The Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF), a health promotion charity based in Canberra, will receive a Qantas Regional Grant.

The IMF is a health promotion charity that uses running to celebrate Indigenous resilience and achievement, and create inspirational Indigenous leaders. It was established in 2009 by former world marathon champion, Robert de Castella AO, MBE, a Canberra resident; the next year, four Indigenous Australians were the first to run in the world’s biggest marathon, the New York City Marathon.

The IMF will use the Qantas Grant to facilitate the inaugural Indigenous Community for Activity and Nutrition (I-CAN) Championships festival.  The I-CAN program works in remote Indigenous primary schools and communities across Australia to provide children with access to fun and educational health and fitness programs that encourage school attendance and addresses childhood inactivity. 

Eighty students from eight remote I-CAN participating schools across far north Queensland, the Northern Territory, the Torres Strait Islands, and northern Western Australia will travel to Canberra with their teachers to participate in the first IMF I-CAN National Championships. They will take part in cultural and educational experiences including competing in traditional Indigenous games and the Stromlo Running Festival. Students will be selected based on their school attendance, leadership, and showing positive changes in healthy habits and activity.

“This Grant and the support of Qantas is a game changer for IMF,” Mr de Castella said. “As a national charity delivering programs right across regional and remote Australia, the cost of travel can be a real and significant challenge. This grant enables us to provide a life-changing experience in Canberra to nearly 100 dedicated and hard-working Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote primary school children. It is a reward for their schoolwork and fitness, and it will enable them to make long lasting connections, and return home with inspiring stories to share with their families and communities.

“Thank you, Qantas.”

In total, the Grants provide $10 million in grants over five years – $2 million each year – to support Australian-based not-for-profit groups and projects that directly benefit regional Australia.

Grant winners were selected from a record 1,600 applications from every state and territory, almost 40 per cent more than when the program first launched. Grant recipients will receive a combination of flights, cash, and marketing support.

The IMF was the only grant winner from the ACT. Ten grant winners are based in New South Wales, which had the most applications from any state or territory. Queensland, Victoria, and Northern Territory have five grant winners each; Western Australia had four; and South Australia and Tasmania had one each.

The judging panel was chaired by Petrea Bradford, QantasLink‘s chief operating officer, and included two independent community panellists and two QantasLink pilots. The panel allocated grant funds based on the strength of each application.

Ms Bradford said the volume and quality of applicants demonstrated the strength of community spirit in regional Australia.

“We’re very much a part of the communities we fly to, and we’re really proud to be giving more back to regional Australia now our recovery is in full swing.

“Community groups play a vital role in our regions, and providing them with financial, flight, and marketing support will help them continue to support their communities.

“Our judging panel had a really difficult task selecting the grant recipients given the high standard and record number of applicants. There were many very deserving groups that we couldn’t support this year, and we encourage those who were unsuccessful this year to apply again next year.”

Kristy McBain, Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, said the funding would support local-led ideas across regional Australia to get off the ground.

“We know there are a number of significant challenges and opportunities in our regions, which is why it’s fantastic to see Qantas continue to invest in diverse priority projects that are high impact.

“From supporting employment and economic opportunities, boosting community engagement, enhancing access to key services, and improving health and environmental outcomes – these projects will have lasting benefits in these regional communities.”

Applications for the 2024 Regional Grants Program will open on 28 February 2024 at qantas.com/regionalgrants.