Grants from ANZ Seeds of Renewal program support 29 community projects

Media Releases, 5 December 2016

ANZ and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) have today announced that $275,000 in community grants and Lenovo IT equipment (9 laptops and 1 tablet) were awarded to 29 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 FRRR, 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.

The full list of grant recipients is below.

ANZ Seeds of Renewal – 2016

Organisation

Project

Location

Grant

New South Wales

Bonalbo & District Community Hall Assoc Inc

Computer Literacy Basic Skills Base

Gain computer skills and confidence for computer illiterate residents by providing technology mentoring and tutoring.

Bonalbo

$8,200

North West Plains Sustainability Group Inc

People and Pastures for Prosperity

Improve local understanding of modern grazing techniques and build resilience during drought conditions for 18 local family grazing businesses by running a 12 month Lifetime Ewe Management Course.

Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri, Burren Junction, Cumborah, Come by Chance and Carinda

$10,560

Singleton Council

Growing Local Tourism Talent

Strengthen the local economy and provide new opportunities and contacts by holding tourism information sessions, workshops and work placement programs for local community members wanting access into the industry.

Scone, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Denman, Merriwa and Aberdeen

$13,000

Coolamon Shire Council

Big Dreams, Small Business

Provide skills and training for local community members to discover new sources of income through the facilitation of free micro-business and events management workshops while strengthening the local economy.

Coolamon

$1,450

Playgroup Association of NSW Inc – Deniliquin Group

Playgroup Employment Links Program

Enable and provide playgroup volunteers with certification to seek paid employment.

Deniliquin

$12,790

Northern Territory

Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation

Hidden Valley Artists – Growing our Business

Support social enterprise expansion to create further arts and culture self-employment opportunities for Aboriginal women by developing project management, design and leadership skills.

Hidden Valley Town Camp

$11,100

The Outback Spirit Foundation Inc

Kings Canyon Bush Tomato Project

Create local Aboriginal employment with unique connections to country and knowledge by improving infrastructure and expanding the Bushfoods Farm economic enterprise.

Kings Canyon

$15,000

Queensland

Napranum PAL Group Ltd

Reaching Out Through Innovation

Enhance educational knowledge and access for local tutors, families and parents in remote areas by developing a training package.

Napranum

$5,800

New Life Community Services Ltd

E-Hub Recycle Centre

Provide new skills and potential employment for local community members through the purchase of a plastics granulator at the E-hub recycling Centre.

Sarina

$15,000

The Development Academy Inc

Keystone Skills for Remote Leaders

Boost employment and training opportunities for local Aboriginal Communities by training five local mentors in Certificate IV Leadership and Management.

Camooweal

$15,000

Toowoomba Clubhouse Assoc Inc

Regional Communities Job Ready Initiative

Improve skills, self-esteem, social connections and employment networks and prospects for jobseekers with mental illness or disability barriers through a four-week Job Ready Initiative.

Oakey

$9,032

South Australia

Milang and District Community Assoc Inc

Growing a Lakeside Garden Centre

Improve business diversification of the community-based nursery in response to changing local needs and priorities, through planning and training activities.

Milang

$6,000

Limestone Coast Work Options Incorporated

Keeping Them Home

Increase employment opportunities and local care options for the elderly and disabled by supporting local community members to gain their Certificate III in Home & Community Services.

Naracoorte

$4,750

Tasmania

Glenhaven Family Care Inc

Employ-Me Experience Program

Improve skills and knowledge for unemployed community members by delivering a training program to develop their capacity to find work and successfully engage with the workforce.

Devonport

$14,850

Victoria

The Growing Abundance Project

Greengage

To build a viable local food system and a more resilient, connected and sustainable community, the Growing Abundance Project is establishing a social enterprise to generate income.

Castlemaine

$9,770

Bona Vista Primary School

Bright Bots – Robotics and Code Club

Supporting the local school students’ interest in science and technology through the purchase of electronic and robotics materials and equipment.

Bona Vista

$3,874

Heyfield Community Resource Centre Inc

Ready Set Grow

Boost skills and capacity for local community members who are not engaged in education, training or employment, by offering training in hospitality and horticulture to gain employment or undertake further study.

Heyfield

$9,720

Maffra & Districts Landcare Network

Growing Resilient Farms, Farmers and Rural Communities

Assist local farmers to build more resilient businesses through capacity building activities and workshops.

Maffra

$8,460

Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (A.C.R.E.)

Leading the Way with Social Enterprise

Enhance future economic participation and employment opportunities for local community members by providing an entrepreneurial skills development program for primary school students.

Beechworth

$15,000

Cohuna Neighbourhood House Incorporated

Developing Skills For Dairy Kids

Support school leavers to engage in the workforce and achieve a level of economic independence, by providing work-related training options.

Cohuna

$8,440

Stawell Neighbourhood House Inc

Job Ready in Stawell

Increase economic participation for disadvantaged community members by providing accredited employment training opportunities.

Stawell

$15,000

Western Australia

Beverley Community Resource Centre Inc

Customer Service and Local Knowledge Supports Small Town Economic Growth

Build knowledge and awareness of local and regional attractions, and grow regional economic capability, by training volunteers at the visitor centre.

Beverley

$6,795

Gondwana Link Ltd

Nowanup ‘Bush University’ Schools Program

Support and increase student engagement, stewardship and understanding of local indigenous culture through the implementation of Noongar-informed educational, cultural and ecological professional development for primary school teachers.

Nowanup

$12,500

Kimberley Group Training

Hospitality Program – Unlocking the potential of Future Stars

Increase youth employment in the region by adopting culturally appropriate and nationally accredited pre-employment skills training for Indigenous youth in hospitality and tourism.

Kununurra

$13,000

Pemberton District High School P&C Assoc

Paddock to Plate

Strengthen future aquaponics employment opportunities and increase science, technology and maths learning though by adding aquaculture equipment to the school’s agricultural and kitchen garden program.

Pemberton

$15,000

South West Women’s Health & Information Centre

Woman Made.com.au – South West Western Australia

Create business opportunities for local producers of artisan products by training women in e-commerce sales via www.womanmade.com.au.

Bunbury

 

$14,909

Total:$275,000

Lenovo Grant Recipients

Organisation

Project

Location

Value of Equipment

The World Incubator

Charters Towers Entrepreneurs Program

Laptops and tablets to support the delivery of entrepreneurial support, encouraging the diversification of the local economy.

Charters Towers, QLD

$7,097

True Trails Community Programs Assoc Inc

Ride It!

Laptops to increase organisational capacity to deliver educational programs supporting disadvantaged locals, particularly children and young people.

Marion Bay, TAS

$7,197

Gellibrand Community Group

Biz Know How

Laptops, enabling disadvantaged local residents to participate in small business training courses.

Gellibrand, VIC

$9,596

 

$23,890

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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.