Our annual Customer Grants Round invites our community customers to apply for funding of up to $10,000 for projects that have a positive benefit for people, the planet, and create prosperity.
Check out the 12 successful 2018 Customer Grants projects below.
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
This grant will help plant a corridor of birdwing butterfly vines to join two isolated population groups and expand the current breeding habitat of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly.
The Richmond Birdwing is one of Australia’s largest butterflies, with a wingspan on up to 16cms, and is currently listed as vulnerable due to clearing of its rainforest habitat. The project will plant over 1000 of the special vines that are the only place the butterfly can breed, in a corridor between Neurum and Samford, Queensland.
Grant value: $7,500
Impact area: Planet – Environmental Conservation
Project location: Queensland
Local branch: Brisbane CBD
How to get involved and show support:
- Join the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network
- Subscribe to Birdwing News
- Follow the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network on Facebook
- Participate in any public planting events that are advertised through Bank Australia or the above channels. Stay tuned!
About this community customer: The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland is supporting the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network (RBCN). This is a small organisation focusing on the recovery of the Threatened Richmond birdwing butterfly. This incredible butterfly is susceptible to extinction due to loss of connected habitat and importantly their host vine, the Birdwing Butterfly vine.
Check them out:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
James Cook University Early Learning Centres
This grant will support the Kids Connecting to Country program. This program will engage with over 150 children and the local community at two James Cook University (JCU) Townsville early learning centres by providing ecosystem restoration, local Indigenous teaching and storytelling, developing a bush tucker garden and educating pre-school aged children through hands-on learning with JCU environmental experts and Indigenous Elders.
Grant value: $8,000
Grant category: People, Planet – Reconciliation, Environmental Conservation
Project location: James Cook University Early Learning Centres, Townsville, Queensland
Local branch: Townsville
How to get involved and show support:
The staff at JCU Early Learning Centres and JCU Environment Department invite you to get involved with upcoming community planting days at the UniCare and UniKids centres in September. Volunteers can help plant native trees to restore the local ecosystem and learn about the local environment.
Community planting day dates and times:
- 9am – 11am Wednesday 5 September - UniCare centre – 1 James Cook Drive
- 9am – 11am Wednesday 19 September - UniKids centre – Monkhouse Road
Later in the year the community is invited to help plant bush tucker gardens at both centres and enjoy a tour of the facility with storytelling and cultural teachings from local Indigenous elders (dates to be announced.)
About this community customer:
JCU Early Learning Centres are non-profit, community-based long day care centres located at JCU's Douglas Campus. The two centres offer places for infants to pre-prep children.
Their professional and dedicated team provide a program that enables children to learn through exploration and stimulating experiences, within the surrounding natural environments.
Check them out:
Road to Refuge
The grant will support the ‘In My Own Words’ program – a training fellowship designed to build a network of highly skilled refugee storytellers and inclusion advocates. The program will provide a series of skill-sharing & project development workshops on campaigning, narrative construction and media skills for budding refugee advocates, to help realise their storytelling projects.
The purpose of this program is to help people with a lived experience of seeking asylum to positively reframe the dominant narrative about refugees in Australia, and address some the leading inclusion issues facing the refugee community.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People – Refugees and people seeking asylum
Project location: Across Victoria
Local branch: Fitzroy
How to get involved and show support:
- To get involved in the program, email info@roadtorefuge.com.au and use ‘Bank Australia’ in the subject line!
About this community customer:
Road to Refuge believes that sustainable and safe refuge for all people seeking asylum will be possible when refugees are able to take back the narrative about their lives and experiences. They partner alongside refugees and people seeking asylum to ensure their voices are heard, respected and valued in mainstream debate.
The organisation does not seek to speak on behalf of others. Instead, it focuses on amplifying refugee voices and positioning their stories to ensure their insights and experiences are given the platforms they need to reclaim mainstream debate.
Check them out:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
Kiwanis Club of Echuca Moama
This grant will provide the mooring, registration, insurance, motor servicing fees and ramp construction for the Kiwanis Club of Echuca Moama to continue their signature project, MV Kiwanis. This project provides a unique, safe, accessible haven for children with access needs to enjoy wonderful day enjoying a BBQ and boat ride on the Murray River.
Grant value: $5,000
Grant category: People – Disability inclusion, Educational disadvantage
Project location: Echuca, Victoria
Local branch: Echuca
About this community customer:
The Kiwanis Club of Echuca Moama is part of Kiwanis International, a network of members that look for new and innovative ways to meet the needs of children through local service projects and fundraising. Kiwanis International’s charter is “one child, one community at a time” and their motto is “Kids need Kiwanis”. The majority of their work with their 22 local members, is with kids.
Human Nature Adventure Therapy
This grant will support the Recre8 Young Women’s Adventure Therapy Program, a therapeutic program for young women aged 14-19 in the Northern Rivers and Southern Gold Coast region.
The program empowers young women to overcome trauma and abuse, disadvantage, drug and alcohol dependence, mental health and other challenges, to powerfully transform their lives over four months. The program includes a powerful ten day outdoor expedition to help them overcome significant emotional and other personal challenges and connect to self, nature and their own inner capabilities.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People – Educational disadvantage, Disability inclusion, Financial inclusion, Family violence
Project location: New South Wales/ Queensland
Local branch: Sydney CBD
How to get involved and show support:
- Donate to the program here.
- Email Recre8@humannature.org.au to volunteer at Human Nature Adventure Therapy community events or to provide graphic design, marketing, media, publications support
About this community customer: Human Nature Adventure Therapy is a charity established to operate Nature-based Adventure Therapy Programs to assist vulnerable, disadvantaged and/or at-risk youth aged 14 – 19 primarily from the Northern Rivers and Gold Coast Regions. Their vision is for a world where young people triumph over adversity and thrive.
