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South West Community Foundation

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South West Community Foundation

The South West Community Foundation is working to strengthen the community of South West Victoria through the engagement of local philanthropy.

www.southwestcommunityfoundation.org The South West Community is building a permanent fund to support our communities and enrich the lives of the people who live here. The Foundation will support community organisations 'from the ground up' by using funds generated through donations, endowments and bequests generously provided by the people of South West Victoria. South West Community Foundation i

s committed to providing local community groups with an opportunity to build their capacity through targeted granting. It covers the local government areas of Colac Otway, Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne, Southern Grampians and Warrnambool. Contact Executive Officer, Annabel Cussen to find out more about the work we do.

08/09/2026

A new season, new life, and a beautiful place to work.

The SWCF office is tucked away in what the team affectionately calls "the cubby" at Deakin University, Warrnambool Campus, nestled amongst the beautiful white Gum trees.

A little while back, Alison and Maggie noticed two herons creating a nest just outside their window. Now that spring has arrived, so have two very special little additions. Two fluffy, demanding and utterly adorable chicks, affectionately known as Ripple & Reach.

Watching them grow has been a lovely reminder of how important it is to have a safe place to build, grow and thrive. And in many ways, that's what SWCF strives to do every day. Creating opportunities, connections and support that help children, families and communities flourish.

People do their best growing when they have the right environment around them. Somewhere safe, nurturing and connected.

Perhaps that's why the cubby at Deakin feels like such a fitting home for SWCF.

06/09/2026

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, stepdads, father figures and grandfathers across South West Victoria.

Today we celebrate the men who show up, who give their time and who make a difference in the lives of those around them.

A special mention to two of the wonderful dads in our own team, David and Ray. We hope you both have a well-deserved and wonderful day.

03/09/2026

So, what does our Executive Officer, Alison, think after spending six months in the role?

We thought it was timely to check in and find out!

01/09/2026

Applications for the Colac Community Fund are now open!

If you have a project that benefits the Colac Otway community and creates lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you're part of a community group, a not-for-profit, or a grassroots initiative with a vision for your area, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.

Head to https://www.southwestcommunityfoundation.org/grants/colac-community-fund-2026-grant/ to apply and read the full terms and conditions.

Don't miss out. Get your application in today!

27/08/2026

Our Executive Officer Alison shares her reflections from a recent session as part of Leadership Great South Coast's Rural Women LEAD program.

It was a privilege to connect with local First Nations artist Sherry Johnstone, a Keerray Woorroong, Yorta Yorta woman of the Maar Nation, as part of the Rural Women Lead program.

Sherry shared a deeply personal and inspiring story of reconnecting with her creativity, culture and identity through art. Her journey reminded us that our experiences, both challenging and joyful, can shape who we become, strengthen our resilience and help us find our sense of purpose.

A key takeaway for me was the importance of honouring where we come from and allowing our stories, culture and lived experiences to inform the way we see and create in the world.

Sherry's artwork and her explanation of the symbolism within First Nations culture expanded my understanding and gave me new ways to think about how symbols, stories and connection to Country can communicate meaning.

It was particularly meaningful to learn from a local First Nations woman and to create an artwork inspired by what I had learned, connecting her cultural storytelling with my own experiences.

Thank you, Sherry, for sharing your knowledge, creativity and story with such generosity. It was a powerful reminder of the connections we can make when we take the time to listen, learn and create."

- Alison, Executive Officer, SWCF

25/08/2026

We are so excited to share that this year, the Koroit & District Community Fund will be directing funds toward the Koroit Pump Track project.

Pictured here is the design plan, courtesy of Moyne Shire Council, and we have to say, it's looking pretty exciting.

This is a significant project for the Koroit community, and one that will create a fantastic space for young people and families to connect, get active and enjoy for years to come. We are genuinely thrilled to play our part in helping bring it to life.

We will be keeping a close eye on progress and will share updates with you along the way. Watch this space!

20/08/2026

Save the date! Our Annual General Meeting is coming up and we'd love to see you there.

South West Community Foundation's AGM will be held on Wednesday, 14 October at 5.30pm at Noodledoof Brewing Co in Koroit, supporting our Koroit & District Community Fund.
We’re thrilled to announce that our guest speaker for the SWCF Annual General Meeting will be Sarah Hardy.

Sarah is a Board Director at Southside Community Foundation, former Deputy CEO of Philanthropy Australia, and has previously held CEO roles with organisations including the RE Ross Trust and Menzies Foundation. She is also Co-Founder of Youth Live4Life, a youth mental health and wellbeing initiative supporting communities across Australia.

With her extensive experience across community foundations, philanthropy, governance and youth programs, Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge, insight and inspiration to share.

We look forward to welcoming Sarah and our SWCF community for what promises to be a wonderful evening — a chance to connect, reflect on the year that has been, and celebrate the people, partnerships and work that make South West Community Foundation what it is.

More details to follow. We hope to see you there!

18/08/2026

Applications for the Gardiner Foundation Community Development Grants have now closed, and we are busy reviewing what came through.

Following a successful inaugural round in 2025 that invested $150,000 into local projects across Victoria, this year's program offers grants of up to $10,000 for place-based initiatives that foster social connection, wellbeing, digital inclusion and improved access and mobility for people in Victoria's dairying regions.

We've been really pleased with the interest in this round and are looking forward to sharing outcomes with the community soon.

South West Community Foundation is proud to facilitate this program in partnership with the Gardiner Foundation, Gippsland Community Foundation, Border Trust and Greater Shepparton Foundation.

Stay tuned for announcements.

16/08/2026

We're excited to see the Stepping Up into Community Leadership program launch for another year, with a fantastic cohort of 12 local leaders ready to get started.

Delivered by Leadership Great South Coast, this program is designed for people who are new to community leadership, looking to refresh their skills, or simply wanting to deepen their connection to the region and the people in it.

Over 10 days running from July through to November, participants will take part in immersive workshops, field trips and action learning experiences across the Great South Coast region, including Glenelg, Moyne, Southern Grampians, Corangamite and Warrnambool.

It's a practical, connected and genuinely community-led approach to leadership development, and we love seeing it grow year on year.

South West Community Foundation is proud to support Leadership Great South Coast and the important work they do to build leadership capacity across our region. Congratulations to this year's cohort. We can't wait to see what you achieve.

14/08/2026

We have seen what GreenPeint Projects can achieve, so we are excited to see the outcome of the Hawksdale Eco Track!

Address

Deakin University
Warrnambool, VIC
3280

Opening Hours

Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

+61437756082

Website

http://www.southwestcommunityfoundation.org/

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