Uncategorised

The official opening of Hotel Etico in Mount Victoria on 5 June was a special day that celebrated the hard work of the many people involved in the set-up of Australia’s first social enterprise hotel.

In June, VFFF Directors approved a special family distribution grant for $1.3m over three years to support the Guardian Australia in developing a rural and regional media network and the Centre for Media Transition (CMT) at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) to undertake research on post philanthropic business models which will support and sustain commercially viable news media enterprises in rural and regional Australia.

In August 2020, the VFFF Grants Committee approved $50,000 to support the University of Technology Sydney’s Regional Journalism Internship Program.

The program supports UTS journalism students to complete a one-month, paid internship placement with a small regional newspaper.

The VFFF partnership with Australian School Plus is one of our most significant grants, providing $11M over eight years to support the Fair Education Program across NSW.

This quarter, VFFF approved 9 new grants totalling $2,055,000.

Click on each organisation to find out more about their work.

This quarter, VFFF approved 8 new grants totalling $3,093,733.

Click on each organisation to find out more about their work.

In November, the VFFF Grants Committee approved $50,000 in core operational funding for Sober in the Country, a national charity changing the conversation about alcohol in rural Australia.

Stephanie Fairfax, a member of the VFFF Grants Committee since 2015, interviewed Founder and CEO Shanna Whan about her personal journey of overcoming addiction, and the evolution of Sober in the Country.

In September 2019, VFFF approved $305,000 in core operational support to Great Lakes Agency for Peace and Development (GLAPD) for their work assisting refugees and migrants to resettle in rural and regional areas.

By the time we met Emmanuel Musoni and the GLAPD team, they had already supported 138 people to resettle with jobs in rural communities in NSW, QLD and Victoria, with almost no funding. This was off the back of an Australian Story episode that showcased their unique, community-focused approach.

In 2016 VFFF purchased Warrah, a residential property in Armidale used by BackTrack Youth Works to provide a roof over young people’s heads for either long-term or emergency accommodation.

Warrah is a safe environment that offers its residents a safe environment where they can relax, learn general life skills such as cooking, cleaning and interacting as a family.

This quarter, VFFF approved 9 new grants totalling $1,708,710.

Click on each organisation to find out more about their work.

The VFFF Grants Traineeship is a rare opportunity for a recent graduate to gain experience in the not for profit and philanthropy sector.

Back in 2013, VFFF employed our first Grants Trainee and since then, this 18 month Trainee role has become an essential part of the VFFF team.