Overview
ANZ Seeds of Renewal is a small grants program designed to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.
The program demonstrates ANZ’s ongoing commitment to shape a world where people and communities thrive. It is built on two key tenets:
- Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and
- Sustainable communities innovate, expand, and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.
Program Guidelines
ANZ-Seeds-of-Renewal-Program-Guidelines.pdf (frrr.org.au)
What are the program objectives?
The ANZ Seeds of Renewal program focuses specifically on helping to build vibrant and sustainable rural communities and ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia. It is built on two key tenets:
- Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life.
- Sustainable communities innovate, expand and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.
The ANZ Seeds of Renewal program is focused upon supporting projects that align to one of ANZ’s four focus areas:
1. Improving environmental sustainability
Supporting local causes to improve environmental sustainability practices, including initiatives that restore and conserve the natural environment or which contribute to lower carbon emissions, water stewardship and waste minimisation.
Examples may include:
- Educate local communities about the importance of environmental sustainability;
- Improve environmental standards within communities;
- Support or accelerate the adoption of better environmental practices;
- Encourage community participation at events or activities to improve environmental sustainability.
Examples of past projects:
- Condamine Headquarters Landcare Group – ‘Seeding’ a Community Landcare Nursery – Condamine, QLD: Boost environmental sustainability by developing environmental standards to develop a native plant nursery for the region.
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council – 58 Plants – Cocos Keeling Islands, WA: Improve the natural environment and amenity of the Cocos Islands through a replanting and educational program of activities involving the local community.
2. Improving financial wellbeing within the community
Supporting local programs and initiatives that improve financial wellbeing, particularly for under-represented and disadvantaged people in our community, including initiatives that improve economic participation, for example through building financial literacy and vocational skills and providing access to meaningful work.
Examples may include programs that:
- Build financial knowledge;
- Support job-readiness;
- Promote better financial behaviours and decision-making;
- Build financial confidence and wellbeing;
- Assist with financial goal-setting;
- Improve money management skills.
Examples of past projects:
- Realising Every Dream (RED) Inc – Money Mates – Lismore, NSW: Boost job readiness of people living with a disability in the Lismore, Richmond Valley and Kyogle regions by providing professional upskilling and mentoring programs over a 12 month period.
- The Shift Project Byron Incorporated – The Linen Shift – Byron Bay, NSW: Improve health and financial well-being of women, whilst providing employment opportunities, through the purchase of equipment to establish a new social enterprise.
3. Improving access to housing
Initiatives and programs that support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness (including at-risk youth, older people or those escaping domestic violence) or programs that provide housing support and services for people living with disability.
Examples may include:
- Improving disability access to community facilities;
- Programs and initiatives for those experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness;
- Improving accommodation facilities for people living with disability;
- Encouraging community participation in initiatives to support those experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
Examples of past projects:
- Youth Involvement Council Inc – Housing for Life – Port and South Hedland, WA: Support positive outcomes for young people at risk of homelessness in the Port Hedland region of WA through purchase of household items for a youth crisis accommodation facility.
- Murray Human Services Inc – Design for Access and Mobility – Echuca, VIC: improve availability of accessible housing in Echuca through the upgrade of an access ramp at a local residential care facility.
4. Other community projects that assist local communities to thrive
Projects seeking to deliver outcomes that align to either of the key program tenants of:
Enabling vibrant communities that are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and/or
Creating sustainable communities which innovate, expand and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.
Example of past project:
- Rex Theatre Museum Limited – Cascade of Culture: A Roadmap for Rural Creative Diversity – Charlton, VIC: Build a vision for community vibrancy and sustainability by developing a 10 year roadmap for community activity at the Charlton Rex Theatre.
How much funding is available? Are there priority areas?
Through the Seeds of Renewal program, ANZ commits $250,000 which is distributed through grants of up to $15,000 to community organisations for projects that will help their community thrive.
All requests will be considered with a focus on the priority areas listed below:
- Projects that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term benefit to a regional Australian community;
- Projects that benefit a large number of people from a diverse range of social groups;
- Projects that encourage inclusion and participation of under-represented or marginalised groups;
- Projects that demonstrate co-contributions (either in-kind or from other funding sources) and broad community support will be looked upon favourably – it is highly recommended that you include these within your application.
Note: Where structured volunteering by ANZ staff would add value to the project, ANZ is keen to facilitate this in-kind support but it is not a requirement.
What can be funded?
A broad range of charitable projects aligned to the program themes are considered under this program including:
- Delivering, or providing activities, events, programs and services;
- Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
- Community infrastructure projects;
- Developing the resources of the community including volunteers and items that will enable participation in projects.
What can’t be funded?
There are several areas that we can’t fund through this program. If in doubt, please contact us.
- Federal, State and Local Government organisations and projects including but not limited to core business or areas of responsibility;
- Political organisations;
- Religious or sectarian organisations involved in purely religious / sectarian activities;
- Primary and Secondary Schools;
- Ongoing core organisational operational costs (e.g. rent, utilities, regular wages, loan repayments);
- 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 beyond the sporting activities of the club; - Overseas travel and overseas projects;
- Prizes, gifts, trophies or awards;
- Projects that primarily benefit private business, a sole trader, or private interests;
- Projects solely focused on animal welfare.
Is my organisation eligible?
To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible;
- 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 be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
- Organisations can submit one application per grant round; and
- Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.
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 entity (i.e. a registered not-for-profit), 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 / 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.
Volunteering opportunities
Opportunities may also be made available for ANZ staff to provide further in-kind support by volunteering their time to assist successful organisations.
Note that this is not part of the grant process and answering ‘no’ will not negatively influence the assessment of applications.
