FRRR grants $390,000 to 11 Queensland projects

While the program is specifically designed to help drought-affected communities to build on existing strengths and resilience, program manager Deanne Cavalier said the latest round had shown the impact COVID-19 was having on the capacity of volunteers, as their focus turned towards families and job security.

"This naturally has had flow-on effects on the capacity of community groups to maintain continuity of services and their ability to maintain momentum on community-focused projects," she said. "While this certainly limits resources, we want local groups to know that we are here to support them and will continue to back them as they find ways that they can best support their community."

She said that despite the pandemic, local leaders still had ideas about how they could support their communities and just needed someone to back their ideas.

One of them was the Charters Towers Women of the Outback Shed, which received $36,702 to construct an additional space to accommodate increased membership and activity.

At the other end of the state, the Granite Belt Art and Craft Trail Open Studios Event 2020 was awarded $20,000 to put towards reducing social isolation and enhancing economic renewal through their event.

In the middle of the state, an illuminated sculpture will light up the Tambo Dam, thanks to $45,000 to increase tourism numbers and stay length.

Not far away, CQUniversity received $18,320 to deliver the Central Highlands Social Enterprise Hub project at Emerald, which it said would enhance knowledge, leadership and skills development in social development activities.

Dalby and Chinchilla groups have each received assistance - $60,000 for the Chinchilla Race Club to install shade structures and increase community comfort at local meetings, and $46,200 for Proactive Dalby to develop marketing and business plans for six local community groups.

Another large outdoor shelter area will be going up thanks to TTTT, at Moonie, where the Moonie Sports Club was granted $54,721 to deliver better community events.

The Warra Progress and Heritage Society can refurbish the former Haystack School Building, which operated between 1910 and 1968, thanks to a $20,000 grant.

Kilkivan's Veterans and Community Men's Shed now has $55,105 to construct themselves a shed to reduce social isolation; the Hodgson Soldiers Memorial Hall has $12,000 for restumping, to continue encouraging community events; and $22,089 will enable the Glenore Grove Public Hall to construct accessible toilets and increase storage.

In total, this round funded 36 community-led projects across Australia valued at nearly $1.3 million.

Ms Cavalier said it was thanks to donor partners that FRRR was able to help local groups to strengthen, adapt, evolve, innovate and renew their communities.

They include the federal government, which committed $15m to be distributed over three years, the Pratt Foundation, Stockland CARE Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, The Snow Foundation, Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Henroth Group and private donors from across the nation.

Applications for the TTTT program are always open and groups in drought-affected areas are encouraged to apply for funding to help their community come together to tackle the drought.

The cut-off dates for future rounds are: