Leanne Small, David Crew and Leanne Mulham from SRCF at the National Community Foundation Australia forum in Melbourne.
The Southern Riverina Community Foundation (SRCF) is creating a new way for local people to invest in the future of our community.
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SRCF was included among the first 33 community foundations in Australia to recently receive Ministerial Declaration under the new Community Charity guidelines legislated in 2025.
Of those 33, only eight were brand-new organisations.
The group has been working toward the Community Charity goal for almost a year, with 16 community members representing a broad range of local experience coming together to learn more about what a community foundation could offer.
The group was formally established in November, with three directors and a secretary appointed.
Applications were then lodged with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), along with paperwork for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
Member Leanne Mulham said today, SRCF has a dedicated committee of 12 volunteers who meet monthly to plan the Foundation’s launch and educate the community about its purpose.
“The Foundation aims to bring together donations from individuals, businesses and organisations to create a growing pool of funds that can support projects delivering long-term positive impact across our community,” Mrs Mulham said.
“Committee members have spent recent months learning from other successful community foundations across the region.
“This included attending a networking event in Albury with the ‘River People’ group, which includes established organisations such as Border Trust, Greater Shepparton Foundation, Community Foundation Snowy Valleys Region, Into Our Hands Community Foundation and the newly formed Murray Connect Community Foundation based in Barham.
“Two weeks ago, Leanne Small, David Crew and I attended the Community Foundations Australia National Forum in Melbourne, where more than 250 representatives from community foundations across the country gathered to network and share ideas.”
Mrs Mulham said one of the key lessons from the forum was that every community foundation operates differently, depending on the needs of its region.
“SRCF hopes to combine several of these approaches, building a perpetual source of funding for the future while also helping businesses, organisations and individuals direct support toward local community initiatives when needs arise,” she said.
“Looking ahead, SRCF hopes to secure seed funding or generous donation that would allow the part-time employment of a dedicated staff member to support administration, community engagement and the promotion of the Foundation’s activities.”
Recently, the committee partnered with the Deniliquin Youth Initiative to apply for two substantial grants.
If successful, the funding could support the employment of a community engagement coordinator and help activate hub at 355 Harrison St, Deniliquin.
This would create an important local resource to support community organisations, deliver additional community events, identify emerging local needs and help direct future funding where it can make the greatest impact.
As the end of financial year approaches, SRCF is encouraging tax-deductible donations to be made online at www.southernriverinacommunityfoundation.com.au.
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