Community helps to build new framework for CBH Community Investment Fund
CBH Group is pleased to present a refreshed framework for the Community Investment Fund that was designed together with growers, communities, and our employees.
The refreshed Framework is underpinned by our co-operative values, and reflects our collective dedication to ensuring the regions where we all live, work, and play, remain vibrant and thrive for generations to come.
Why we created a new Framework
After a decade of support through the Community Investment Fund, it was important for us to take the time and reflect on what we have collectively achieved. More importantly, we also wanted to consider how we could best adapt our approach to support the changing needs of grain-growing communities, ensuring our support remains both sustainable and impactful for many years to come.
This commitment is a key part of our broader Sustainability Plan, where ‘Communities’ features as one of the five pillars. By adapting how CBH supports communities, we’re delivering on our promise to contribute to the long-term viability of WA grain growers and their communities.
Working together
To create the new Framework, we undertook an extensive consultation process throughout 2023. We engaged with growers, community members, and our employees to gather insights and perspectives on their priorities and aspirations. This engagement was crucial in helping us understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing grain-growing regions.
We conducted an online survey that attracted over 380 responses and held seven in-person workshops across various locations, including Esperance, Newdegate, Katanning, Dalwallinu, Dongara, Merredin, and Perth. Over 110 participants joined these workshops, providing a rich tapestry of voices and experiences that informed our approach.
Shaping the Framework
The insights gained from this consultation were invaluable in helping to shape the new framework.
Participants highlighted six key focus areas they believe the Fund should support: community infrastructure and facilities; sports, arts and recreation; broad health and mental health initiatives; promotion of the grain industry; skills and development; and community events. We also received practical suggestions on what things we should support within these broad areas and how to maximise the impact of our investments, allowing us to refine our approach further.
Guided by this feedback, we established three pillars with defined outcomes to guide investment, ensuring our support is focused and delivers meaningful outcomes for grain-growing communities.
In addition to what we support, participants also told us that a successful Community Investment Fund would:
- Prioritise initiatives that create mutual value for the whole community;
- Engage locally to understand and address specific needs;
- Take a planned approach that makes strategic use of resources;
- Balance short-term needs with long-term impact;
- Balance investments in local initiatives and leaders with larger partnerships that deliver valued opportunities and services to regional people and communities;
- Invest in line with CBH's Path to 2033 Strategy and in areas where CBH can create the most impact;
- Invest an appropriate amount based on CBH’s size and importance to communities; and
- Have fit-for-purpose governance and evaluation of investments
These insights directly helped us to shape our five investment principles which help to guide our investment approach, as well as the allocation of funds across our four investment pathways seeking to balance both short-term and long-term needs, as well as support for local grassroots initiatives and larger partnerships that deliver essential services and opportunities across regions.
The result of this feedback is a Community Investment Fund Framework that seeks to balance the diverse needs and expectations of grain-growing communities and provides a clear structure for community investment ensuring our support is focused and delivers meaningful outcomes for members and communities.
Thank you to the growers, community members and our employees who shared their thoughts during the community consultation sessions. CBH looks forward to supporting Western Australia’s grain-growing communities for many years to come.
You can learn more about the Framework and how CBH invests here.
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