Check them out:
Climate for Change
This project will help Climate for Change support Latrobe Valley locals to host workshops in their communities to have meaningful and constructive conversations about climate change, its impacts on the Valley and how they want to respond.
“One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever” - Linda Lambert.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People
Project location: Latrobe Valley, Victoria
Local branch: Morwell
How to get involved and show support:
- For those who live in or know people in the Latrobe Valley spread the work about the workshop dates and encourage your networks to get involved.
- Attend a workshop. Stay tuned here.
About this community customer:
Climate for Change engages everyday people to build understanding of, concern about and commitment to act on climate change. Their flagship conversation program is inspired by the famous Tupperware party model and involves facilitated conversations about climate change, within homes, among friends. They currently support conversations with 300 new people each month across Victoria and Queensland.
Check them out:
Pingala
Pingala, in partnership with The Valley Centre, is installing solar and batteries in the house of an Aboriginal Elder in the remote community of Brewarrina, NSW. They will document this story through video to highlight the energy justice issues faced by remote communities, and raise awareness of the importance of this initiative to encourage community renewable energy projects.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People, Planet and Prosperity – Renewable energy, Reconciliation, Financial Inclusion
Project location: Brewarrina, NSW
Local branch: Sydney CBD
How to get involved and show support:
- Donate to their fundraising campaign to fund the installation of the solar panels. Stay tuned!
About this community customer:
Pingala has a vision of a fairer energy system, where communities are empowered to own and operate their own renewable energy, sharing the benefits of this opportunity. They want to generate unstoppable momentum for 100% renewable energy, so that they can build a green future and reduce the community’s footprint.
Check them out:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Nature Conservation Council NSW
This project will support the Repower Summit, an inspiring day that will provide people with the skills they need to be community climate organisers and advocates to accelerate the climate action movement and, generate ideas to address climate change.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: Planet – Renewable energy, Environmental conservation
Project location: New South Wales
Local branch: Sydney CBD
How to get involved and show support:
- Stay tuned for more information about the summit dates and how to register at https://www.nature.org.au
About this community customer:
The Nature Conservation Council NSW are leading advocates for nature in New South Wales. They are committed to protecting and restoring the state’s natural environment. They represent more than 160 community organisation with a combined membership of over 60,000 individuals. Together with their members they are a voice for nature.
Check them out:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube
Lifeline Central Victoria & Mallee
This project will train volunteers in telephone crisis support for Lifeline Central Victoria & Mallee’s second 2018 volunteer intake. They train approximately 17 volunteers twice each year, so they can learn how to listen deeply and support those who contact Lifeline and those around them, relieving distress, enabling coping skills and building resourcefulness.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People
Project location: Bendigo, Victoria
Local branch: Bendigo
How to get involved and show support:
- Attend an information with Lifeline Central Victoria & Mallee to find about more about the volunteer program. Stay tuned for more information.
- Donate to Lifeline Central Victoria & Mallee
About this community customer:
Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee supports callers from all over Australia who are experiencing crisis. Their goal is a suicide-free Australia and resilient communities.
Check them out:
The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre
This grant will support the From House to Home program which will provide free access to household goods, furniture and appliances to survivors of family violence who are moving from temporary housing to a new home. The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre's partners will work with and take referrals from partner organisations who deliver crisis support and early intervention accommodation.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People and Planet – Gendered and Family Violence, Environmental conservation
Project location: Marrickville and Parramatta, New South Wales
Local branch: Sydney CBD
How to get involved and show support:
- Share this project with your networks, online and offline!
- Donate to the project
About this community customer:
The Bower is an environmental charity whose mission is:
- to reduce the amount of waste entering landfill by reclaiming household items for repair, reuse and resale;
- to encourage reuse via repair and upcycle workshops;
- to provide affordable goods to low-income earners and other disadvantaged groups and to generate local employment.
Check them out:
Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House
This grant will support the Collingwood Underground Roller Disco series. The discos are held in an underground carpark where people can enjoy a roller skating rink, food and drinks, and performances by some of Melbourne’s most respected DJs and performers.
The Roller Disco is an accessible, inclusive, all-ages event that is fast becoming an essential part of Collingwood’s Cultural calendar. The discos aim to increase participation and interaction between public housing residents and people with different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People – Family and gendered violence, Educational disadvantage, Refugees and people seeking asylum, Financial inclusion, Reconciliation and Disability inclusion.
Project location: Collingwood, Victoria
Local branch: Fitzroy
How to get involved and show support:
About this community customer:
This project is supported by the Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood house. The Collingwood Underground Roller disco is a community run not-for-profit that manages and operates roller skating events in the Collingwood Underground Carpark beneath the towers of the Collingwood Housing Estate. Founded in 2017 the CU Roller Disco is run by residents of the housing estate together with a small team of volunteers.
Check them out:
Website
Facebook BANH
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reground
Reground is building a community hub; a space where individuals can come to see first-hand how waste can be used as a resource. This hub will facilitate workshops to teach skills that can change the community’s waste disposal habits, enable people to compost their own food scraps and grow their own food from community compost.
Grant value: $10,000
Grant category: People – Environmental conservation
Project location: Melbourne, Victoria
Local branch: Fitzroy
How to get involved and show support:
- Reground will provide an update when the community hub opens so you can participate in composting activities, deliver your own food scraps and attend a free workshop.
About this community customer:
Reground is a sustainable waste education service, redirecting coffee waste from landfill to gardens city-wide, reducing the carbon impact of coffee consumption. Reground exists to help cafes, create a community around organic waste and innovate on our current waste disposal structure, making it more resourceful for our pocket, people and planet.
Check them out:
