community grants“Achieving More Together” is the slogan that will mark this year’s Community and Philanthropy Partnership Week taking place from 7 to 13 December 2015. The three-year initiative is organised by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and Philanthropy Australia and is under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership.  The idea behind it is to show that philanthropy is not an action reserved for high-net-worth individuals and corporations – it is something that can happen everywhere and with the help of anyone who cares about their community. Therefore, in order to support and motivate grassroots community groups around Australia, the initiative will provide grants of up to $10,000 (for the total amount of $160,000), the application process for which is now open.

Funding Eligibility:

The Community and Philanthropy grant program funding criteria is very broad, and all the points aim to serve the initiative’s purpose – to celebrate philanthropy on a community level publicly. Therefore, every applying project needs to have a public face that shows its success and can motivate others to try and improve their local communities likewise. A list of ideas can be found on the official website of the initiative. Some of them include:

  • Running a student competition with the theme ‘achieving more’;
  • Host a picnic featuring various project-related activities;
  • Hold a reception/party/dinner/tea/ featuring speakers and special guests;
  • Organise a student forum aiming to find new ways and ideas to develop your project further;
  • Organise an online campaign aiming to popularise your project.

Which Projects are Not Eligible for Funding:

While the criteria for funding are very broad, the grant program is not intended for the following groups of projects:

  • Projects taking place outside Australia and being related to travelling abroad;
  • Projects that are beneficial to a single person rather than the whole community;
  • Projects including commercial activities and supporting private businesses;
  • Areas of responsibility and core business on Local, State or Federal Government level.

Application Process:

Applicants are encouraged to carefully read the Community and Philanthropy Partnership Week Program Guidelines in order to find out whether their projects are eligible for funding before applying. An application form can be downloaded here.

There are two ways to apply for this year’s Community and Philanthropy Partnership Week.

  • You can send a written application (download the application form above), and e-mail it with all supporting documentation to: communitypartnerships@frrr.org.au . Alternatively, you can also post your application to FRRR, Community Philanthropy Partnerships Week, PO Box 41, Bendigo  VIC  3552.
  • You can apply through a multimedia material – a DVD / animated clip / presentation that shows and tells the story of your project, the needs it addresses and the aimed outcomes. This application does not need to be professionally prepared, but does need to be audible and visible.

The closing date for all applications is 5pm, July 3, 2015. Good luck to everyone who plans to give it a go!