Three Moree groups have received a pre-Christmas boost in the form of $5,000 from the Bayer Fund this year as part of the Aussie Cotton Farmers Grow Communities (ACFGC) program.
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St Philomena's School Moree P & F, Moree Water Ski Club and Moree Show Society are three out of the 30 not-for-profit organisations in NSW and Queensland cotton-growing communities to benefit from the funding announced last week.
This year marks the sixth round of the ACFGC program, which is delivered in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and takes the total investment into cotton communities to $900,000.
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A local cotton grower nominated each of the not-for-profits that are receiving funds, which will help strengthen community resilience and positively impact on the wellbeing of cotton-growing communities. The majority of grant funding will be used to invest in infrastructure and equipment, and 23 percent of funds are being used to provide activities and services.
"There are many challenges associated with the drought for people living in rural Australia at the moment, and so there was a strong focus on developing organisational resilience, as was supporting lifelong learning, education and training," FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said.
"FRRR ran a series of grantseeker workshops in these cotton-growing areas, and the increased demand on not-for-profits for both short and long-term support was a talking point.
"Additionally, organisations providing direct support to farmers and their families discussed the heavy reliance on volunteers and the impact on those individuals who were giving support to others, while experiencing the effects of the drought first-hand.
"These grants will not only boost morale in the short-term but also create a lasting impact, as FRRR's research shows that communities typically leverage a grant three times over."
Cotton Australia CEO Adam Kay said the grants will provide a much-needed boost to cotton communities.
"We are proud of the contribution our industry makes to the communities in which we operate," he said.
"It is during times like these, where drought is biting, that the strength of our industry in supporting these communities comes to the fore.
"I congratulate the recipients of this year's grants and look forward to seeing what is accomplished."
Bayer Fund representative in Australia, Carissa Buckland, said that this year's nominations illustrated that there is strong community spirit within the cotton areas.
"Many of the projects being funded are all about bringing people together - for artistic workshops, picnic areas, school gardens and community shows," she said.
"It's great to see cotton growers giving back and doing their bit to strengthen their local community."
A complete list of grant recipients can be found on the FRRR website.
