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Helping our rural communities thrive

The Rabo Community Fund supports initiatives to help strengthen the vitality and sustainability of rural and regional communities across Australia.

Since its launch in 2021, the fund has invested over $3 million in national and grassroots initiatives that help address key agribusiness and community challenges. These include long-term industry capacity and agricultural education, environmental sustainability, rural/urban connection, natural disaster resilience, rural wellbeing and adaptation/disruption.

Applications for 2026 Rabo Community Fund will open in Q4, 2025.

Rabo Community Fund Website Banner - community-fund-full-width-banner
6,260 George the farmer books donated to schools across Australia
5,280 People upskilled through Financial Skills Workshop
580 individuals across rural areas supported through the Succession Information Sessions
465 Health Checks Provided by the Heart Truck Australia
Rabo Community Fund support

About the Rabo Community Fund 

As a global cooperative founded by farmers, Rabobank has a long history of community engagement and now, thanks to our Rabo Community Fund, we can make an even bigger impact in the communities where our clients live.

With a dedicated pool of funding for grassroots initiatives, the Rabo Community Fund supports meaningful community projects.

So, if you have a great idea or know an organisation that needs funding, we would love to hear from you.

Applications for the 2026 Rabo Community Fund will open in Q4, 2025.  

Empowering growth through learning

Financial Skills Workshops

More than 5,200 participants have benefited from these complimentary workshops, designed to equip farmers with the tools to grow a modern farm business.

Two programs have been developed. The first introduces key aspects of measuring financial performance, including banking requirements, while the second takes a deeper dive into gross margin analysis and cash flow budgeting. 

Rabobank financial skills workshop

Business Transition & Succession Planning Sessions

Launched in 2024, these complimentary information sessions set the foundation for family farm succession, equipping farming families with practical tools to help support positive outcomes.

Participants explore key topics such as why family and business communication can be difficult and how to improve it, what makes a meeting effective, and how to navigate differing family goals.

rabobank succession planning

Community initiatives we’re proud to back

Rural Community Hub Program

Rural community hubs or halls are the heart of local life – bringing people together for events, meetings and celebrations to foster connection, resilience, and a sense of belonging, especially in isolated areas. As trusted spaces, they support everything from emergency response to youth programs, making them vital to community wellbeing.

We are delighted to contribute $120,000 towards improvements to 12 community hubs or halls across rural Australia. Applications for the 2025 program have now closed and winners will be announced shortly.

rabobank succession planning

Boys to the Bush

Since 2017, Boys to the Bush has impacted over 7,000 lives across New South Wales and Victoria through involvement in camps, mentoring programs, school and education programs, alternative care arrangements and community engagement days.

We are proud to be a long term partner and support their expansion into new regions.

boys to the bush

Fat Farmers

The Rabo Community Fund is proud to support Fat Farmers, a health initiative that inspires and encourages rural communities to improve their health and wellbeing through physical activity.

With support of the Rabo Community Fund, this inclusive South Australian grassroots initiative has expanded across the border into Victoria and New South Wales and now has over 150 active members. 

boys to the bush

Wheen Bee Foundation

The Wheen Bee Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness about the vital role bees play in food security. Through advocacy and research funding, the Foundation addresses the national and global threats to bee populations.

The Rabo Community Fund are proud to support the Foundation’s Centre for Bee Education and Bee Friendly Farming Program to help protect pollination services and build community awareness across Australia.

HEART TRUCK

George the Farmer

We are proud to be partnering with ‘edu-tainment’ brand George the Farmer for the fourth consecutive year to celebrate Children’s Book Week, to help children learn about the origins of their food and fibre in a fun and engaging way.

To date, more than 6,760 George the Farmer books have been donated to educational institutions across Australia. Congratulations to the 2025 George the Farmer Book Competition winners – see list

boys to the bush

Heart of Australia

We’re supporting Heart of Australia, a vital and innovative approach to front line specialist medical service delivery.

These ‘custom designed medical clinics on wheels’ travel through rural and remote Queensland providing medical services including blood tests and heart checks for those Australians whose lives are threatened by what can be a vast distance to access medical services. 

HEART TRUCK

Making a Difference in our Communities 

Our Rabo Community Fund supports these key themes

Long-term Industry Capacity and Agricultural Education

With access to quality labour a key challenge across Australia, it is critical that we attract and retain young people in agriculture and support the upskilling of primary producers. We're focused on building the industry's reputation and future workforce through education and development of leadership skills.

Long-term Industry Capacity and Agricultural Education

Rural Wellbeing

The tyranny of distance compounds the ability to access high quality health and wellbeing services. Our goal is to support health and wellbeing initiatives to enable thriving rural communities.

Fat Farmers

Rural/Urban Connection

Strengthening the rural-urban connection is key to Australia’s future – linking our farms to our cities drives economic growth, innovation and national resilience. It’s about building a united Australia, where rural and urban communities support each other through shared challenges and opportunities. 

Rural/Urban Connection

Natural Disaster Resilience

Working together we share knowledge and learnings that help to contribute to disaster-resilient communities. We contribute to helping upscale organisations that make a difference to impacted rural communities. And, when needed, support great organisations that help communities rebuild effectively and efficiently.

Natural Disaster Resilience

Environmental Sustainability

Our goal is to contribute to the sustainability conversation with stakeholders across the community. Helping facilitate education and knowledge while sharing sustainability stories about the progress being made in the sector, and the value delivered.

Environmental Sustainability

Adaption/Disruption

Proactively we seek to increase the knowledge and understanding of global, industry, and regional change in the agricultural sector. Our goal is to help education on disruptive changes and showcase actions that can make a positive impact.

Adaption/Disruption