Recipients of grants under the new Elders Community Giving Project have been announced this week, with 14 grants committed to further support the needs of rural and regional communities around Australia.
2024 Community Giving Project recipient - Moura State High School students with Matt Mulholland- Science and Agriculture teacher, Brendan Crouch - Elders Moura Branch Manager, and Brooke Leo - P&C member
Run in-house by Elders, the Elders Community Giving Project offers grants of up to $20k for grassroots initiatives that will promote sustainable, focused, and long-term change in communities.
Recipients are listed below:
| Pillar | Organisation | Location | Project |
| Innovation into the Future Pillar | Moura State High School P&C Association | Moura, QLD | Aquaponics, Hydroponics and Vertical Gardens |
| Encouraging Diversity Pillar | Lucindale Country Club | Lucindale, SA | Expansion and upgrade of changerooms and amenities at Lucindale Country Club |
| Environmental Awareness Pillar | Crookwell AP&H Society Inc | Crookwell, NSW | Rainwater harvest from cattle shed |
| Environmental Awareness Pillar | Riding for the Disabled Association NSW | Cowra, NSW | Arena Tank, Cowra Centre |
| People and Regions Pillar | Swim Coaches and Teachers Australia - NSW Branch | Tamworth, NSW | Developing leadership capacities for aspiring regional NSW community swimming coaches and water safety instructors |
| People and Regions Pillar | Leadership Great South Coast Incorporated | Warrnambool, VIC | Regional Women LEAD |
| Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds Pillar | Trundle War Memorial Hall Committee | Trundle, NSW | Building a Healthy and Resilient Community-Trundle Community Gym |
| Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds Pillar | The Belinda McGowan Foundation Ltd | Barcaldine, QLD | Palliative and End of Life Cuddle Bed for Barcaldine Multi-Purpose Health Service |
| Safety First Pillar | GroWQ Association Inc. | Longreach, QLD | Farmer First Aid |
| Safety First Pillar | Dorrigo Showground & Public Recreational Land Manager | Dorrigo, NSW | AED Defibrillator x 2 |
| Safety First Pillar | Binalong Progress Association Incorporated | Binalong, NSW | AED Defibrillator |
| Safety First Pillar | Parndana Sports Club Inc. | Kingscote, SA | Defibrillator Cabinet |
| People’s Choice | Gundagai & District Hostel Accommodation Incorporated Trading as Uralba Hostel | Gundagai, NSW
| Community Transport |
| People’s Choice | St Luke’s Anglican School | North Bundaberg, Qld | Community Agricultural Club |
One such recipient is Moura State High School who will put the funding towards developing an aquaponics, hydroponics and herbponics systems, to assist students in their learning about alternate farming methods, sustainability, data analysis, system monitoring (including remote monitoring), growing methods of plant and marine life, fertiliser management, water quality, water testing, waste management and to produce vegetables and herbs able to be used in the school canteen and Home Economics classes.
Moura State High School Principal Trudy Lawson said students will be able to better understand and analyse the challenges faced in food and fibre production including an increasing world population, an uncertain climate, and competition for resources such as land and water.
“Students will have the opportunity to engage in these challenges by understanding the processes of food and fibre production and by investigating innovative and sustainable ways of supplying agriculturally produced raw materials,” said Mrs Lawson.
“This will increase the opportunities and avenues available for students at our school and is a great outcome for them, and our entire community.”
With hundreds of applications received from right around the country, Elders CEO & MD Mark Allison said that it was encouraging to see so many applications centred around health and wellbeing.
“We know anecdotally that country communities are unrivalled in how they rally together in times of challenge, but it has been heartening to see so many examples of how funding can help residents to improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of other members in their community,” said Mr Allison.
“Elders has been imbedded in rural Australia for generations now and we are proud to be able to contribute further to help improve the liveability of our regions.”
The Elders Community Giving Project will run again in 2025, with applications opening in March to not-for-profit organisations in regional, rural and remote communities.
More information is available on the Elders website.