The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund

Arts North West

The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund supported communities in the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions who had a desire and need to strengthen their capacity and resilience in response to the 2019/20 bushfires, flooding and continued challenges across the region.

It helped to:

  • Build organisational and community capacity;
  • Develop or extend education and employment pathways;
  • Leverage artistic endeavours; and
  • Support locally-led environmental sustainability initiatives.

Future rounds

This is the final funding round for this program.

Proudly supported by

This program is now closed.

How to apply

Please read the information on each of the three tabs below to make sure this is the right grant for your project.

If you want to explore other grant options, please go to Find Funding Now.

 

I have a question, who can I talk to?

Jo Kemp

Ph: 1800 170 020 or Email: j.kemp@frrr.org.au

Confirm you are eligible to apply for this grant

To make sure this is the right grant for your community, please read the grant information detailed in the Program Guidelines below carefully. Click on each headline to reveal the detail.

The aim of the program is to support communities in the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions of NSW who have a desire and need to strengthen their capacity and resilience in response to the 2019/20 bushfires, flooding and continued challenges across the state.

This program will support communities in the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions in NSW. Priority will be given to projects that support communities in the Clarence Valley Shire, and neighbouring Local Government Areas (please refer to the Guidelines for further details).

These grants are available thanks to the generous support of The Yulgilbar Foundation. There will be approximately $350,000 available in Round 2. Eligible organisations are invited to apply for grants of up to $50,000. While all requests will be considered, our priorities for funding are outlined below.

Priority will be given to:

  • Projects that support communities in the Clarence Valley Shire and neighbouring Local Government Areas, being:
    • Richmond Valley Shire; Kyogle Council; Tenterfield Shire; Glenn Innes Severn Council; Bellingen Shire; Coffs Harbour City Council; Armidale Regional Council; Nambucca Valley Council; and Kempsey Shire Council.
  • Projects that have broad benefits, are optimistic and forward-looking;
  • Projects initiated and delivered by local community groups and not-for-profits.

A broad range of charitable projects will be considered under this program, including:

  • Delivering, or providing activities, events, programs and services;
  • Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
  • Community infrastructure projects;
  • Organisational capacity building;
  • Community resource development.

There are several areas that FRRR can’t fund through this program. If in doubt, please contact us.

  • Projects that will incur expenditure before the program’s announcement date – FRRR cannot grant retrospectively for activities that have already occurred.
  • Projects that support core business and areas of responsibility of Federal, State or Local Governments.
  • The encouragement or advancement of sport, recreation and social activities are not considered charitable activities under Australian law. Applications from sporting organisations need to clearly demonstrate charitable outcomes and benefit to the wider community that are above and beyond the sporting activities of the club.
  • Overseas travel and overseas projects.
  • Prizes, gifts, trophies or awards.
  • Political lobbying.
  • Projects that primarily benefit private business or private interests.
  • Projects solely focused on animal welfare.

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN. If you are unsure if your organisation is a registered not-for-profit (for example, if you are a Co-operative, Other Unincorporated Entity, Public Company or Trust), please contact FRRR.
  • Project must offer clear public benefit (i.e., has a charitable purpose).
  • Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible.
  • Organisations can submit one application per grant round.
  • Projects must be in a remote, rural, or regional area.

Please note, you will be considered ineligible if the:

  • Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses (as per the submitted ABN).
  • Application is submitted by an organisation that is not a legal entity, without the written consent of the governing/partnering body who holds the ABN/Incorporation number.
  • Application is submitted without required financial documentation (see additional information on the second tab).
  • Final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been acquitted (delivery organisations should check with legal organisation to see if there are any outstanding final reports).
  • Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred or is occurring prior to the announcement of funding.
  • Application is incomplete. NOTE: Due to the volume of applications received, applications are assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application. FRRR is unlikely to follow up missing documentation after applications have been submitted.
Gather information to support your grant application

Please review the below information as it sets out critical, additional information that we will require and explains why it is important.

Please contact FRRR if you have any questions about the following information.

Your grant application MUST include:

A clear description of exactly what the grant funds will be used for, when and where the project will happen, who will benefit and who will be involved in delivering the project, why the project and grant funds are needed, how funds will be spent and how the activities and success of the project will be recorded, evaluated and shared.

Where possible, also indicate that your community is ready to deliver the project and if required, can support the initiative ongoing – i.e. awareness of need is widespread, appropriate leadership, resources, skills and knowledge exist in the community.

Why is this important?

FRRR needs to clearly understand your project to assess its merits. Applicants should focus on addressing the what, when, where, who, why and how of the project, as this is the best formula to clearly communicate the details of the project.

A ready community is best placed to achieve the aims of your project, so during assessment, our staff look for information that tells us that good leadership, skills and awareness exist in your community to support the project now and in the future.

Helpful resources:

Applications received without the requested financial information are ineligible. Providing incorrect information on financials is currently the most frequent reason why applications are not considered.

  • For organisations that have audited financials: Attach the most recent annual audited statements.
  • For organisations that do not have audited financials: Attach the most recent 12 months Income and Expenditure Statement. If you have a Balance Sheet, please also submit.
  • For organisations less than one year old: Provide Bank Statements for the period you have been operating.

Please note:

  • If financial documents are more than 18 months old, please provide an explanation as to why the organisation does not have more recent documents.
  • Bank Statements are only acceptable as financial documentation if your organisation has been operating for less than one year.
  • Explain any deficits and steps to sustain the organisation financially.
  • Provide a brief explanation of any large financial surplus or current assets and reasons why FRRR funds are still required.
  • Income and Expenditure statements must cover a full 12-month period.
  • FRRR conducts a broad range of due diligence queries when reviewing applications, such as reviewing current and past incorporation, DGR, and ACNC status. If your organisation has had its incorporation status, DGR status, or ACNC status changed, or if ACNC registration has been revoked or voluntarily withdrawn, please let us know the reasons for this.
  • Please contact us if you cannot provide required financials or if you are unsure about what to provide.
Why is this important?

FRRR uses this information to understand your organisation’s ability to manage the grant funds and its financial viability.

You must include a project budget that clearly shows the items that FRRR grant funds will be used for and shows all income and expenses related to your project.

Budgets should be realistic and must add up – i.e. total expenditure must match total income.

Applicant contributions in cash or in-kind are highly regarded. Quotes or detailed rationale for items over $1,000 are required, where possible. Note: FRRR suggests costing unskilled volunteer labour at $41.00 per hour

Why is this important?

A clear budget helps FRRR to understand the size of your project, exactly how FRRR funds will be spent and helps demonstrate community support for your project through in-kind contributions either from your organisation or partners / community members.

Helpful resources:

Every application needs to include an organisation that holds either an ABN or Incorporation Certificate. If your organisation doesn’t have that, FRRR could still fund the project (with your organisation as the delivery organisation) but you need another organisation’s support, which we refer to as the ‘legal organisation’.

Even though your organisation may complete the application (and will be doing the work), it’s the overarching organisation’s legal and financial information that needs to be provided. They also need to provide a letter of support, confirming they are willing to play this role.

This situation often occurs often when the organisation delivering the activity or project is a branch of an overarching organisation – such as a local CWA or YMCA branch.

Why is this important?

This program is only able to distribute funds to not-for-profit organisations with an ABN or Incorporation number, and FRRR needs to know that the organisation with that ABN / Incorporation number understands and agrees to carry out their responsibilities in relation to your project, if successful.

FRRR strongly recommends that you provide supporting materials such as letters of support, community plans, survey results, photographs, media clips and research reports that can show the wider community support and partnerships involved in the project.

Large documents should be referenced and explained in the application.

Why is this important?

FRRR seeks to fund projects that are well-supported by the broader local community, are locally led and delivered, show good partnerships and benefit multiple parts of the community. As FRRR is not always familiar with your community, our staff consider support material as evidence toward understanding level of community need, benefit and support.

Helpful resources:

For this program, we have grouped the kinds of projects eligible for funding into five areas, which we call the Activity Tree:

1. Building community resilience
2. Developing organisational resilience and capacity
3. Enhancing environmental sustainability
4. Fostering cultural vibrancy
5. Lifelong learning and education

We ask you to nominate one of those five areas when you apply. So, before you lodge your application, download the Activity Tree to help you identify your focus area.

Why is this important?

FRRR makes grants to communities, but we also need to be able to demonstrate to our funding partners where communities need support.

Need some more help?

We have a large selection of resources on our Grant Seeker Resources Page to help you along the way.

Submit your full grant application via the Grants Gateway.

Please contact FRRR if you have questions about any aspect of the Grants Gateway online application form.

Helpful resources:

It is time to submit your application. If it is helpful, you can download a sample copy of the application form.

Please read the instructions on how to use the Grants Gateway How-to Guide, and have your questions answered with our Grants Gateway FAQs.

Before you submit your application via the online Grants Gateway, please ensure you have:

  • Confirmed you are eligible to apply for this grant
  • Provided clear information about your project
  • Checked that you are an eligible legal entity
  • Provided the financial information required
  • Created a budget for the project
  • Gathered supporting materials
  • Spoken to an FRRR contact person where you were unsure of any requirement
  • Gathered community support for the project
  • Checked the information you are providing to make sure it is clear and relevant to the project

Inspiration - Past Projects

Partner Update – April 2025

In this issue we share with you highlights from our 25th Anniversary partner event held in Melbourne last month. We’ve recently published a report on our 25 years of delivering local solutions for lasting impact. There’s also a handy list of other reports on our website and links to our shared insights in articles on…

Backing the Future for rural youth in QLD

FRRR and VFFF are inviting applications from eligible individuals for grants of $50,000 through the Backing the Future program. The funding supports people aged 18+ to develop innovative ideas that enhance the lives of people aged 12-30 in remote, rural and regional Queensland.

Facilitators farewelled as South Coast IRCF program culminates

As the Investing in Rural Community Futures program culminates in the South Coast communities, one of the biggest impacts has been the growth in the people that have delivered the program.

