, so they can support the ongoing recovery of their communities |
| Collaboration and partnership | Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), the Sidney Myer Fund, regional community organisations |
Supporting the long term recovery of bushfire affected communities in Rural and Regional Victoria
A three-way partnership with FRRR, HMSTrust and the Sidney Myer Fund draws on experience of disaster recovery and will build the capacity of local organisations playing a central, coordinating or networking role in the recovery of Victorian communities affected by the Black Summer bushfires.
Image A team selfie from Mallacoota Medical Services, one of the first recipients in November 2021 from the inaugural grant round. Photo: courtesy FRRR
The Bushfire Recovery Fund results from a shared vision for aligning funding and support to community-led solutions in those Victorian communities impacted by the disastrous bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020. Experience from past bushfire disaster is that the recovery phase is best served by well-resourced local community organisations that understand local needs. It is critical that these organisations have the support needed to sustain their operations and meet increased demand during the recovery period.
Snapshot:
- The grant program will fund organisational initiatives for up to three years to enhance, improve, or sustain their operations, and ultimately strengthen the process of community-led recovery in the medium and long term.
- The partnership is grounded in the past experience of each of the three partnering foundations that disaster recovery cannot be rushed and needs to be community led; access to longer-term, multi-year support is vital when it comes to creating effective solutions on the ground to allow fire-affected communities to recover and thrive.
- The grant program is not open to public application. Organisations from declared fire-affected areas in the state of Victoria are invited to apply.
- Grants of up to $90,000 will be made to organisations that are:
- Locally governed and led and based in the beneficiary community/ies;
- Fostering local partnerships that help to strengthen grassroots support; and
- Not duplicating existing local services or programs.
- The first round of grants were awarded in November 2021.
"These grants recognise the vital role of these organisations and invest in the skills, tools and resources they need to support their community as they rebuild, and to sustain their work beyond the recovery" - Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR.
