Our Grants
Exploring Christian Faith and Values
Funding goal
Young people are able to make life choices informed by an understanding of Christian faith and values
Funding outcomes
- Young people gain knowledge of and interest in Christian faith
- Young people have positive, engaging experiences that encourage their participation in Christianity
WHY ‘Exploring Christian faith and values’?
VFFF’s Founder Sir Vincent Fairfax was a committed Christian and actively involved in the Anglican Church. Christian faith was a central pillar of his life and character, providing purpose, a robust ethical framework and the basis of care for others.
Today, VFFF supports charitable organisations that provide young people with opportunities to explore Christian faith and values. What we have heard from young people is that they are looking for opportunities to explore faith ‘in their world’, seeking:
- To build a sense of connection and trusted relationships and to benefit from someone investing time in them
- An opportunity to take faith-based action, grounded in the notion of ‘service’ and often linked to social justice
- An opportunity to debate, ask questions and explore faith with both peers and other generations
- Faith exploration at their points of interest – at community facilities, at sport, school, university, and that they can attend with peers
- The chance to interact with role models and get peer support, often from someone a few years older.
The following are the types of activities that VFFF supports to achieve our funding outcomes:
- Provide young people with access to Christian teachings.
- Provide young people with opportunity to actively participate in faith based activities with their peers.
- Promote discussion with young people of Christianity’s place in the development of modern society.
- Provide Christian ministry to educational, community and sporting
institutions. - Activities that are youth-led and informed by authentic input from young people.
- Activities that provide young people with responsibility, autonomy and where their views are respected.
Please note that VFFF does not accept unsolicited applications.
From FY23, VFFF granting under Exploring Christian Faith and Values will focus on a small number of large, multi-year operational funding grants. These grants will support organisations that demonstrate:
- Strong demand from young people with sustained high levels of youth participation
- Strong governance, sound processes and organisational capacity to work at scale
- Growth mindsets with a breadth of activities supporting young people’s faith journey.
Please note that VFFF does not provide funding for individual churches.
“The Spiritual part of our being is exactly like a battery. If we don’t regularly sit down quietly and recharge it there will be no light either inside for our heart, or outside for our personality.”
Sir Vincent Fairfax
Leadership Broadcast, Country Women’s Association, August 1954.
Case Studies
Youthworks
Alpha Australia
Crusaders
Current Grants
Alpha Australia – core operations funding to support the continued growth of Alpha Youth
Anglican Youthworks – core operations funding to increase the capacity of the Ministry Support Team
Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) - building organisational capacity to engage in fellowship and grow students' Christian knowledge and faith at university
Red Frogs Australia - core operations support towards fundraising and volunteer management capacity to support further growth
Baptist Union of NSW - to build the capacity of the Baptist Youth Ministries team and expand their reach across NSW
Youth Alive Australia - to build fundraising capacity and increase their reach to rural and regional young people
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