Among the grant recipients for 2025 is Common Ground Project who will receive $45,000 Seed & Catalyst Grant to support its ‘Staying Grounded’ catering program, a social enterprise initiative that trains and employs women from refugee and multicultural backgrounds in farming and hospitality.
Established in 2020, the Staying Grounded program is part of Common Ground’s broader mission to promote food security through fair access to healthy, locally grown produce, while also building confidence, skills, and job readiness among participants.
Chief Executive of Common Ground, Imogen Thomas, said this latest grant funding will enable them to continue providing training and building on the confidence of the women in the Staying Grounded program.
“Receiving the Give Where You Live grant is a game-changer for Common Ground Project. It means we can continue delivering the Staying Grounded program with the consistency and care our participants deserve. For our team, it’s recognition of the power of community-based, land-connected learning. For our participants – many of whom are facing complex barriers – it means access to a safe, nurturing space where they can build skills, and find a sense of purpose and belonging. This funding helps us keep that door open.”
The Staying Grounded catering program provides meaningful and inclusive training and employment pathways in hospitality for migrant and refugee women in the Geelong region. This program has a focus on building capacity, confidence, self esteem, community connection and job-readiness skills.
Seed & Catalyst Grants focus on innovative initiatives that seek to transform the underlying systems, structures and policies contributing to inequity across our priority areas of Inclusive Employment and Regenerative Economic Development.