The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) and Colonial Foundation has launched a three-year partnership to invest $3 million in enhancing digital skills and resources across remote, rural, and regional communities.
This funding aims to address a significant gap in financial support for FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program, one of its most in-demand initiatives. The additional resources will help meet the growing demand for small grants focused on digital connectivity and skills development.
FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton emphasised the importance of such funding, particularly for Australia’s smallest and most isolated communities.
“Through FRRR’s SRC program, we provide support to some of the smallest, most remote communities in Australia. These places experience the greatest digital inequity, which is why offering flexible funding to strengthen the digital skills, confidence and safety of these places is critical.
“These funds will enable more locals to get online, build social connections and access services, information, education and employment through training. Additionally, it will assist in enhancing digital connectivity by funding infrastructure when needed.
“We are also grateful that Colonial’s support will enable FRRR’s team to spend more time on the ground, in community coaching, listening, learning and connecting groups across the country facing similar challenges,” Egleton said.
Colonial Foundation CEO Andre Carstens highlighted the impact of digital inequality on regional and rural prosperity.
“The digital divide between remote, rural and regional communities and their metro counterparts has a significant impact on the prosperity and wellbeing of people in these places.
“We are thrilled to be able to partner with FRRR to offer targeted yet flexible funding to help reduce this gap in digital literacy, services and skills and enhance connectedness, capability and resilience.
“Rural people deserve the opportunity to build technical skills and knowledge so they can improve their quality of life and the way they engage both locally, and with the broader world. This tangible support of local not-for-profit groups will help provide better access to services, information, education and employment,” Carstens said.
Applications for the next SRC funding round, incorporating this new investment, will open at the end of March, with grants to be awarded in late August 2025.