Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation (EPCF) has made a donation of $3,000 to Country Education Foundation (CEF) of Port Lincoln. This recognises the conclusion of the Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation Scholarship Program, which has delivered on its mission to promote and enable equal access to further education and career opportunities for rural and regional youth. The EPCF has been pivotal in the establishment of the new CEP Port Lincoln Committee and is pleased that this donation of scholarship funds provides a major start-up for CEF’s future work supporting regional post-secondary education outcomes.

EPCF Chair Peter Knife said “We are delighted to support the establishment of a local Country Education Foundation, which will open up even wider possibilities for post-secondary students. We believe this is the right step to take to further promote the opportunities which will be available to local students”.

The Education sub-fund was established in 2016 to build an endowment addressing education needs on Eyre Peninsula. Since 2017 the Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation Scholarship Program has assisted 18 students from across the Eyre Peninsula. The purpose of the scholarship was to provide funding for Eyre Peninsula students moving away from home to study at a South Australian university for the first time after completion of Year 12. The funds assisted with the costs of books and other resources needed for establishment away from home.

In 2023 the Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation Board looked into establishing a CEF of Eyre Peninsula as a partnership foundation to the EPCF to continue delivering on its mission to promote and enable equal access to further education and career opportunities for rural and regional youth. Country Education Foundation of Australia Head of Development and Communities, Lisa Carrich and Community Specialist, Sarah Washbrook visited and toured the Eyre Peninsula with EPCF Director, Greg Barry.

EPCF Director Greg Barry said “During our travel around we all agreed that there were opportunities to establish foundations on Eyre Peninsula which needed to be driven by local volunteer groups and enable our students to access the range of advantages that a collaborative partnership had to offer”.

The Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation carefully manages a grown base of donated funds and works with philanthropic and other partners to ensure the best possible value and impact from each of its community projects, regional student advancement and home hospice services on Eyre Peninsula. The Foundation is supported by the invaluable work of the Book Bazaar volunteers and committed administrative staff.

Pictured above: EPCF Deputy Chair, Leonie Wanklyn and CEF of PL Chair, Greg Barry
Pictured below: EPCF Director Garry Downey, CEF of Australia Lisa Carrick, EPCF Director Greg Barry, and CEF of Australia Sara Washbrook