The recipients of grants under Elders Community Giving Project have been announced this week, with 15 grants committed to further support the needs of rural and regional communities around Australia.
Lucy Meyer (Rural Products Sales Rep) and David Klingner (Rural Products Sales Manager) of Elders Jamestown with Georgia Honan, and Rachel Redden, BFCAA board member, and her children.
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:
| Grant pillar | Organisation | Location | Project description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encouraging and Celebrating Diversity | Dungog Community Preschool Kindergarten Incorporated | Dungog, NSW | New Community Preschool - Disability Inclusion Building Modifications |
| Encouraging and Celebrating Diversity | Popanyinning Progress Association | Popanyinning, WA | Popanyinning Community Shed |
| Environmental Awareness | Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association Incorporated | Bundaleer North, SA | Recycling Drought-Affected Bundaleer Forest Timber for Nature Play |
| Environmental Awareness | Allora Show Society Incorporated | Allora, Queensland | Allora Show Society Water Harvest Project |
| Innovation into the Future | Jamestown Community School | Jamestown, SA | Livestock Monitoring Technology - TruTest XR5000 scales |
| Innovation into the Future | Stirlings to Coast Farmers Inc. | Mount Melville, WA | Ag Career Connect Great Southern (ACCGS) |
| Safety First | Guyra VRA Rescue Squad Incorporated | Guyra, NSW | Enhancing Rural Rescue Capabilities with Holmatro T1 Forcible Entry Tool |
| Safety First | Callide Valley Mens Shed Inc. | Biloela, Queensland | Install Aircon to Common Room |
| Healthy bodies and Healthy Minds | Yea and District Memorial Hospital | Yea, Victoria | Saleyards and Stethoscopes: Farmer Health Checks at Yea Cattle Sales |
| Healthy bodies and Healthy Minds | CatholicCare Central Queensland Limited | Rockhampton, Queensland | Therapeutic Garden |
| People and Regions | Oatlands District High School | Oatlands, Tasmania | Updating school farm fencing/yards and water system |
| People and Regions | Boisdale Consolidated School | Boisdale, Victoria | Calf rearing facilities for Boisdale Consolidated School Farm |
| People’s Choice | Pinnaroo Primary School | Pinnaroo, SA | PPS Poultry Pals Project |
| People’s Choice | Ringarooma Primary School | Ringarooma, Tasmania | Safe Boundaries: Installing Perimeter Fencing for Ringarooma Primary School Farm |
| People's Choice | The Centenary Park Committee | Manoora, SA | Gas Fryers to Feed the Community |
Nature play trail for local children
One such recipient is the Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association who will use the funding to transform drought-affected timber into a nature play trail designed alongside local children. The trail will feature themed activity pods that reflect the forest’s heritage and environmental challenges. By recycling this dead timber, the initiative will create a lasting, accessible space for play and education for all ages and abilities.
Chair of the Bundaleer Forest Community Areas Association, Greg Boston said the project is all about turning something difficult into something positive and lasting.
“We’re so thankful to the Elders Community Giving Project for supporting this vision and helping us bring it to life."
"The loss of so many trees at Bundaleer has been quite confronting, but now we have the chance to repurpose that timber into something our whole community can enjoy,” Mr Boston said.
“We’re really proud that this is a local effort from start to finish. Local children are helping with the design as part of forest kindy and forest school, Bundaleer Forest timber will be harvested and milled locally, and talented local woodworkers will bring the forest furniture and nature play pods to life.
“People right across our region have felt the effects of this drought, and we are hoping this project brings some joy and connection for our community and for all visitors to Bundaleer Forest for years to come.”
Elders CEO and MD Mark Allison said that it was encouraging to receive applications from almost every corner of Australia.
“The reach and diversity of this year’s applications show just how deeply the Community Giving Project resonates across Australia,” Mr Allison said.
“It’s testament to the passion and resilience of rural, regional and remote communities, and to the meaningful role Elders can play in amplifying those efforts.
“This initiative is one way we give back and invest in initiatives that will support in building further connections and capability in towns. The Elders culture is true to the value of community spirit, it’s something our people embody, and I am so proud to see this program build on that legacy.”
Applications for Elders Community Giving Project will re-open in 2026. Registrations of interest are now open on the Elders website.