{"id":206671,"date":"2018-04-18T16:19:39","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T06:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=206671"},"modified":"2020-09-25T10:50:24","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T00:50:24","slug":"frrr-extends-grants-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/04\/18\/frrr-extends-grants-program\/","title":{"rendered":"FRRR Extends Grants Program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FRRR Qld Program Manager
Jacki Dimond<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 18, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Community groups in drought-affected areas in regional Queensland can now apply for grants to bring people together, strengthen community resilience and plan for the future, whenever they need it.<\/p>\n

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s (FRRR) “Tackling Tough Times Together” grant program is now open year-round, with recipients announced in April and September.<\/p>\n

The program, now in its fourth year, is designed to support and increase community connectivity, enhance well-being and resilience, encourage skill development and build community capacity to cope now and in the future.<\/p>\n

Grants are available through two streams: small grants of up to $15,000; and large or multi-year grants of up to $50,000 for projects that have deeper and broader impacts.<\/p>\n

A project recently funded allowed the Gympie Men\u2019s Shed to buy computers and equipment to provide internet access and training for their members.<\/p>\n

FRRR\u2019s Queensland Program Manager Jacki Dimond said that while recent rains were welcome, communities were still experiencing the long-term impacts of ongoing drought.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSome areas are well into their sixth year of drought, and even in those communities where it has rained, the drought isn\u2019t over,” she said.<\/p>\n

“People still need support and thanks to the generosity of the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Qantas Foundation and a number of individual donors, the program has been secured for a number of rounds into the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe visited some of these areas toward the end of last year and heard first-hand the importance of having ongoing funding available, so we are pleased to be able to offer more certainty to groups that have a project still in development.<\/p>\n

\u201cPast grants have supported projects as diverse as multi-generational old-time dance workshops to the development of a community owned agri-tourism event, so we are looking forward to seeing more innovative projects coming forward.<\/p>\n

“For the larger grants in particular, it\u2019s important that people call me to discuss their idea, before they put in an application, to ensure alignment with the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that accepting applications year-round enables groups to put together applications at the times that suit them best, instead of rushing an application at the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

The grant guidelines are deliberately broad to allow communities to seek support for whatever they need most.<\/p>\n

Supporting local economic recovery is a new objective for the program, as communities look to new business, culture and tourism as more reliable sources of economic stimulus than agriculture.<\/p>\n