Announcing our 2025 Neighbourhood Grants recipients

Neighbourhood Grants are Foundation SA’s flagship grant program, now in its fourth round. The grants range in size from $1,000 – $5,000 for community-led initiatives that make our communities more connected, resilient and sustainable.

Funding for the 16 Neighbourhood Grants that are going out the door this year came from Foundation SA, our inspiring Sub-Fund holders, a private foundation and public donors through our successful fundraising campaign, which exceeded its $60k target.

This year’s Neighbourhood Grants total $66,270. Since inception, we’ve supported local grassroots initiatives to the value of $165,720.

Congratulations to the sixteen local organisations that are the recipients of our 2025 Neighbourhood Grants:

Achillies Adelaide – Athlete Sponsorship for Events

Achilles Adelaide’s Athlete Sponsorship for Events is a new initiative that supports people with disability to participate in local, national, and international running events by covering costs such as race entry fees, travel, and accommodation.

The grant will assist with inclusive participation in the Adelaide City to Bay.

Careworks Incorporated – Families of Hope Plus

Families of Hope Plus is an expanded community initiative by Hopestreet (Careworks Inc) in Davoren Park, aimed at reducing social isolation and empowering local families—particularly parents—to lead and shape community activities. Building on a previously successful program, the grant will help support family-led events, including coffee drop-ins on Monday mornings, quarterly excursions (such as family day trips), and community events at the Davoren Park Shopping Centre.

Feast Queer Youth Drop In – Rainbow Pride Days

Feast Queer Youth Drop In (FQYDI) is a long-standing, inclusive community program that supports LGBTIQA+ young people aged 15–25, many of whom face mental health challenges, disability, or social isolation.

The grant will support Rainbow Pride Days by delivering nine themed Drop Ins aligned with key LGBTIQA+ awareness days (e.g. Trans Day of Remembrance, Wear It Purple). These sessions will feature guest speakers, art activities, and celebration of queer identity and resilience, increasing visibility, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging among participants.

Gawler Community House – Installation of Art Workshop Plumbing and Sink

Gawler Community House (GCH) provides inclusive educational and social programs, with a strong focus on community connection through arts. This grant will support Gawler Community House to fund the install of a functional sink with running water to improve workshop functionality, enhance participant experience, and attract more facilitators.

Hands of Hope Foundation – Community Lunch and Life Skills Program

The Hands of Hope Foundation, is launching a weekly Community Lunch and Life Skills Program to support vulnerable individuals and families, particularly survivors of family and domestic violence. The Foundation offers immediate crisis relief—such as food, clothing, and relocation—alongside professional counselling, mentoring, and advocacy. This new program includes shared lunches and practical training in hospitality, followed by life skills workshops on topics like budgeting and mental health. It aims to reduce social isolation, build community, and empower participants with skills for greater independence and long-term recovery.

In Home Hospice Care Inc – Volunteer Education and Skills Training

In Home Hospice Care Inc provides free, compassionate, non-medical palliative support to people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses in the lower southeast through trained volunteers. To meet growing demand and maintain service quality, this grant will help support the organisation to expand its volunteer education and skills training program, which includes recruitment, palliative care training, compliance, CPR certification, and emotional support, ensuring ongoing, community-led care for clients and their families.

Kapunda High – Her First Kick

This grant will support Her First Kick, a new initiative from Kapunda High School, designed to empower girls to try Australian Rules Football in a supportive, body-positive, and non-judgmental environment. The sessions will focus on gentle footy skills, movement-based games, body confidence, and team-building. The program responds to student interest and a regional need to boost female participation in sport. By connecting students with local clubs and role models, Her First Kick strengthens school-community ties, builds confidence, and supports the long-term growth of women’s football in the Mid North.

Lobethal And District Shedmen Inc – Concrete aprons and drainage

The Lobethal and District Shedmen Inc (LADS) have transformed a basic storage shed into a functional workspace with power and lighting, but poor drainage and dirt surrounds limit use during wet Adelaide Hills winters. To ensure year-round usability and support ongoing community engagement, this grant will support LADS to add 2-metre-wide concrete aprons with drainage around three sides of the shed.

