Community grants to help the most vulnerable

THE Give Where You Live Foundation announced the recipients of their 2020 Community Grants last week.

A total of $916,600 was shared between 37 charities and not-for-profit organisations to help them care for those most vulnerable in the Surf Coast, Bellarine and Greater Geelong regions.

The Give Where You Live Foundation’s stated aim is to “address one of the most complex and entrenched social issues across our region – disadvantage”.

Among this year’s recipients are Barwon, Child, Youth & Family, Ocean Mind, Lifeline Direct (Geelong & South West Victoria) and Bethany.

Founded in 1954, the foundation has well-established methods in delivering grants, but chief executive officer Bill Mithen said this year they have altered their process due to the coronavirus.

“What it definitely did was change our process. A lot of foundations have very clear and set processes, and we do too, with how we grant the money out. But we just felt that in a time of crisis you need those (processes) and you need to act and do something urgently.”

The foundation subsequently gave out Emergency Grants in April to help groups in desperate need of funds. They also altered their process for selecting Community Grants recipients.

Contrary to their normal method, Give Where You Live Foundation had two separate types of applications: One for existing grantees to explain how they had been affected by the virus, and the other a more conventional type of application.

Mr Mithen said despite these changes, they were still able to involve the community in the grant selection process.

“We undertake a fairly big process where we ask for volunteers from the community to help us read the applications.

“A group of staff members, me included, read all of the applications and rate them, and then we give volunteers a selection of applications. We put them into small panels and then we give them all the material they need to rate them (the applications). They get all of that back to us, and then we collate all of that information and make some recommendations to the board.

“It’s a pretty big exercise, but a really good one because we think it’s really important to include the community.”

70 volunteers helped in the grant selection process this year, despite the challenges posed by lockdown restrictions.

People can find the full list of Community Grant recipients or donate to the Give Where You Live Foundation by heading to givewhereyoulive.com.au.