Bank Australia community customer grants awarded
Local Bundjalung Country in northern NSW and First Nations-led non-profit The Returning Indigenous Corporation has been selected as a recipient of Bank Australia’s annual community customer grant program.
The Returning provides support and programs for Indigenous women, Elders and their familiesto connect with Country. Bank Australia has awarded $20,000 towards The Returning’s Mothers Care Program supporting Indigenous mothers who have just given birth and matriarchal carers (grandmothers, aunties, and other kin) who have had young children come into their care.
The Mothers Care Program was created to support women and families from the Bundjalung County community, providing workshops, education, and resources, such as six-to-eight weeks of home-cooked meals and high-quality essential items like prams, car seats, postpartum packs, clothing, and more. Funding will support the ongoing program delivery in the second half of 2025.
The Returning CEO and Founder Ella Noah Bancroft said, “This program was created to support our women and families. Buglebeh to Bank Australia for backing us. Your support helps us continue the good work in our community and care for the women we believe are the backbone of our community’s health.”
As a customer-owned and B Corp certified bank, Bank Australia’s annual community customer grant program awards community customers working in impact areas that matter most to its customers, such as affordable and accessible housing and First Nations Recognition and Respect. This year, Bank Australia’s community customer grant program is supporting 11 organisations, with $200,000 in grants in total awarded.
Bank Australia Head of Impact Jane Kern said: “We’re committed to supporting organisations working across our key impact priority areas, and our customers consistently tell us that First Nations Reconciliation and Respect is important to them. We’re proud to support The Returning
Indigenous Corporation through our community customer grants program, helping them continue their important work.”
Since launching the community customer grants program in 2016, Bank Australia has committed over $2 million, supporting 160 projects to date. To find out more about this year’s recipients visit: bankaust.com.au/community-customer-grants
