The challenges volunteer event committees are facing

Late last year, the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal (FRRR), released the outcomes of a study on how rural community groups such as volunteer event committees are faring.

Their research confirmed that volunteers are feeling overwhelmed, and community groups are finding it tough to keep going and keep supporting their communities.

Community groups provide vital services to their communities. Without them, there would be significant impacts to the economy, and to the wellbeing of the people who live there.

The key challenges

Is your committee experiencing any of these challenges? You are not alone!

  • There are fewer volunteers, and more exhaustion and frustration due to the cumulative effects of recent natural disasters

  • COVID has meant the loss of support from funders and supporters, and the loss of the ability to run events

  • COVID highlighted the digital divide between the city and the country – highly unreliable and/or slow internet connection has not allowed rural communities to ‘pivot’ to online selling of services or goods, or to maintain social connections

The solutions (from a grants perspective)

Being a funding body that has granted $135 million to more than 12,000 community projects since 2000, FRRR’s study identified how grants can better support community groups in these challenging times:

  • Allow more flexibility in how and when funding can be used

  • Simplify the onerous grant application process

  • Provide community groups with help to complete applications

  • Provide longer term funding to reduce the administration burden of reapplying, the need to reapply regularly, and the fear of not being funded again, and to allow community groups to make longer term plans

  • Provide training in fields such as grant writing, marketing, governance and leadership

Watch the presentation of the report:

For event organisers, For Councils, GrantsLinda TillmanComment