Australia Wildfires Relief Fund

As 2020 comes to an end, we are reflecting on the importance of community. It has been inspiring to see the global community work together to support local communities impacted by disaster, even during the most difficult times. This has been especially true after the devastating bushfires that swept across Australia earlier this year. Thanks to your generosity, GlobalGiving’s community foundation partners in Australia are driving bushfire recovery and building back stronger.

Community foundations play a critical role in the local social sector. Empowering local people and letting them lead are central to their work. With community knowledge and connections, they can provide immediate relief and get targeted funds to those that need them most. 

Through GlobalGiving’s strategic partnership with Australian Community Philanthropy, your contributions have supported the exemplary work of seven community foundations that continue to respond to the terrible impacts of the Australia bushfires in their areas:

• Community Foundation for Tumut Region is providing a second round of local business vouchers to families in the Tumut area of New South Wales whose homes and property were damaged in the fires. The vouchers will allow families to purchase materials to rebuild and native trees, shrubs, and garden plants to restore damaged local ecosystems.
• Mumbulla Foundation, based in the Bega Valley of New South Wales, is supporting its community by providing psychosocial care to frontline responders.
• Into Our Hands Community Foundation is deploying GlobalGiving funding through hyperlocal grants to small organizations and initiatives in North East Victoria that are focused on holistic community recovery and building resilience against future fires.  
• Upper Murray Innovation Foundation is expanding the scale of its long-term bushfire recovery efforts in the Upper Murray region of Corryong, Victoria in consultation with a locally led advisory committee. The committee, composed of community members, will respond to a wide variety of local needs caused by the fires. 
• Southern Highlands Foundation is allocating grants to local community organizations focused on medium- to long-term recovery in the Wingecarribee Shire area of New South Wales.
• Northern Rivers Community Foundation, located in New South Wales, supports community-based organizations and initiatives in the Northern Rivers region. Following a community listening project, it launched a Recovery and Resilience Grant Program to support local initiatives like a community education and action program focused on strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience.
• Community Foundation For Albury Wodonga Region (Border Trust) is supporting 13 local community initiatives, including the creation of a community greenhouse, in the Albury Wodonga area on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. 

These critical community initiatives are only possible because of your support. Thank you for joining with more than 26,000 other donors to drive community-led disaster recovery efforts through organizations with first-hand knowledge of people’s needs following a disaster and the best path to a stronger future. In the months ahead, we’re looking forward to sharing another update on how your donation is making an impact in Australia. 

With gratitude,

Mikaela + the GlobalGiving Team