One million dollars in funding is open to community organisations and charities looking to improve Canberra’s health outcomes, address systemic disadvantages, and engage socially disadvantaged or marginalised community members.

Canberra’s largest charity funding cooperative, The Canberra Foundations Collaborative, opened its annual grant round to locals on 22 February. To make sure they reach as many organisations as possible, these grants will generally range from $5000 to $25,000, with a few reservations up to $50,000. There is also a limited number of multi-year agreements available for eligible projects.

The collaborative includes local foundation Hands Across Canberra, which supports community organisations working with socially disadvantaged and marginalised people to address the challenges they face. They are joined by the John James Foundation, a leading medical charity focused on strengthening health outcomes in Canberra, and The Snow Foundation, which supports health, education and employment, economic justice and safety, and for-purpose initiatives.

Hands Across Canberra CEO, Peter Gordon said, “The benefit of a cooperative group like ours is twofold. By combining our knowledge and resources, we boost our capability to deliver larger grants to charities and non-profits that hone in on the root cause of the issues they address. It’s also a powerful opportunity for our cohort to learn and make community-changing decisions together.”