East Gippslanders invest in their community
The strength of a community is often measured in how it responds during tough times. Few know this better than remote and rural communities, who are exposed to droughts and other natural hazards on a more regular basis than their urban counterparts, and who find themselves rising to the occasion time after time.
When the devastating Black Summer Fires ravaged East Gippsland in 2019-20, the region was thrown into crisis. Over half of the municipality land area was directly fire-impacted, and hundreds of residents were suddenly thrown into a state of emergency. The community was deeply hurting. But like a phoenix, it was through the pain that it found its strength.
Local residents, determined to support those in need, banded together to provide immediate relief. But when they realised that East Gippsland also needed long-term support, they decided to establish the East Gippsland Community Foundation (EGCF). The organisation would have the ability to invest in a range of projects that would promote resilience and well-being for all East Gippslanders, with an initial focus on fire-impacted communities.
Established by the community, for the community, the Foundation was seeded by donations to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. This was a partnership between the Victorian Government and the charitable arm of Bendigo Bank, known as the Community Enterprise Foundation.
As EGCF commenced operation in East Gippsland, Bushfire Recovery Victoria was transitioning out, so the timing was right in terms of community support at the grassroots level.
Since 2021, EGCF has had a substantial impact on the local community. This has been aided by the Foundation’s close relationship with the East Gippsland Shire. Together, the two organisations have formed partnerships and worked tirelessly to distribute funding to support community-led initiatives and assist communities on their recovery path.
Michelle Dowsett, EGCF’s Executive Officer since its beginning, has been an integral part of their success. Michelle says she has seen the community unite around EGCF and the projects it has funded in a way that makes her hopeful for East Gippsland’s future.
“The ability for EGCF to work alongside the East Gippsland Shire Council, often as co-funders of projects and activities through our various streams of funding available to each of us has worked particularly well. In 2023 and 2024, the Foundation is administering funding for community events made available by the local council & Emergency Recovery Victoria. This approach has worked well for all three entities, and most importantly the community itself.”
In this short time, EGCF has done remarkable work, delivering over $4M to the local community, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
The Board has recently developed a Growth and Sustainability strategy to ensure it is able to continue to service Gippsland in both times when natural hazards occur and the times in between when building resilience and capacity in communities is so important.
EGCF has also rolled out a new initiative to create employment opportunities through Business Corporate Scholarships, initially within the East Gippsland Shire footprint. For people like Michelle, this is precisely the kind of work that the Foundation was set up to do.
“Outside of providing Black Summer Fire recovery funding through Victorian Bushfire Appeal funds, we’re really proud to be tackling the issue of employment and capacity building in our region,” she says.
“Local businesses have found it hard to find the right people, and local people can find it difficult to gain the right experience for vacant roles. This is where we enter in an aim to match local students’ study aspirations and local workforce needs.”
While the Foundation has been built from the ground up by the community it seeks to serve, Michelle says it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the broader community foundation ecosystem. “Personally, I’ve learned a lot from our relationship with Community Foundations Australia and the other community foundations I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Seeing what others in our network are doing is invaluable for a young foundation like ours.”
As one of the newest members of Community Foundations Australia, EGCF has demonstrated an impressive ability to respond swiftly to the immediate needs of East Gippsland’s people, while also allocating significant resources to ensure the region’s long-term sustainability.
Anyone looking to find out more about East Gippsland Community Foundation or make a donation can visit their website www.givetoeastgippsland.org.au