THE Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) are looking for people with innovative ideas to enhance the lives of 12 to 30-year-olds living in remote, rural, and regional NSW.
They’re inviting applications for grants of $50,00 through the Backing the Future program.
In NSW, the program has already supported 28 individuals by investing $1.4 million in rural youth-focussed projects.
Jenny Wheatley, VFFF CEO, 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 with the staff from FRRR, who provide additional capacity building, connections and networking to ensure that grantees have an opportunity to pilot innovative ideas.”
Mid North Coast grant recipient in 2022, Josie Clarke, used the funding to develop a platform to promote accessible job opportunities for young people interested in agriculture.
Her successful project was the development of AgCess, a job site which allows employers to outline the accessibility features of a role or workplace.
At the heart of this project is the recognition that workers with disabilities are talented, skilled and a great fit for many positions.
Grant funds enabled Josie to hire a software engineer to develop AgCess and supported advertising and marketing for the product launch.
Expressions of Interest are due by Monday 28 July 2025.
By Andrea FERRARI
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