The Northern Rivers Community Foundation proudly accepts the invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The NRCF is committed to upholding its values of Integrity; Belonging; Care; Social Responsibility and Being Visionary. 

This includes “including and welcoming people from diverse communities” as well as “to support communities in a balanced and considered way to be socially just, sustainable and to thrive”. 

As such, we strive to create an inclusive and supportive community for our First Nation brothers and sisters, a population who we know have poorer social health determinants of health than non-Indigenous Australians, due to systemic and broad ranging factors. 

As the Uluru Statement from the Heart says: 

“Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.” 

NRCF CEO Sam Henderson said the systemic change needed to eliminate disadvantage for Australia’s First Nations people was a whole-of-community challenge. 

“At Northern Rivers Community Foundation we are keenly aware of what community-led action can achieve,” Mr Henderson said. 

“Through our Community Grants Program, our donors have been able to fund some incredible projects including those of Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation, Bunjum Aboriginal Corporation, Bundjalung Tribal Society, The Returning Indigenous Corporation and Budjaram Aboriginal Corporation… community-led, grassroots change for Aboriginal communities. 

“Our First Nations Elders and communities continue to be generous in sharing of knowledge of caring for Country and culture, despite the fraught history.  

“We need to return that generosity of spirit by listening to the Statement from the Heart and walking beside our First Nations friends to help eliminate the disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians.”   

Uluru Statement from the Heart 

Voice 

Enshrining a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution. 

Makarrata 

The coming together after a struggle to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history. 

Please visit the Uluru Statement From the Heart website to see how you can become involved.