Two funds from Australian Communities Foundation, the Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong Fund and Hobsons Bay Community Fund, have both received $100,000 in support from the Ecstra Foundation.

“Ecstra is empowering 10 Community Foundations with $100,000 each to create and scale initiatives which address issues of financial exclusion and economic equality in their communities. These grants acknowledge Community Foundations’ unique ability to execute whole of community projects and to create long term impact through local projects.”

A snapshot of the grants include:

• VIC – The Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong Foundation will deliver evidence-based financial capability training for frontline staff with ICAN in the Melbourne and Gippsland region. This will empower staff at First Nations communities to better support their clients on money matters.
• VIC – Hobsons Bay Community Fund have two programs launching using peer design and co-design approaches for young students. Inner West Communities Foundation is running an education program with Victoria University Academy, and WynBay LLYn will run the Gordon TAFE program.
• VIC – Inner North Community Foundation is expanding on the success of the pilot program for Young Changemakers of Inner North Melbourne, where students learn practical money management skills while working with local charities.
• VIC – A collaboration between the Give Where You Live Foundation and the Geelong Community Foundation aims to improve the financial capability in the Geelong region by building the capacity of frontline workers. This builds on the first place-based Financial Inclusion Action Plan in the nation.
• VIC – Roads to financial wellbeing through the Bass Coast Community Foundation involves mapping community financial wellbeing to inform the development of information and education tools.
• VIC – Regional communities recently devastated by bushfires and floods face unique challenges and want to shift conversations about money. In particular, talking about money know-how across generations with Into Our Hands Community Foundation.
• NSW – Sydney Community Foundation with a program called Be Kind Sydney will map financial capability programs available in Western Sydney to identify gaps, improve connections for women seeking support and to raise awareness of financial education for empowering women and their communities.
• NSW – The Village Well is an initiative of the Northern Rivers Community Foundation offering financial education and micro loans programs, with an impact measurement component to track success for future programs.
• SA – With a clear mission to build a stronger and more resilient community, the Fleurieu Community Foundation is embarking on an early intervention program to help protect local residents in the Adelaide region from falling into financial hardship.
• WA – Forward thinking towns such as Denmark, in remote Western Australia are taking on new initiatives. Denmark Community Foundation has embarked on building the financial wellbeing of their community by trialling new support models and workshops to improve the financial capability of local residents.

^{Image: Launch of Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong Fund, 2019. Credit: Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong Fund.}