Gippsland PHN – One Good Community Bushfire Grants

This program seeks to support bushfire-affected communities in East Gippsland with a focus on healing, recovery and resilience. It aims to enhance the mental and social wellbeing of individuals and communities affected by the 2019-20 bushfires, with a specific focus on the below groups:
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Young people aged 0-11 years
- Young people aged 12-25 years
- People aged 65+ years
- People with a disability
- People with social and financial worries

A total funding pool of $10,000 is available.

Eligible applicants include health and community organisations that must:
- Be based in East Gippsland.
- Have a focus on providing services to people of bushfire-affected communities in East Gippsland as justified by supporting evidence of need.
- Be willing to:
a) Participate in qualitative evaluation requirements to be determined by Gippsland PHN.
b) Work together with other like-minded people and be committed to an integrated approach for a mutual goal.
- Establish or supplement initiatives that:
a) Improve social connectedness and decrease isolation and loneliness.
b) Improve access to help and assistance.
c) Reduce mental health stigma.
d) Promote suicide prevention activities.
e) Foster healing, recovery and build community resilience.

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to those that:
- Foster community wellbeing and resilience, reduce stigma, raise awareness of mental health supports and encourage access to existing mental and social wellbeing support services.
- Support community connection, social and emotional wellbeing.
- Showcase positive local recovery journeys.
- Can create long lasting benefit to communities.

Applications need to demonstrate that activity can be delivered in accordance with current COVID-19 Government restrictions, guidelines and COVID-safe practices.