ANZ commits $250,000 for education and jobs projects in small towns
Applications for the 2015 Seeds of Renewal program opened today, with ANZ committing $250,000 in grants for education and employment initiatives in rural, regional and remote communities around Australia.
ANZ General Manager Regional Business Banking (acting), Christine Linden said: “For more than a decade this program has made a difference to organisations in small communities – often these groups find it very difficult to access the resources they need to grow and develop.
“Last year, 32 regional groups received grants – the projects ranged from financial management workshops for farmers in Goondiwindi, Queensland to purchasing musical instruments for primary school students in remote Barnawatha, Victoria.”
FRRR Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Gartmann said: “Locally relevant skills, education and training are critical to the sustainability of rural and regional communities. Career pathways, job readiness and employment options grow individuals and communities. This program directly targets these issues, and when combined with passionate local leaders – we see positive outcomes.”
Administered independently by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program offers grants of up to $10,000 to projects which help advance education and employment opportunities in regional communities of fewer than 15,000 people.
This year, technology company Lenovo has also donated $30,000 of IT equipment giving applicants the chance to apply for laptops or tablets instead of a cash grant.
Applications close at 5:00pm on 12 August 2015, with successful applicants notified in October 2015.
For more information or to apply please visit www.frrr.org.au/grants/ANZ-seeds-of-renewal.
The Seeds of Renewal program started in 2003, since then ANZ has donated $3.5 million to 708 local projects.
Notes for the editor:
ANZ Seeds of Renewal case study
- In 2014, Gippsland Community Radio Society Cooperative Next Gen Media project
- They used their $9,000 Seeds of Renewal grant to provide training and mentoring for 20 young people, teaching media skills and how to prepare and present radio broadcasts to ensure a stronger voice of youth in Gippsland media
- Participating students gained confidence in presenting, experience in panel operation, music sourcing, media law and scripting, as well as marketing skills
About FRRR
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) was established in 2000. Its mission is to champion the economic and social strength of Australia’s regional, rural and remote communities through partnerships with the private sector, philanthropy and governments. Since its inception, FRRR has managed the distribution of more than $51 million in grants and provided substantial capacity building support to community organisations across the nation. To find out more about FRRR, visit www.frrr.org.au.