Australia: ABB Grain Community Fund is launched

Leading Australian agribusiness ABB Grain is proud to announce the national launch of the ABB Grain Community Fund, ABB’s said in a press release, April 26.

ABB Grain corporate affairs manager, Marc Cooney, said the fund would help rural communities by providing modest grants for worthwhile projects in the areas of education and training, health, youth development and community amenity.

“ABB relies on the goodwill and support of rural communities to operate its businesses and the formation of this fund is about giving a little something back to rural Australian communities which ABB and its people are members of,” Mr Cooney said.

ABB Grain has a major presence in Australian rural areas through its diverse business model, including grain marketing and trading, bulk grain receivals in South Australia and Victoria, fertiliser, agchem, wool trading, finance and the operation of Australia’s largest malt producer Joe White Maltings.

“Grants will be allocated to projects that benefit communities as a whole and where external funding or charitable aid is not available or is inadequate.

“An independent advisory committee, made up of representatives from Australia’s agricultural industry, will decide where funds will best be directed to ensure fair and impartial allocations. “We aim to support as many communities as possible. Whilst there is no monetary limit, we want to spread the money as widely as feasible and therefore most grants will be limited to under $5000. “I urge communities seeking support for a worthwhile project to get their applications in prior to the closing date.”

Applications for ABB Grain’s Community Fund are now open and close on July 3rd. The advisory committee will meet in August to decide on the allocations.

27 April, 2007