This year marks the end of a remarkable decade of giving by Greater Shepparton Connected Community.
After investing more than $700,000 into over 130 local projects, Connected Community has formally announced the conclusion of its grant-making role.
Yet, this is not a story about an ending — it’s a story about what comes next.
As the Greater Shepparton Foundation, we are honoured to have been entrusted with the remaining funds from Connected Community.
These funds will form a foundational contribution to the Greater Shepparton Forever Fund, a place-based community endowment created to support the long-term wellbeing of our region.
This transition is more than symbolic — it is a powerful act of vision and trust.
The Forever Fund will grow over time and provide a sustainable, community-owned source of funding for generations to come.
It is designed to meet today’s needs while remaining flexible enough to support the evolving priorities of tomorrow.
That’s what makes it different.
That’s what makes it enduring.
For Greater Shepparton, the Forever Fund represents an opportunity we’ve never had before: a permanent pool of locally held capital, invested and reinvested, to benefit our community in perpetuity.
It’s not a one-off grant or a short-term campaign.
It is our community’s future, and every dollar added today strengthens the region’s ability to respond to challenges down the track.
This isn’t just about continuing Connected Community’s legacy — it’s about inviting everyone in our region to be part of something bigger.
Individuals, families, businesses and organisations can all contribute to the Forever Fund.
Whether you give $10 or $10,000, you’re helping create a shared safety net and a springboard for community-led initiatives that reflect the heart of Greater Shepparton.
Greater Shepparton Connected Community and Greater Shepparton Foundation have always shared the same values: a belief in local solutions, a commitment to equity and a passion for empowering community voices.
The decision to transfer these funds into the Forever Fund reflects that shared vision and gives it permanence.
This investment will also continue to support programs such as the Lift Off Education Scholarship Program, which Connected Community has been supporting for many years.
Lift Off helps young people pursue their education and dreams — just one example of the kind of long-term impact this fund can support.
In many ways, the Forever Fund is our community’s way of looking ahead while honouring what has come before.
It is a vehicle for legacy, but more importantly, it is a vehicle for participation.
Everyone in Greater Shepparton can be part of building it, owning it and benefiting from it.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Connected Community Board, its supporters and its visionaries.
You’ve laid a strong foundation.
Now, through the Forever Fund, we’ll continue building something that lasts.
The future of community giving is here.
To find out more, go to greatershepparton.foundation/founding-donor
