Community Grants Program

First Nations Grant - Gujaga Foundation:

• The Gujaga Foundation leads language, culture and research-based activities on behalf of Dharawal people belonging to Coastal Sydney. This Community Grant will support educational workshops which will facilitate the transferring of cultural practices from knowledge holders to the next generation.

People’s Choice Award - Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife:

• This is a practical project to expand areas of healthy bushland around Lane Cove National Park. The maintenance of our local bushland will improve the comfort, health and wellbeing of people living in increasingly dense urban areas by reducing pollution levels and improving air quality. 

Other grant winners:

• Nurture Nation Animal Sanctuary is an animal welfare group that houses all types of farm animals. 'Don’t Neigh the Way’ aims to educate the community on how to safely travel on busy roads with livestock and horses onboard a trailer or horse float. The project will increase the safety of animal movement on NSW roads, teaching the community how to safely attach a trailer/float and how to secure an animal onboard to reduce injury.
• Community Wheels Inc. has been dedicated to providing safe and accessible transportation in the Parramatta and Cumberland LGAs since 1986. Community Wheels Inc. offers a Digital Literacy and Computer Skills Program tailored for seniors aged 65 and over. This program covers fundamental computer skills, social media usage, and scam prevention. Community Wheels aim to equip seniors with essential digital skills, fostering greater connectivity and online safety. 
• Lifeline Macarthur and Western Sydney is available to listen, without judgment, to any person in Australia who is feeling overwhelmed, experiencing crisis or longs to be heard. The service aims to relieve the pressure people experience when in financial distress, which can often lead to mental health issues. 
• St Anthony’s Family Care (SAFC) works to deliver a range of services to nurture and support children and young adults of all abilities while at the same time responding to their families’ needs. SAFC Disability Services will conduct two road safety training workshops for our disability support workers and representatives from our local council in partnership with Autism Spectrum Australia. The workshops will ensure staff have the required road safety knowledge to meet the individual requirements of the children and young adults we support with disabilities.
• Biyani House Revesby Women's Shelter ("Biyani House") is not just a refuge; it's a beacon of hope and transformation in the Canterbury-Bankstown community. This initiative will address the need for safe, welcoming accommodations for women and children needing crisis accommodation. The project aims to create vibrant garden and play areas for children, serene spots for reflection, and a sustainable garden, bringing about a nurturing environment that fosters resilience, empowerment, and joy.
• Sunnyfield: With over 72 years of dedicated service, Sunnyfield stands as a for-purpose organisation committed to enhancing the lives of individuals with disability. The iConnect project aims to enhance services for local clients with disability at our Community Services Hub in Blacktown by purchasing 10x brand new iPads. The iPads will facilitate interactive learning, communication, and skill development activities tailored to individual needs, improving engagement, accessibility, and inclusivity within our hub and the greater community.
• Streetwork is a not-for-profit, community-based organisation that focuses on prevention and early intervention strategies delivered to at-risk young people. StreetDrive supports at-risk youths and seeks to reduce barriers to obtaining a driver's licence and improve road safety skills among young drivers. It is a free, early intervention program that pairs vulnerable youths wanting to develop the skills required to obtain their driver's licence, with positive adult role models, a Youth Caseworker and driving instructor.
• Foodbank NSW & ACT (FBNA) has been operating in NSW for over 30 years. They are the largest and most trusted food relief organisation and the only organisation of its kind in NSW. Funding will enable up to 40 drivers and selected organisational staff to attend essential training programs to ensure the safety, education and prevention of incidents when driving their fleet.
• Kemps Creek Public School is located in an ever-changing landscape due to the current development of Badgerys Creek Airport (Western Sydney Airport) and Aerotropolis.
• Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW Ltd (PCYC) is a charity empowering young people to reach their potential through Police and community partnerships. The Safer Drivers course supports learner drivers to understand low risk driving strategies to improve driving abilities. Fully funded access will be provided to targeted young people in the Blacktown and Penrith local government areas who have 50hrs+ of Learner driving experience. The safer drivers course consists of a 5-hour theory workshop and one driving lesson.
• Solar Citizens is an independent, community-based organisation that represents the millions of Australian households who are powering their lives with the sun. This project will help diverse families living in an urban high-rise community struggling with the increased cost of living to access a rebate to trial long-tail e-bikes. It will also explore ways to increase access to e-bikes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families. It will help promote e-bikes to save on bills, reduce household emissions, and increase health and well-being.
• Dandelion Support Network is a grassroots not-for-profit run by a team of six staff and an army of 80 volunteers with a vision that all babies and children have access to nursery items essential for their safety, well-being and development. The project aims to supply both new and preloved car seats to disadvantaged families.

