Frequently Asked Questions
Right now, our community organisations across the Northern Rivers are responding to a series of crises, including drought, bushfires, floods and now the COVID-19 pandemic. They will need our help to both support our community through the recovery phase and build resilience for the future. That is why the NRCF have launched the Resilience & Regeneration Fund, our first ever flow through Fund.
NRCF would normally invest your donations into a Community Fund, and we only use the income from those investments for grant programs. That way we not only give now, but we also build a Fund for our community’s future. Donations to a ‘flow through fund’ are not invested, rather they are distributed directly to the community via a grants program. The NRCF is committed to ensuring donations to the Resilience & Regeneration Fund go exactly where they are needed most, right now. Funds will be distributed directly into the hands of community organisations across the Northern Rivers through a special Recovery and Resilience Grants program in mid July 2020.
Donations to the Resilience & Regeneration Fund will be distributed to community organisations through a special Recovery and Resilience Grants program, scheduled for mid 2020. NRCF will use our established grant making systems for this program that include a fair and transparent assessment process.This program will be focused on funding solution-based responses to the current challenges faced, as well as helping to build a community that is resilient to disasters and crises. Feedback from community will help shape the Recovery and Resilience Grants program and ensure funds raised go to supporting those most vulnerable and in need of help. Further details on the Recovery and Resilience Grant program and application process will be provided at the end of June, with the Program opening mid July 2020.
In order to gain a clear understanding of the challenges our communities are facing now and in the future, NRCF’s research team has been in discussion with community leaders and front-line staff who are working at the coal face of need. It has become clear from research to date, that the greatest challenges will be faced as the COVID-19 crisis abates, when our community groups will be on the ground helping people recover. They are expecting a surge in demand on support services in mental health, domestic violence, homelessness, transitional accommodation and financial support.
Community Resilience is the sustained ability of a community to use available resources (energy, water, communication, transportation, food, etc.) to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations (e.g. floods, bushfires, economic collapse to global catastrophic risks).
Community Regeneration is the community's ability to seed new ideas and ways of working, in order to continue to survive and thrive in restricted environments. Those restricted environments can be financial, social, environmental and/or as a result of a crisis in climate or health.
Community led regeneration projects also focus on supporting capacity building and development of local community groups and their projects, in addition to regenerating the vital functions of a community following a crisis.
The Resilience & Regeneration Fund will be our first ever ‘flow through’ Fund – which means your donation will go directly into the hands of community organisations in the Northern Rivers who are impacted by a crisis, be it a global pandemic or natural disaster, through the Recovery Grant program.
The Recovery and Resilience Grants Program will be launched in mid 2020 with funds to be distributed to community organisations this year. Further details on the Recovery and Resilienct Grants Program and timeline will be provided by the end of June.
The Resilience & Regeneration Fund has been established to address local need in the Northern Rivers. The associated Recovery and Resilience Grants Program will be open to local organisations or organisations where 100% of their project or program activities benefit a community within the seven Northern Rivers Local Government Areas (LGAs).
No. NRCF’s strategy has always given priority to establishing a community fund for the long term and that remains an important focus. Our Corpus will remain in place – only the income used for our regular Community Grant program for 2020 will be applied to the Northern Rivers Resilience & Regeneration Fund.
Yes, a special Recovery Grants program will replace our annual NRCF Community Grant program in 2020 only. The Recovery and Resilience Grants Program will support projects that are focused on recovery and building resilience across our region as the COVID-19 crisis abates.
No. The NRCF are continuing to support our 2020 NRCF Community Grant Recipients in both adapting and completing their funded projects in the current environment.
The Fund will remain in place to support the Northern Rivers community during current and future crises. The Fund will always focus on ‘impact now’ funding, with the aim to funnel funds in the short term where they are needed most. The Fund will be supported by a network of community partners across the seven LGAs of the Northern Rivers region who will help identify critical areas of need, as well as resilient and regenerative solutions for rebuilding our communities.
You can donate via the NRCF website, on our dedicated Resilience & Regeneration Fund page.
If you have a question or require further information, please contact Emily or Lydia at info@nrcf.org.au.