The Bunya Fund
Co-operatives and mutuals help create an economy and society that works in the interests of the widest number of people by sharing ownership and business rewards.
We need more co-operatives to build a more inclusive economy in Australia. The co-operative movement has established The Bunya Fund, a co-operative development fund, to grow the next generation of co-operatives and mutuals (and support bold new initiatives from more established co-operatives and mutuals).
The Bunya Fund funds education, training, advisory and mentoring to help co-operatives and mutuals take on challenging economic, social, cultural and environmental problems in Australian communities and thrive. Successful applicants receive support valued between $5,000 and $25,000.
This ground-breaking Fund is the first of its kind in Australia. The BCCM launched The Bunya Fund in June 2022, conducting funding rounds in September 2022 and April 2023.
More than $350,000 has been committed in the first three years to fund community owned co-ops to increase their social, environmental and economic impact in key areas of the economy from housing to health, employment, disability services, organic farming and the arts and beyond.
