Since their establishment in 1964 as a local credit union, NOVA Alliance Bank has proudly supported a range of local charities with their grant program.
Hunter Melanoma Foundation (HMF) is delighted to be announced as one of seven local charities who will receive much needed funding from NOVA in 2021.
In recent years, seeing the impact COVID-19 has had on society, NOVA Alliance Bank has upped the ante to include local groups who are promoting positive changes within the community.
NOVA Alliance Bank CEO, David Franklin, said that the Board with the support of staff and members agreed that providing personalised grants to support local community programs was an important but vital change to this year’s grant structure.
“With the devastation of COVID-19, we re-evaluated our grants program to determine how we could make a difference that counted,” David said.
“Instead of providing a fixed grant to all recipients, we took the time to evaluate each program, the resources required, and the funds that would see the best possible social outcomes.
“We are hopeful that these personalised grants will not only help community groups and charities to drive positive change in the community, but to inspire others to do the same.”
The grant funding will assist HMF in delivering our highly successful Spot Check program, offering free skin checks to the local community at our pop up clinics.
Specifically the funding will be used to purchase co-branded sunscreen to issue to participants, which plays a very important role in the education about prevention of melanoma and other skin cancers.
As a community funded local organisation, HMF is very grateful for the ongoing support received from NOVA Alliance Bank.
HMF Executive Officer, Claudia Tolhurst said that "HMF receives no Government funding."
"We rely on the support of the local community through membership, donations, bequests, our own fundraising efforts and community grants to allow us to complete the work we do in the community. This is why the support of organisation's such as NOVA Alliance Bank is so important and vital to the delivery of our life saving programs."