Image: (L-R Top) Farmers for Climate Action, Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project
(L-R Bottom) The Reconnect Project, Farm My School
Canon Oceania today announced the winners of its 2024 Grants Program, recognising four Australian organisations that are making positive impacts in their local communities.
This year, the program introduced a First Nations Grant category for the first time, alongside the existing categories for Community, Education, and Environment. Each recipient receives a $5,000 grant comprising of $2,500 cash and $2,500 in Canon product (ranging from cameras and lenses to printers and other accessories).
This year’s winners are:
First Nations category: Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project
This First Nations-led project aims to expand the Cypress Pine population to support ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change and protect the species which has historical significance to the Kimberly region. The project also supports care of Country by First Nations knowledge holders. Canon’s grant and equipment will help local communities provide environmental education programs.
Community category: The Reconnect Project
Closing Australia’s digital divide by distributing refurbished mobile technology to people in need and training neurodivergent young adults to repair devices. Canon’s cameras will help create virtual tutorials to extend the program’s reach to young adults in rural and remote communities.
Education category: Farm My School
Transforming unused school land into market gardens that provide food to the local community and learning opportunities for students. Canon gear will record workshops with high-quality video and sound, allowing more people to access, learn and be inspired.
Environment category: Farmers for Climate Action
Advancing strong climate decarbonisation policies that benefit farmers and farming communities through webinars and workshops. Canon camera equipment will capture these events, creating content for ongoing education, outreach and awareness.
Research conducted exclusively for Canon Oceania1 reveals that the rising cost of living is impacting Australians’ commitment to sustainability, with over half of respondents scaling back their support for environmental and community initiatives due to financial pressures. This shift underscores the need for community support initiatives to tackle this challenge. Canon Oceania is committed to addressing this need by actively supporting organisations that are making a difference, fostering meaningful progress and strengthening community engagement through the power of technology.
“Today, we celebrate the inspiring achievements of this year’s Canon Oceania Grants Program winners, whose work is making an impact on communities across Australia. Guided by our Kyosei philosophy, we’re committed to closing the technology divide, empowering more Australians to share their stories, connect with others, and build essential skills. By providing these organisations with the technology and resources they need, we aim to inspire greater progress and strengthen connections throughout the country,” said Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director, Canon Oceania.
Over the past 18 years, guided by the company’s Kyosei philosophy of living and working together for the common good, the Canon Oceania Grants Program has supported more than 110 community organisations and schools across Australia and New Zealand. This support has included more than $550,000 in funding and product support.
Introducing the 2024 Canon Oceania Grant Winners from Australia:
First Nations: Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project
The Kimberley region has undergone significant ecological changes over the last century, with Cypress Pines, remnants of the ancient Gondwana era, experiencing a significant decline in population. This environmental project aims to not only expand the Cypress Pine population to support ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change, but to protect a species with deep historical significance in the region.
Donny Imberlong, Founder of Kimberley Ecosystem Restoration & Cypress Pine Conservation Project, said, “I am honoured to be recognised as the winner of the 2024 Canon Oceania Grants in the First Nations Category. This grant not only validates my commitment to Cypress Pine regeneration, but also empowers me to further my work in preserving our natural heritage in the Kimberley region. With this support, I am inspired to foster sustainable practices that promote ecological resilience of Country for future generations”.
Education: Farm My School
Farm My School works to transform unused land within schools into market gardens that provide food to the local community and learning opportunities for students. By transforming urban spaces, Farm My School utilises permaculture principles, inspiring students to care for the Earth, themselves, and the people around them. Built on the success of the project’s farm at Bellarine Secondary College, Farm My School is now developing the Nourish Workshop Series – a free program to help community members understand how to cook tasty and nutritious food from the products they grow under the tutelage of qualified chefs.
James McLennan, Co-Founder/Director of Farm My School, said, “We’re transforming disused school land into regenerative market gardens, to feed, nourish and educate communities – that’s impact. If we can capture and convey our stories to bring our audience with us on our journey – that’s real impact. Being the successful applicant for the 2024 Canon Oceania Grants Education Category, means we’ll now be able to achieve this”.
Community: The Reconnect Project
The Reconnect Project is closing Australia’s digital divide by distributing refurbished mobile technology to people in need including women’s shelters, homelessness agencies, refugee support services, at-risk youth outreach programs and mental health recovery facilities. The project has also created Australia’s first Mobile Device Repair Training Program to train neurodivergent young adults not only with the technical skills required for device repairs, but the important soft skills needed for workplace interactions.
Annette Brodie, Founder & CEO of The Reconnect Project, said, “Winning the 2024 Canon Oceania Grants Program Community grant is a huge boost for The Reconnect Project. With Canon camera and audio equipment, we can create interactive training materials, imperative for us to deliver our training program to people via distance learning. Everyone should be able to access quality tech repair services and growing our network of qualified tech repairers in rural and remote areas means better services for those communities”.
Environment: Farmers for Climate Action
Farmers for Climate Action Limited (FCA) is a not-for-profit organisation with over 8,300 farmer members and 45,000 community supporters who are dedicated to advancing strong climate decarbonisation policies that benefit farmers and farming communities. FCA’s Climate Smart Farming Toolkit and online webinars provide essential resources and education on sustainable agricultural practices and land management. The organisation also hosts regional field days, featuring expert-led workshops and demonstrations tailored to local needs. FCA’s upcoming field days will enhance the organisations’ ability to build social connections and share innovative climate-smart techniques among farmers.
Walter Batt, Business Impact Director at Farmers for Climate Action, said:
“We are so excited to win the vote for the Canon Grants Program, especially in such a fantastic field of deserving organisations! To Farmers for Climate Action, it tells us people all over Australia are keen to see more farmers connecting and spreading climate-smart agriculture practice across communities and commodities. We’ll be proud to share those stories with the help of our brand-new Canon gear for hosting events.”
The New Zealand winners for 2024 who will receive a $5,000 grant ($2,500 in cash, $2,500 in Canon products) are:
- Community: Heartfelt NZ
- Environment: Supports of Tiritiri Matangi
- Education: The Seed Pod
- Cultural: TKKM o Puau te Moananui-ā-Kiwa
Note: All grant amounts are in local currency, Australian dollars in Australia and New Zealand dollars in New Zealand.
For more information about Canon Oceania’s Grants Program, please visit:
Australia: https://www.canon.com.au/about-canon/community/grants
New Zealand: https://www.canon.co.nz/about-canon/community/grants
1 MYMAVINS survey May 2024, n=1,006
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