Our Beginnings
The Gippsland Community Foundation (established as the East Gippsland Community Foundation) was formed to support the east Gippsland community in its recovery from the devastating 2019-2020 Victorian Black Summer bushfires.
Created by the community, for the community, the Foundation received $8.8 million funding from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, a partnership between the Victorian Government and the charitable arm of Bendigo Bank, known as the Community Enterprise Foundation.
By creating close relationships with residents, community recovery committees, government agencies and local government we have been able to identify and distribute funding to grassroots, community led project across flame impacted communities. Projects range from local events and other small but important expenditures, to assisting with rebuilds and new builds of community assets, improving emergency preparedness, mental health programs, tertiary scholarships, and more. GCF will continue to work with communities to distribute the full $8.8 million dollars through grants, partnerships and projects that build capacity beyond recovery.
The silver lining in the cloud of the Black Summer Fires.
The single best thing to come out of bushfire recovery has been the arrival of the (East) Gippsland Community Foundation. By working on the ground with our fire affected communities, who all have differing needs and priorities, GCF has enabled non-competitive access to funding for community-led projects and activities. This has reduced our workload, stress and definitely boosted our resilience. They are independent of government and government agencies which alleviates bureaucracy and red tape. They are flexible and adaptive to assist with funding to achieve our community driven recovery priorities, which are not static, our needs change over time and GCF funding flexes with our needs.
Julie Saunders - Wairewa Public Hall & Recreation Reserve, Community Recovery Committee Secretary
Helping people, changing lives
In 2024, Gippsland Community Foundation recognised gaps in community centered funding co-ordination across wider Gippsland. Bringing our experience and learnings of impactful community-led funding GCF moved to extend its reach, offering the same opportunities for community involvement, connectedness, growth and sustainability to Wellington, Latrobe and Baw Baw Shires.
Gippsland Community Foundation now provides a centralised hub for community funding across four LGA’s that uniquely reflects the needs of our regions.
The intent moving forward is to raise capital, manage funds to build relationships and local assets, and make funds available to support community centered, community driven, and community led projects and activities over the long term. GCF will also work closely with existing community foundations in South Gippsland and Bass Coast, as well as maintain our close relationships with Community Foundation Australia and Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR).
East Gippsland Community Foundation Board and Staff at the Annual General Meeting at the Bruthen Mechanics Hall on 13 November 2023.