First Nations Grant - Ngaran Goori:

• Ngaran Goori is a First Nations owned and operated organisation supporting the Ipswich region by providing educational, cultural and social services to reconnect community members to their heritage. The grant will be used to help First Nations community members across Greater Ipswich by providing additional support services to those in need and further develop their facilities to provide a space to connect to Country.

People’s Choice Award - Wesley Mission:

• Wesley Mission’s ORCA Project provides real life work experience, training and development for young people living with a disability to gain a job in hospitality. The training gives participants the opportunity to learn new skills as a barista in a safe and supported environment so that they can pursue a future job at a cafe or restaurant. 

Other grant winners:

• Guide Dogs Queensland Limited: As Queensland's peak body for the vision impaired, the project seeks to raise community awareness of the road safety needs of people living with low vision. This funding will enable Guide Dogs to run a road safety awareness campaign across Brisbane during April 2025, to coincide with International Guide Dog Day on 30 April.
  
• Lighthouse Care will utilise the grant to deliver free food trolleys to families needing emergency relief. These trolleys, pre-packed full of groceries, are a budget-friendly resource provided at no cost to those in crisis, either picked up from Lighthouse or h home delivered. The project will ensure essential groceries reach families in their darkest times, helping prevent them from going without food.
• Australian Spatial Analytics Ltd: The Design Engineering Training project will enable young autistic adults to gain their certification in software to enter the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector. 25 of ASA's Junior Data Analysts in Brisbane will obtain software certifications throughout the year, with essential modules tailored to the requirements of each individual's specific strengths and interests. 
• Good Shepherd Primary School: The Good Shepherd Primary School Year 1 classes will build an intergenerational connection with an aged care residence in the Greater Springfield area. In partnership with Intergenerational Learning Australia, the project will benefit both parties in the community and contribute to their mental and cognitive health whilst strengthening community partnerships.

First Nations Grant - Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd (ICAN) :

• ICAN Learn is a social enterprise and exists to build workforce capacity within the community services, financial wellbeing, financial counselling, and broader related sectors. This grant will support volunteers to access accredited financial capability training enabling them to provide financial capability services, for example money management skills, to women building their financial resilience.

People’s Choice Award - VICSES Port Phillip: 

• The Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES) Port Phillip Unit has been active in our community for over 40 years, assisting our neighbours to recover from a wide variety of natural and other disasters. The grant will update essential equipment which is also provided to police and fire rescue services in the event of major crashes or assistance needed for crimes on roads.

Other grant winners:

• FareShare operates Australia’s largest charity kitchens in Melbourne, where chefs and volunteers work together to cook free, nutritious meals for people in need. Driven by cost of living and extreme weather events, the need for meal relief is at an unprecedented high. The grant will support the organisation’s community garden, increasing the amount of fresh produce available in the charity kitchen. 
• Rotary Club of Flemington’s Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program provides in school driver training for students. This grant will support year 10 and 11 students from Mount Alexander College and Simmonds College to attend the program.
• The RISE Refugee Pathways to Employment Project will support refugees in the Melbourne CBD and Inner North Melbourne to get their Australian Driver’s license. The driver training program provides culturally appropriate support and to a holistic suite of other necessary services to support pathways to employment.
• Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (GOAL): GOAL is a mentoring program which focuses on pairing African Australian young people with leaders in the community, including AFL and AFLW players. The grant will help fund the program’s workshops which provide participants with a foundation in goal setting, leadership and employability as well as building connections in their community.