Community
We support communities to build connection, capability and capacity.
Emerging evidence suggests community networks and structures facilitate collaboration, communication, sharing and learning. Well-connected systems, such as cohesive community networks, have the ability to recover from disturbances more quickly than those that are disconnected.
With ongoing challenges associated with natural disasters, the pandemic and economic pressures, there is an ever-increasing requirement for communities to be adaptive and resilient.
Broad community participation enables collective action and sustainable, positive change. Diverse forms of community participation tend to be more resilient, as they are able to compensate when parts of the system are lost or fail. Within a community, connectivity between different social groups increases information sharing and building of trust and reciprocity.
Our Support
We support organisations working to build community connection, capability and capacity. In partnership with other funders, the Trust supports communities using a range of approaches to identify and realise their own goals and priorities. We prioritise communities that have identified and are realising their own goals and priorities.
Click on the logos to the right to find out more about organisations recently supported.
Now more than ever, communities are required to be adaptive and resilient.
Community support focuses on:
- Community networks and structures that facilitate collaboration, communication, sharing and learning;
- Strong and cohesive community networks that can recover from disturbances, such as natural disasters and economic pressures; and
- Broad community participation that enables turnover and sustainable, positive change.
The Trust prioritises long-term relationships with organisations working to affect change in Victoria and for Victorians.
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long-term partnerships established to support community resilience since 2023$3.9m
granted to community projects since 2023$7.5m
granted under the new granting strategy
How we grant
To maximise the benefit to applicants and streamline the application process, we engage closely with prospective grantees to ensure strong alignment with our funding priorities and strategic approach. This approach aims to increase the success and impact of each selected applicant. The Trust accepts applications by invitation only and does not receive unsolicited applications.
If your organisation is seeking support and is a Victorian-based charity working in the areas identified as strategic priorities of the Trust, you are welcome to email us to provide brief information about your organisation and proposed project.
Select organisations addressing the priority areas and aligned with the Trust’s approach will be asked to submit a brief expression of interest.
Following the expression of interest, a small number of organisations will be asked to submit a full application.