Renewable energy initiatives, school beekeeping programs, and sustainable community gardens are just some of the inspiring community-led projects to receive funding through Essential Energy’s Essential Grants Program.

Thirteen community groups across NSW have been announced as winning recipients of the program, which provides financial support for groups, service providers, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations working to drive significant environmental and social change in their communities.

This is the inaugural year of the Essential Grants program, which offers grants of up to $15,000 for community projects that provide a positive impact across regional, rural and remote NSW. Winners are chosen across the 10 operating areas of the network for the benefits they provide to their local community through initiatives supporting the environment, education, resilience or the energy transition.

Many of the groups among this year's winners have demonstrated immense resilience over the last few years, affected by recent floods, storms, fires and the cost-of-living crisis. Amid such difficulties, they have continued to support their communities through initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable future.

According to Essential Energy’s Head of Sustainability, Sophie Cruickshank funding community-led projects in these challenging times is important to the organisation.

“We’re proud to invest in the groups who give so much to their local community, working hard to implement positive and lasting change. We look forward to seeing how the grants can further support the winners in delivering their initiatives and the benefits to their local area and beyond,” Sophie says.

The winners of the Essential Grants Program are as follows:

Realising Every Dream (REDinc), Lismore, Casino and Mullumbimby: REDinc are installing a 15.4kW solar system and battery at their Lismore service centre to improve their environmental impact and operating costs. REDinc provide a vital support service for people with disability, children and young people at risk to become active members of society, increase independence, overall wellbeing and social inclusion.

Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC), Parkes: The facility will be installing a 15.3kW solar system as part of a renewable energy initiative to drive significant cost saving. The PCYC will reinvest the savings into their valuable youth programs. The PCYC supports youth-at-risk to break the cycle of disadvantage through crime prevention, vocational education, youth capacity building and social responsibility programs to change the life outcomes of hundreds of youth.

Three Rivers Aboriginal Corporation (TRAC), Orange: TRAC are leading the innovate initiative for school students, Ngarru Yanha – Bee’s Journey. The program is a youth-led sustainable beekeeping and land regeneration project involving students in beekeeping, sustainability learning, leadership, solar energy management and native plant regeneration. The Aboriginal-led organisation is dedicated to environmental stewardship, youth empowerment and STEM education.

Halfway Creek Community Reserve Land, Grafton: The group are looking to revive the Halfway Creek Community Hall by installing solar panels and a battery system with blackout backup to enhance resilience. The Community Hall is an important multi-purpose facility within the area, and has also provided much needed refuge in times of floods, major storms and bushfires.

Bandon Grove School of Arts, Bandon Grove: The community hall will install a solar and battery system to ensure back-up power to essential circuits (e.g. refrigeration, water and internet) during an emergency. The Hall is a community-owned space that has served as an important meeting place for generations and a critical building in times of extreme weather events.

The Broken Hill Little Athletics Centre, Broken Hill: The Broken Hill Oval will be installed with a filtered cold water fountain, reducing the need for single use plastic water bottles. The oval is where rural kids can develop their athletic skills and come together as an inclusive community. The filter will be a great step forward in their initiative to implement sustainable practices into the club and community, as well as reducing costs for the club.

The Albury Women’s Shed (AWS), Albury: AWS are developing a sustainable community garden, built and tended to by the women within the organisation who come to learn new skills in areas of woodwork, mosaics, copper foiling, gardening and other crafts. It will provide access to fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit to the 72 women, supporting a circular economy and providing relief from the rising cost of living.

Repurposing for Resilience (RfR), Eurobodalla: RfR are delivering the “Plate Forward: RfR Wash Trailer Initiative”, a mobile dishwashing facility to assist with reducing single-use packaging at festivals and events on the NSW South Coast. The completely solar powered initiative will support the regional community to minimise waste, promote a circular economy and foster community collaboration.

Deniliquin Local Aboriginal Land Council, Deniliquin: Milimpilyi Women’s Garden, led by local women in the rural town will be further developed to address food insecurity in the community. The garden will serve as a collaborative space for local women to grow fresh, nutritious produce, which will be distributed to families and individuals in need. The Deniliquin Local Aboriginal Land Council is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal communities through social and economic development.

LeaderLife, Dubbo: LeaderLife are leading an initiative to keep kids alive and out of jail with a regenerative agriculture project on land near the Macquarie River, installing a solar panel energy system to support a regenerative farm. The project engages at-risk youth in hands-on learning, training and paid employment. LeaderLife’s programs support over 250 children and youth each year to build brighter futures.

Carinya Court Complex Inc, Boorowa: Carinya Court are installing solar panels and a small battery to power their accommodation which supports elderly and disadvantaged residents of Boorowa and the surrounding areas. The solar panel system will save the group at least 50% of their energy costs, allowing them to further support their residents.

BackTrack Youth Works Ltd, Armidale: BackTrack are further developing the solar power system at their sites for at-risk youth, focusing on their newly renovated farmhouse. The solar will significantly reduce electricity costs, allowing BackTrack to invest more into supporting young people who may be struggling with complex challenges including disengagement from education and contact with the justice system. 

Tintinhull Public School P&C Association, Tintinhull: “STEM Explorers: Innovate, Create and Elevate!”, is a hands-on initiative bringing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities to their Outside School Hours Care service. The program will promote environmental awareness through sustainability-focused experiments, coding challenges, and engineering tasks using recycled materials. The program aims to provide access to quality STEM education to rural children.

Since 2018, Essential Energy has contributed more than $1 million to over 1500 community groups through the previous Community Choices and Community Halls programs. The Essential Grants program continues this support, focusing on initiatives that align with Essential Energy’s corporate and sustainability strategies.

The Repurposing for Resilience (RfR) solar-powered mobile dishwashing facility in action in Eurobodalla.