September 11, 2019
The Foundation for Rural Regional & Rural Renewal has launched a new Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund to provide flexible funding to support preparedness and recovery.
Interest from the perpetual fund will be available to support locally led preparedness initiatives and disaster recovery in rural, regional and remote communities.
FRRR said Australians were typically generous when there was an extraordinary disaster event, however smaller localised disasters – which often don’t make the news – rarely attract the same response,even though the impact can be just as significant.
Disasters also disproportionately affect rural, regional and remote areas.
According to FRRR, since February 2011, there have been 77 disaster events in Queensland, resulting in $14 billion damage to public infrastructure alone.
Even when support is provided, it’s often only available in the immediate aftermath. Funding is not typically available either before a disaster event or in the 12-18 months following, which is usually when community-level needs emerge.
FRRR’s CEO Natalie Egleton said creating the fund was an important step, especially given the inevitability of natural disasters.
The first contribution to the fund has come from the Aussie Farmers Foundation which has donated $500,000.
“FRRR is honoured to have Aussie Farmers Foundation as the founding partner,” Natalie said.
“We have had a long working relationship. Their Board shares our commitment to ensuring support is available to strengthen the resilience of communities both before and after natural disasters, including drought, where and when they need it.
“Their $500,000 donation means that the Fund is off to a great start. It also means that funding will be available from July 2020, and will continue for a long time to come as we continue to invest these funds and others donated over time.”
