THE Foundation of Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR) has awarded $385,095 in grants for 26 projects that will help to strengthen smaller remote, rural and regional communities throughout New South Wales, including projects in Argents Hill and Bowraville, through its Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

The SRC program is collaboratively funded, and its broad scope enables smaller remote, rural, and regional communities to receive funding for a wide range of initiatives that are led by local people and address local needs.

Within the latest funding round, Nambucca Valley Phoenix Limited received a $25,000 grant for their project ‘The Phoenix Depot – Building Community Resilience’, which will go towards the provision of a teacher, equipment and tools for the establishment of a community facility in Bowraville.

Also awarded a grant was the Argents Hill Hall, operated by the Nambucca Valley Council, who will receive $24,979 towards an upgrade of the Argents Hill Hall Kitchen.

This is intended to increase local capacity to support recovery activities and increase preparedness for future disasters.

The awarded grants will give these rural places a boost to achieve long-term viability and vitality.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said this round of SRC has seen rural communities across Australia seek funding for inspiring initiatives that build community resilience and support individual and community health and wellbeing at a local level.

“Many communities have been impacted by multiple disasters, including the recent flooding in NSW and parts of QLD.

“For these regions, economic recovery from the disasters has been severely challenged by COVID-19. For community organisations, the pandemic has hampered fundraising efforts and their capacity to provide services.

“Understandably, local volunteers are pretty worn out. In response, we have awarded a number of grants for projects that will relieve volunteer-fatigue and alleviate the pressures that many volunteer-led groups are dealing with.

“Rural communities gain strength and vitality when locals have places to gather and connect, so it’s not surprising that we continue to see strong demand for projects that build community resilience by investing in local community assets and infrastructure, particularly the maintenance of community halls.

“And, as gathering restrictions ease, we are seeing more requests for work on outdoor spaces and for community events, as people come together to strengthen community engagement and participation,” Ms Egleton said.