2023 Northern Rivers Grants Recipients
Through our recent grants round, we are excited to donate over $201,000 to 10 not-for-profits addressing social and environmental concerns across the seven local government areas of the Northern Rivers.
The successful recipients for the 2023 Northern Rivers Grants Program are:
$27,560
Through providing support services, events and a network, Queer Family aims to create a community and a safe space for LGBTIA+ in a region where there is a lack of queer/queer affirming services. In the 2022 floods, they lost their ‘clubhouse’ which meant they were not able to provide many of their services and programs. Through our grant, we will be supporting with them with a year’s worth of rent to give them a step up and enable them to develop a community centre.
"Queer Family are utterly thrilled and just so grateful to receive this support from Ingrained. Being able to provide a safe home for our staff, volunteers, and community is a dream come true. Thank you!"
Aiden Gentle, Managing Director
Queer Family volunteer meeting at the flood effected clubhouse in 2022
Sophia, Asphyxia and Aiden signing the lease on their new Queer Family community centre in Mullum
Shedding Community Workshop Inc
$30,000
Shedding’s workshop is an all-inclusive space for diverse communities to gather in a safe environment and discover a passion for tools, hands-on learning and self-discovery. Our grant will enable a year-long initiative in which Shedding will travel to communities across the Northern Rivers and share hands-on carpentry and building practices, as well as repair and recovery services, as an avenue to wellbeing, self-empowerment, resilience, and community connection.
"Shedding Community Workshop Inc has supported our locals with skills in carpentry and building as an avenue towards self-empowerment, wellbeing and community connection. We are honoured to receive so many requests for more all-inclusive community sheds and repair cafes across the region. We are so excited to bring this dream into reality - we call it 'Shedding on the Road'. This funding will enable us to hit the road to share our values, our practices, our networks and resources with like-minded individuals and organisations who share our passion to support the wellbeing of our region together - shedding our fears and building with curiosity."
Sophie Wilksch, Director
$10,000
This environmental not-for-profits regenerates and restores habitats for endangered koalas. The funding will enable the connection of the tree corridor from Lismore into Kyogle shire, with the planting of up to 1055 trees.
Bangalow Koalas is thrilled to receive this grant off inGrained Foundation. With our first grant funded back in 2019, this planting has regular koalas utilising the trees, from as early as eighteen months after planting. So we know what we are doing is actually making a real difference and we can see our Koala Wildlife Corridor taking shape.
Linda Sparrow, Founder
$30,000
In an effort to protect Indigenous mums being separated from their babies (something that is 10 times more likely to happen by child protection services to Indigenous children than non-Indigenous children), Coolamon Community make Coolamon Cribs for expectant mums. Our grant will enable the multiplication of value many times over by creating 130. Building on the success of the first twelve months, Coolamon Community will be able to increase their support from Illuka to Tabulam and down to South Grafton and surrounds.
“The Aboriginal Health Services we work with provide culturally safe healthcare - the "Coolamon Crib" is given to mums-to-be, usually in their second trimester of pregnancy and is part of a well established program of pre and post natal care promoting healthy pregnancy, nutrition, breast feeding and safe sleeping after baby is born. For 130 First Nations mums and their bubs that is life changing. The “Coolamon Crib” contains all those items a mother needs to support her and her new baby in those important early months, including baby’s bedding and clothing, mothers’ essentials for personal care etc.”
Evie Wood – Co-Founder
$15,000
Since 1986, Fingal Head Coastcare have been restoring native vegetation on the Fingal Peninsula. Through our grant they will be able to replace the very old dilapidated benches in their nursery which have been used for propagating plants for the restoration work and install new watering systems.
“Fingal Head Coastcare sincerely thank inGrained Foundation for this generous grant which enable us to improve the efficiency and safety of our operation.”
Richard Fingal, Director
Green Heroes
$10,300
Green Heroes vision is to empower community to be environmental visionaries. As part of the broader Jungarra Ngarrian Conservation project, the Turtle ID initiative that we are supporting aims to engage a larger proportion of the Northern NSW community in the conservation of marine mega fauna – in particular - the local population of marine turtles. Through the development of an app that accurately identifies turtles, the group will be able to track migrating patterns and affirm that in fact their patterns ie. where they nest and aggregate is changing due to climate change.
“The trust and support given to us via the Ingrained foundation is exciting and incredibly empowering. The Ingrained Foundation has helped us to realise a vision for the strengthened protection and preservation of our local marine megafauna, in particular, sea turtles. We can now expand our Turtle ID project reach and community engagement.”
Sarah Jantos - Founder
Human Nature Adventure Therapy
$30,000
Providing nature-based mental health support for young people aged 14-20 who are experiencing significant mental health challenges and trauma, Human Nature captures young people who fall through the cracks. To continue the expansion of the Activ8 program that we funded last year, our grant will enable an additional 103 sessions with young people over the next twelve months.
“Thank you for helping us provide life-changing mental health support to young people who have nowhere else to turn to. We're delighted to be working alongside the inGrained Foundation to respond to the greatest needs in our local community. Together, we can empower young people to triumph over adversity and thrive.”
Sharyn White, CEO
$10,000
Rainforest Rangers regenerate rainforest in collaboration with volunteers across the Northern Rivers. Our funding will contribute to establishing a permanent base – a shed - for community volunteer activities relating to rainforest restoration in the Big Scrub region of northern NSW and to deliver educational community rainforest restoration workshops under the Rainforest Rangers Volunteer Rainforest Restoration program.
$19,966
Funding this social enterprise will contribute to them expanding their launder service that will employ women over 55 who are at risk of homelessness.
"Thank you to InGrained Foundation for supporting our work. This grant will supporter our ongoing partnership with Elements, 5 star resort, by expanding our services and building a stable financial base. Increasing our services will provide more opportunity for employment and financial independence".
Anne Goslett, Founder - SHIFT Project
$19,000
Located in Ballina, Dementia Inclusive identified a gap in their service for young people and their carers living with early onset Dementia. Through their grant, Dementia Inclusive will provide a 12month wellness program that will look to empower them maintaining life skills for people living by improving daily functioning, social connection, mental health, overall wellbeing and inclusiveness.
Thank you to everyone who applied and congratulations to our recipients, we look forward to supporting and following sharing their journeys over the next twelve months.
If you are interested in knowing more please contact us [email protected] or kindly support our work by making a donation.