Lolly Jar Circus Inc – Lolly Jar Circus inclusive disco

Lolly Jar Circus is an inclusive social circus school for children and young people with disabilities or at social risk. During classes children and young people learn to tumble, stilt-walk, hang from a trapeze or silks, hula hoop, juggle, spin plates and much moreas tools to improve participants’ social skills and confidence.

This grant will allow Lolly Jar Circus to further support social inclusion and confidence-building, by hosting an inclusive disco event to foster friendships, break down social barriers, and promote community integration for children with diverse abilities.

Neighbourhood Node – Project Guide Training for the Minor Works Program volunteers

Neighbourhood Node is a grassroots social enterprise founded in Adelaide in 2017, focused on strengthening community connection through local leadership, inclusive participation, and activating underused community spaces. The Minor Works Program, empowers residents—particularly those with lived experience of mental health challenges—to co-design and lead small-scale neighbourhood improvements.

This grant will support the training of the project guides for this initiative. Also backed by the Fay Fuller Foundation and council, the program fosters a sense of belonging and pride while embedding sustainable, community-led change.

SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance – Trans peer support

The SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA) supports the health, safety, and inclusion of LGBTIQA+ South Australians through advocacy, community capacity building, and awareness.

This grant will support fortnightly meetups, supply essential items like chest binders and menstrual products, offer beauty workshops, and establish a clothing rack. It will also fund the Trans Day of Remembrance event, fostering community resilience and visibility. With over 1,800 community members engaged online and in person, this initiative will strengthen mental wellbeing, connection, and gender affirmation across the state.

Seeds Of Affinity – Pathways for women – Fostering engagement and volunteering

Seeds of Affinity, a peer-led organisation supporting formerly incarcerated women, will be running a project to strengthen engagement through meaningful volunteering. Many women struggle with confidence, transport, and financial barriers after release, limiting their ability to reintegrate.

This initiative offers supermarket vouchers ($40) for each 2-hour volunteer shift and $100 Adelaide Metro cards for sustained participation. Activities include preparing community lunches, maintaining the premises and garden, and contributing to social enterprise projects. This scaffolded approach fosters confidence, pro-social connections, and long-term engagement—key factors in reducing recidivism and building pathways to education and employment.

Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue – Building Bonds for Wildlife

Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue (SKER) will be supported by this grant to build a Connection Canopy, an undercover outdoor space at its headquarters to enhance community connection, volunteer engagement, and informal learning.

This new initiative addresses the current lack of sheltered areas for gathering, collaboration, and rest. It will serve as a hub for volunteer debriefs, student workshops, community events, and social interaction.

The Here for Good Foundation – Men’s Learning Circles – Stopping Family and Domestic Violence one conversation at a time

The Men’s Learning Circles initiative by the Here for Good Foundation aims to reduce family and domestic violence (FDV) through inclusive, peer-led education and dialogue.

With the support of the grant, the program will run six small-group circles annually (12 men each), fostering self-awareness, emotional resilience, and behavioural change in a safe, non-judgmental setting. Activities include facilitated discussions, expert-led workshops, and peer mentoring, with a strong partnership from local Men’s Sheds to ensure accessibility and trust.

The Hut Community Centre – Flavours of Our Community: Cultural Cooking Classes

This grant will support The Hut’s Flavours of Our Community new monthly cooking program designed to foster social inclusion, cultural understanding, and practical skills in the Adelaide Hills. Targeting food pantry users and those with limited cooking experience, each class is led by a local facilitator who shares both recipes and cultural stories. Participants cook and share meals together, with extra portions distributed to families facing food insecurity.

The program aims to reduce isolation, build kitchen confidence, and celebrate cultural diversity, reviving the success of past classes with a renewed focus on connection and community resilience.

United Way South Australia Incorporated – Possum’s Playgroup

United Way SA’s Possum’s Playgroup is a free, accessible, and inclusive early childhood program based in Elizabeth City Centre, supporting vulnerable families. It provides structured sessions three times weekly, focused on child development through singing, reading, craft, and free play. Each child receives a book to take home, promoting home literacy. The program also supports parents’ mental health and social connection by fostering community and conversation.

This grant will support the creation of a dedicated coffee/ tea space for parents, enhancing comfort and encouraging deeper engagement and peer support.