CURRENT PROJECTS

The ACF support our community with grant funding, and also via civic leadership & community collaboration. We work alongside local agencies, organisations and community members to make a difference and create change within our community.

HOMELESSNESS FUND + COMMUNITY BANK ALBANY BIG SLEEP OUT

The ACF support people facing homelessness in our community by providing financial grants year-round. This could be to assist with accommodation costs, purchasing whitegoods, or for other essential items. These funds are raised locally, and distributed to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, via our Homelessness Fund. Our annual Sleep Out event has been in existence for over 10 years, and the most recent event in 2024 raised over $50,000 to assist those facing homelessness. Visit our events page or social media for more information about the annual event and how you can support or donate towards this great cause.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS

The ACF have provided local schools with funding to assist students who are financially disadvantaged over a number of years. In 2024 the ACF have supported 436 primary school kids whose families were financially unable to purchase the textbooks they require for learning, or participate in swimming lessons, excursions and school camps that all children should have access to, regardless of financial status. 24 high school students from Albany Senior High School who were unable to purchase a compulsory device required by the school curriculum, due to family financial hardship. $6,619 was granted for 24 refurbished laptops to ensure all students had access to the devices required for learning.

Here is a heartwarming response from some of the recipients from Mount Barker Community College;

Some of our Aboriginal families can be under quite a bit of strain financially due to having numerous family members staying in the one house for extended periods of time. One of our families had been able to put enough money together to pay for one child’s swimming lessons but could not make payment for another. The relief of the grandfather’s face when he was told that the College had funds to cover the other child was priceless. To have the funds to ensure all students can access swimming lessons and the Year 6 Camp is incredible. A big thank you to everyone involved with the Albany Community Foundation, as the support provided today makes such a difference into the future for our students.

GREAT SOUTHERN COMMUNITY HUB 2023 - 2024

During 2023/24, the ACF actively supported Pivot Support Services’ campaign to prevent the closure of its Community Hub, as we recognised the significant negative impact that was inevitably going to be felt on the most vulnerable in our community. Throughout the year, the ACF worked alongside Pivot to develop a marketing pitch, highlighting the need to prevent the imminent closure and the opportunities to fund a three-year plan to ensure the survival and expansion of the existing program. We supported the local campaign for funding, and towards the end of the financial year we advocated for the project by engaging with our community foundation peers and connecting with Community Foundations Australia to promote the Community Hub to a wider philanthropic audience across WA.

ACF HOUSING PROJECT 2022 - 2024

Back in 2022, in the midst of the housing crisis, one of our passionate ACF members approached us with an idea to repurpose some unused accommodation units to provide a short-term housing option for small families in crisis. Since that time, and throughout 2023/24, ACF worked tirelessly to bring together all the parties to make this project work. What sounded like a simple solution turned out to be a complex task but with the enthusiastic collaboration of our front-line services and other supporters, the necessary arrangements including lease agreements and funding submissions to provide wraparound support for the proposed future tenant were progressed. Further, ACF undertook to coordinate and underwrite the refurbishment of the units and by the end of 2023/24 we already had amazing offers of pro-bono trades and other donations and were poised to commence the work – we were just waiting for the green light from the State Government.

There are numerous organisations and individuals who assisted with the development phase of this project during 2023/24, and we would particularly like to acknowledge ACF Giving Circle Member John Shaylor, CWA Albany, Anglicare WA, Great Southern Advance Housing Ltd, the City of Albany, Rebecca Stephens MLA and WA State Government for their expertise, time, and support.