FROM March 12, local not-for-profits in the Northern Rivers can apply for a share of $100,000 to boost social and environmental regeneration in the region.

Thanks to the inGrained Foundations’s Northern Rivers Large Grants Program 2020, local not-for-profits with deductible gift receipt (DGR) status will have the chance to apply for a grant between $10,000 and $30,000.

This grant will also give not-for-profits the opportunity to show how their particular projects are contributing to regeneration and social connection in the region.

The program, which is in its second year running, will award a maximum of 10 grants in May.

The total funding pool also includes a $10,000 ‘Employee Funded Grant’ created by the permanent team at local independent brewery Stone & Wood, who substituted their monthly carton allowance with a cash donation to the inGrained Foundation to raise money.

As part of their employee benefits, the Stone & Wood employees receive two cartons of beer per month. As part of the internal fundraising program, employees were given the option to sacrifice those two cartons and in return the dollar value of those cartons would be donated to the inGrained Foundation.

James Perrin from the inGrained Foundation said the theme of this year’s Grants Program stems from the bushfire crisis that impacted parts of the Northern Rivers in late 2019.

“Following such a prolonged and horrific bushfire season, and as people along the East Coast of Australia enjoy some respite and start rebuilding their communities, for us a future-focused theme of recovery, regeneration and connection felt right,” he said.

Mr Perrin also said the Foundation was excited to increase the Grants Program Funding pool from $60,000 to $100,000, enabling them to award more recipients this year.

Recipients of last years grants included SHIFT Project, Shaping Outcomes and Bangalow

Koalas, who shared in $60,000 worth of funding. The theme for 2019 was ‘create connection’.

With the help of $27,000 grant funding last year, SHIFT Project launched their Linen SHIFT social enterprise laundry service that provides training, employment and support to women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the Byron Shire.

The grant enabled Bangalow Koalas to start building a ‘koala corridor’ from Byron to Lismore, made up of over 2000 trees.