Community-led wellbeing project gains momentum

The Bega Valley Data Collective had support through the Investing in Rural Community Futures program to develop a community-led wellbeing framework aimed at empowering the community to thrive.

Mental health in the Mallee

The small farming community of Pinnaroo in the Mallee region of SA is tackling the health and wellbeing of local residents head on, using a $20,000 IAGP grant.

Not-for-profit report cards enhance drought resilience

Not For Profit HQ Limited received a $50,000 grant via FRRR through the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative - Community Impact Program.

Amplifying young voices in Bay & Basin

An IRCF grant helped create lasting change for youth when Uniting - Firefly Bay & Basin partnered with Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc.

Partner Update – December 2024

This issue highlights the lasting impact of community-led recovery efforts following the Black Summer bushfires, with inspiring stories of resilience in our Black Summer Bushfires: Five Years On video playlist, and a report on the $26M in donations distributed. Plus we share updates on new appointments, advocacy efforts, conference participation, travel highlights, awards, and the…

Report confirms NFPs far stronger five years on

Significant impacts and lessons of a five-year pilot program aimed at building collective NFP sector capability revealed in FRRR report.

$19.3M delivered into regions still recovering from Black Summer bushfires

FRRR's report, Black Summer Bushfires Five Years On reaffirms the need for disaster recovery funding for the medium to long-term.
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Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford has an extensive career in complex public policy and its intersection across government and communities.

Amy is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), representing 537 councils across the nation. Amy holds over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service. She has a deep understanding of federal government policies and structures, with over 10 years’ service in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has worked for the federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Amy has shaped a wide range of policies and programs including regional development, telecommunications, immigration, emergency management, social policy and pandemic preparation.

Amy is a Board Director of Austroads and represents ALGA on the Public Skills Australia Industry Advisory Group, and the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. She is also a Board Director for the Canberra Youth Theatre which provides voice for Canberra’s youth through intelligent and challenging theatre.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Amy was appointed to the FRRR Board in January 2025.

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Kylie Hansen

Kylie brings leadership and management experience from across academic, corporate, not-for-profit, social enterprise and impact investment sectors, having deep dived into a myriad of specialisations and systems. Her six tertiary qualifications are equally as diverse and complimentary, covering commerce, politics, international development, community development, project management and law. Her breadth and depth of experience enables her to draw on a number of disciplines and innovative ways of working and thinking, and she is well recognised as consistently delivering work and services of a high quality.

Kylie uses her strong background in sustainability, governance and impact measurement to support collaborative initiatives across sectors oriented at improving social outcomes, and to support socially conscientious businesses to articulate their social impact. As founder and director at Impact Seed she has been instrumental in developing the impact measurement, evaluation, learning and ESG practice which advises numerous corporates, and is passionate about supporting First Nations empowerment particularly in the context of regional economic development.

Kylie is also a Director of the WA Social Enterprise Council, a member of the B Council (B Lab Australia and New Zealand), and a Governor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

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Hon. John Anderson AC

The Hon. John Anderson AC is a sixth-generation farmer and grazier from NSW, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1989 to 2008.

He was a senior Cabinet minister in the government led by John Howard (1996 to 2005), including six years as Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

In the latter role, Mr Anderson played in important role in FRRR’s history, working closely with Baillieu Myer AC and others on a proposal to establish a philanthropic organisation to benefit rural Australia. The concept was discussed at the National Regional Summit in 1999 and FRRR was established shortly thereafter.

Mr Anderson currently hosts a regular podcast, where he is in conversation with thought-leaders from around the world, and is a regular media commentator.

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Regina Cruickshank

Partnerships Specialist (WA)

Regina supports FRRR as the WA Partnerships Specialist. With over two decades of experience in partnerships and marketing, she has a deep understanding of Western Australia’s social impact landscape. She brings a strong passion for leveraging purpose-built networks to create positive change.

Regina previously worked with Playgroup WA and founded a Health Promotion Charity dedicated to supporting Social Emotional wellbeing for underserved communities. She’s excited about the opportunity to connect with partners and explore ways to make a meaningful difference in WA.

She lives in Perth with her family and enjoys mindful moments of connection to Country, whether on horseback, on foot or underwater.

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Anna Palmer

People and Culture Manager

Based in Central Victoria, Anna is a senior Human Resources, Organisation Development and Industrial Relations professional, with significant private and public sector experience across every facet of people and culture leadership.

Her most recent roles have been with Don KR in Castlemaine and Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has also held senior HR roles with Victoria Legal Aid and the TAC among many others.

From Mildura originally, Anna has postgraduate qualifications in Change Management and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics.

Anna is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts to balance her creative pursuits and work as an HR professional.

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Philippa Twaddle

Management Accountant

Carolyn joined the FRRR team in March 2017, and is responsible for providing executive support to the CEO, effective coordination of the FRRR office and general administrative support to the management team. A key responsibility is supporting the administration of FRRR’s Donation Account Services.

She has over fifteen years’ experience working in local government in the Tourism and Arts Sector, Civic and Event Management and Community engagement.

Carolyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Librarianship, majoring in psychology, and grew up on farming communities in Cohuna and Echuca and currently lives in Bendigo.