In the Give Where You Live Foundation’s latest grant round more than $495,000 in funding has been distributed to 23 local organisations working to create a fairer community across the Geelong region.
Supporting the vision of creating a fairer community, and in line with the Foundation’s strategy of seeding transformational local change, one of the grant recipients is a new initiative called Neighbourhood Economics.
Give Where You Live Foundation CEO, Zac Lewis, said the Give Where You Live Foundation is working on building and supporting systems that address urgent need in the community.
“We know that our current economic systems are not serving all people or all places well. In the Geelong region, there are some neighbourhoods where people are facing higher rates of unemployment, and struggling with food and housing,” Zac Lewis said.
“The Foundation is delighted to support the delivery of Neighbourhood Economics and its focus on new, inclusive economic opportunities, community prosperity and strong community connections.”
Annie Smits and Bill Mithen have been working together to seed the new for purpose initiative, reimagining local economies to be more inclusive, resilient and equitable.
“Neighbourhood Economics has been created for the economic wellbeing of Australia’s most disadvantaged suburbs, and will start in the Geelong region,” Bill Mithen said. “We believe all people in our community should have the opportunity to build wealth and share prosperity.”
Annie Smits notes that the biggest predictor of success shouldn’t be the postcode you were born in. “We want to reimagine local neighbourhood economies where prosperity has not been equally shared. A fair economy isn’t impossible, its overdue.”