Endeavour Energy announces 2025 Powering Communities Grants recipients

Key points

• 2025 Powering Communities grants awarded to community organisations located across the Endeavour Energy network area
• Projects focus on disaster resilience, children’s health, education and support for vulnerable families
• Grants range from $2,000 to $15,000 to support vital community initiatives

Endeavour Energy is excited to announce the recipients of its 2025 Powering Communities grants program, which will support a range of impactful initiatives across the region stretching from Central West NSW to the Blue Mountains; the Southern Highlands, Illawarra to the South Coast and across Greater Western Sydney.

This year’s recipients include a foundation that provides children in hospital with super-hero inspired medical gowns, designed to make hospital stays less intimidating; a rural fire fighting service that will gain life-saving communication capabilities during natural disasters via Starlink; and a community organisation that provides cooked breakfasts for children and grocery packs for low income families, helping ease the burden of rising living costs (see below for full recipient list).

These three organisations are just a few of the many that will benefit from Endeavour Energy’s 2025 Powering Communities grants program, all of which aim to support local communities in a variety of meaningful ways.

Leanne Pickering, Endeavour Energy’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer said, “We are thrilled to support these incredible organisations and the vital work they are doing in their communities. The 2025 Powering Communities grants will support projects that strengthen community resilience, foster inclusivity, and address local needs, helping to build a brighter future for those in need.

“We were overwhelmed with the community’s positive response to the program receiving more than 250 applications for so many well deserving projects. Our committee of advocates rigorously reviewed each application against the grants’ criteria and had the very challenging task of selecting recipients to deliver very important outcomes to help our communities to thrive.

“The 2025 recipients demonstrate the power of local initiatives to create positive, lasting change, and we are proud to be part of these efforts.”

The successful applicants for the 2025 Powering Communities grants program are:

• Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), Wollongong: The grant will provide tailored STEM resources designed for children on the autism spectrum, ensuring equitable access to education and allowing students to fully immerse in learning opportunities.
• Cooerwull Public School, Lithgow: Developing critical skills for the future through increased STEM resources for stage 3 students (years 3 & 4) with the grant funding vital science, engineering and robotic resources.
• Fair Fight Foundation, across the Endeavour Energy network area: The grant will enable the foundation to provide Supertees - hospital gowns disguised as fun hero costumes - for children in hospital. These gowns allow medical equipment to be easily bypassed, making hospital stays less intimidating for young patients.
• Get Blak on your Feet, Penrith: The grant will fund an Aboriginal cultural program that teaches leadership, resilience, and cultural engagement to children, promoting the celebration of Aboriginal culture and encouraging participation from local schools.
• Hazelbrook-Lawson Girl Guides, Blue Mountains: Helping to build community resilience and create gathering space during extreme weather events by funding the installation of a battery and connecting to existing solar panels.
• Menangle Community Association, Wollondilly: Funding will provide an emergency management kiosk with satellite internet and battery power, offering disaster information, free Wi-Fi, and USB charging during extreme weather events to build community resilience.
• Solar Citizens, Western Sydney: The funding will support community workshops conducted in various languages, educating multicultural communities on renewable energy, government rebates, subsidies, and clean transport to ensure they are not left behind in the energy transition.
• The Nurtured Village Hampers Ltd, Wollongong: Supporting the wellbeing and mental health of new families with hampers full of home-cooked meals, store-bought foods, and gifts for those who need a little support from their community.
• WestCare Community Services, Penrith Nepean Region: The grant will provide fortnightly cooked breakfasts for school students and grocery packs for families in the Penrith region, supporting low-income families facing rising living costs.
• Wisemans Ferry Rural Fire Service, Hawkesbury: The grant will help upgrade communication technology, including a Starlink kit and smart TV, to improve disaster resilience and ensure better connectivity in fire-impacted areas when power and phone networks fail.
• Woonjeegaribay Conciliation Group, Blue Mountains: Funding will provide essential food and supplies for collection from the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Cultural Centre, helping families in need and fostering community support through well-being and welfare checks.

For media enquiries, to arrange an interview, photos or video footage please contact:

Rebecca Hill: 0409 266 248: Rebecca.Hill@endeavourenergy.com.au

About Endeavour Energy

Endeavour Energy is one of Australia's most efficient electricity distribution networks, powering NSW's fastest growing economies and sustaining the jobs and lifestyles of 2.7 million Australians, living, and working in Central West NSW, The Blue Mountains, Greater Western Sydney, Southern Highlands, Illawarra and South Coast of NSW.

Since 1890, we have expanded our footprint to be at the forefront of Australia's energy industry in integrating traditional and renewable energy sources to deliver a smarter, cleaner, affordable and more reliable energy system, with clear commitments and pathways to creating sustainable value for customers and communities. Endeavour Energy is committed to decarbonising the grid by 2035. Our mission is to leverage the latest technology and data to plan the grid of tomorrow where batteries, microgrids and solar integrate seamlessly with the traditional distribution network to power communities for a brighter future.