FUNDING applications for community grants that require lots of writing have to change, according to the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR).
The organisation was born out the severe drought in 1999 to help rural and regional Australia address the challenges at that time.
CEO Alexandra Gartmann and board members Annie Grindrod and Patrick Myer recently visited drought-stricken parts of Queensland to undertake a scoping study.
"We've been sucking up the needs and asking if there were any gaps," Ms Gartmann said. "Where can philanthropy and corporate Australia help?"
The main issue identified was extreme fatigue being experienced by people from Julia Creek to Eromanga and all points in between.
"Funding models with lots of writing aren't sustainable," Ms Gartmann said.
She said people needed to think of different ways of sourcing funds as well, such as locking in monthly donations and tapping into well-connected expatriates.
The FRRR tour group will now suggest to the board that it change the way it makes grants, and look at longer-term projects. "What we've heard so far is changing our thinking of how to support communities," Ms Gartmann said. "From FRRR's perspective, small grants can alleviate fundraising fatigue, then philanthropy can think longer term for ideas not tested."
Ms Grindrod said FRRR's best work would probably be done after it finally rains, when people had more energy. The tour group was told in Longreach that a local survey revealed a picture far worse than first thought.
"People are cutting into their savings and carrying huge debts," Longreach Drought Relief committee member Jenny Coombes said.
"The only businesses not having negative growth are the ones where the competition has gone out of business."
Tourism was highlighted as a way for communities to drought-proof themselves, as well as more subjects being offered at Longreach Pastoral College.
Financial adviser and grazier Peter Whip said drought was part of the landscape. "If we can't build our businesses to be strong enough to be resilient, we're in real trouble."
