July 2022 Community Grants Announced

Twice every year the Sisters of Charity Foundation provides grants of up to $15,000 to community projects and programs that break down social isolation and alleviate the impact of poverty on individuals and families.

Applications for the July grant round opened 8 July 2022 and closed 31 July 2022. In total 101 EOIs (Expressions of Interest) were submitted. Of these, 34 organisations progressed to stage 2 and were invited to submit a full application; in the end 24 organisations were selected to receive grant funding.

A snapshot of the projects

“We provide sandwiches and compassion to the homeless of Brisbane every day of the year, a role we have played for over 52 years,” says Michael from Coffee Brigade Brisbane. “Unfortunately, homelessness is rising due to cost of living pressures, rent affordability and mental health issues, and the needs of this section of society are acute.” The charity is relocating to a larger commercial site to increase its capacity, however, the new building requires a kitchen fit-out. Grant funding will help with costs including benches, furniture and plumbing.

Pop In Southern Highlands works to combat intergenerational domestic violence and abuse. The charity will use its grant to develop an educational program for frontline workers who have daily interactions with pre-schoolers and young children, such as childcare workers, teachers and healthcare professionals. The program will enable frontline workers to identify and implement support strategies for children and caregivers impacted by domestic violence and abuse.

Singing in a group has a profound positive mental health impact on participants. Grant funding will allow the Sydney Street Choir Foundation to run a choir program at the Dillwynia Women’s Correctional Centre. In 2023 around 60 inmates will learn to read music and refine their singing technique, developing confidence and new friendships. “We provide an inspirational and encouraging musical program, which can then allow members to open up about what they need in their lives to help them overcome the obstacles they are facing,” says James from Sydney Street Choir. “We will also connect the participants with the choir upon their release, so that they have the option to continue to be a part of a supportive musical group.”

A 2022 report from the Grattan Institute found that the reading skills of disadvantaged students in Australia are 2.7 years behind those of students from a higher socioeconomic background. Embrace Education sought funding to recruit and train 50 tutors to provide support to 130 students over the next year. Quality tutoring – both individual and in group settings – as well as the provision of tablets and textbooks will help bridge the educational gap between disadvantaged students and their peers.

A Community Grant will help RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees operate a driving program for non-English speaking refugees. Participants will gain skills, training, supervised practice, and an Australian driver’s licence, assisting them to get on the road as a pathway to employment in Australia – at a time when the logistics and transport industry is recruiting heavily.

List of successful Community Grant recipients

Below are the names of each organisation that received a grant in the July 2022 round and its project or program name.

• Australian Anti Ice Campaign Pty Ltd – ‘Celebrate Recovery’
• Centre for Accessibility Australia – ‘Supporting our free helpdesk’
• Coffee Brigade Brisbane – ‘New premises kitchen fit-out’
• Eagleby Community Association Inc – ‘Hardship Relief Program’
• Embrace Education – ‘Fund 50 tutors to make quality education more accessible’
• Emmanuel City Mission – ‘Secure lockers for the homeless’
• Family Inclusion Network Townsville – ‘Outreach Program’
• Fibromyalgia ME/CFS Gold Coast Support Group Inc – ‘Help for people living with chronic illness that fall through the gaps of NDIS and other support’
• Flying Fox Services Ltd – ‘Stopgap funding for children with disability who do not have NDIS funding to attend Flying Fox camps and programs’
• Hayden’s Helping Hands – ‘Food office’
• Heal.ed Tribe Ltd – ‘Youth Mental Health for Schools’
• Heart & Soul Group – ‘Tables’
• Hearts of Purple Ltd – ‘Operation Family Protect’
• Iris Alice Springs Ltd – ‘Vehicle to support and deliver food, clothing, blankets and firewood to outback Aboriginal communities around Alice Springs’
• Lifehouse Queensland Inc – ‘Mums Program’
• NCJW Vic – ‘Golden Age Club Rejuvenate and Connect Program’
• One Eighty Avalon Inc – ‘Peer support groups for youth mental health’
• Pop In Southern Highlands Ltd – ‘Frontline worker education program’
• RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees – ‘Pathways to Employment Driving Program’
• Roundabout Canberra – ‘Regional Distribution Support Project’
• Sydney Street Choir Foundation – ‘The Dillwynia Women’s Correctional Centre Choir Program’
• The Kogarah Storehouse – ‘Emergency food parcels’
• Vinnies Kitchen Inc – ‘Upgrade kitchen equipment and Volunteer & Client Safety Project’
• Zoe Support Australia – ‘Mentally Healthy Mothers’

How to apply for a Community Grant in the next round

There are two grant rounds each year:

• The February grant round opens 1 December and closes 5 February.
• The July grant round opens 8 July and closes 31 July.

Before you apply you should make sure you are eligible. Submit your EOI here by the due date. Selected EOIs will then be invited to submit a full application.