$275,000 granted to 26 regional community groups from ANZ Seeds of Renewal program
ANZ and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) have today announced that $275,000 in funding will be shared between 26 community groups from across regional Australia as part of the 2016 ANZ Seeds of Renewal program.
Since being established in 2002, ANZ’s Seeds of Renewal program, which is administered by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, has supported education and employment projects to help grow prosperous regional communities. In total, ANZ has now donated more than $4 million to 750 projects.
In 2016, more than 119 groups applied for grants, confirming the high level of need for education and employment initiatives in the bush.
ANZ General Manager Regional Business Banking, Christine Linden said: “By focusing on education and employment projects, these grants will help empower community members with the knowledge and skills that are essential to help grow a strong rural community.
“Every year, we are impressed by the innovation and desire that these local groups have for their community. They are all so enthusiastic about their town’s future, and how they can help it progress. This year’s applications, which included projects such as developing a local organic produce farm with community employment opportunities in Kings Canyon, NT and educational, cultural and ecological professional development for primary school teachers in Nowanup, WA hold these same values. We are thrilled to be able to help make these initiatives a reality,” she said.
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said: “This year’s projects will fund valuable programs which assist the growth of sustainable rural and regional economies. The grants offered through this program can help ease the pressure of fund-raising, and ensure that our rural communities continue to thrive.”
Technology company Lenovo has also donated IT equipment, giving recipients the chance to apply for laptops or tablets instead of a cash grant.
ANZ will also be working with some applicants, including those who were not successful this year, to identify volunteering opportunities for local staff.
For more information about the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program, visit www.frrr.org.au.
Notes for the editor:
ANZ Seeds of Renewal case study:
- South West Women’s Health & Information Centre, located in Bunbury Western Australia, offers a range of services to empower women.
- Many towns in this region are suffering economic decline, the ‘Woman Made’ project aims to increase online and general sales for women producing their own art and crafts in the South West region of WA.
- The grant will fund training focused on IT skills development and business coaching.
- This project has a reach of more than 120 women in the South West region. The community will benefit by women volunteering in roles such as festival promotion and marketing, and holding stalls at community markets and events.
- This will attract more visitors to the area and improve the economic viability of smaller towns with limited employment.
About ANZ Seeds of Renewal:
The Seeds of Renewal program started in 2002, since then ANZ has donated over $4 million to 750 local projects.
Administered independently by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), the ANZ Seeds of Renewal program offers grants of up to $15,000 to community groups for projects which help advance education and employment opportunities in regional communities of fewer than 15,000 people.
For more information please visit http://www.frrr.org.au/grants/ANZ-seeds-of-renewal.
About FRRR:
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) is a charitable foundation established in 2000 to support the renewal of rural, regional and remote communities in Australia through partnerships with the private sector, philanthropy and governments.
Since inception, FRRR has managed the distribution of more than $66 million in grants to over 8,000 projects and provided substantial capacity building support to community organisations across the nation. To find out more about FRRR, visit http://www.frrr.org.au.