Applications are now open for grants of $50,000 to develop innovative ideas that enhance the lives of young people (aged 12-30) in remote, rural, and regional NSW.
The grants are available through the Backing the Future program, through the Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR) and Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF).
In NSW, the program has already supported 28 individuals by investing $1.4 million in their rural youth-focussed projects.
VFFF CEO Jenny Wheatley said the family foundation is excited about the potential to discover transformative ideas.
“Our experience shows that the hardest part of getting a project off the ground is securing initial funding to test the idea,” she said.
“This is especially true in rural and remote areas, where high costs and smaller populations make piloting new projects even more challenging.
“Backing the Future bridges this gap by trusting that leaders in local communities can create transformative opportunities for young people, when provided with the right resources.
“Applicants not only get the grant funding, but they are also connected in with the staff from FRRR, who provide additional capacity building, connections and networking to ensure that grantees have an opportunity to pilot innovative ideas.”
Applications are open to anyone aged 18 and older with an idea to benefit young people in their remote, rural or regional NSW community.
The program is now using an expression of interest process, which closes on July 28.
Successful EOIs will be invited to submit a full application from Wednesday, August 13.
To learn more, head to www.frrr.org.au/backing-the-future or call 1800 170 020 and speak to FRRR’s Youth Futures manager Lauren Ryan.