Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 31 May 2023: Today, Canon Oceania is opening submissions for its 2023 Grants program. This year, to celebrate Canon’s 50th year in Australia, they have increased the Grant pool to $50,000 across the region. In addition to the three category winners across Education, Community, and Environment, Canon will also recognise an overall winner to receive both a Grant and a Content Development Package valued at $10,000.
Pictured top (L-R) previous winners Remember the Wild and GingerSnap Patisserie
Pictured bottom (L-R) previous winners Kamaruka School and Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue
Since the inception of its Grants program 17 years ago and guided by its Kyosei philosophy of living and working together for the common good, Canon has supported more than 100 community organisations and schools and provided more than $500,000 in monetary and product support.
“Through our annual Grants program, we get the chance to hear from organisations who are contributing to positive change. Kyosei is at the heart of everything we do, so it gives us great pride to be able to celebrate and reward the important role they are playing within their local communities. In celebration of our 50th year of operating in Australia this year, we are excited to be able to offer $50,000 worth of Grants across the region, extending our support so these organisations can continue the great work they’re doing,” said Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director for Canon Oceania.
The three categories in this year’s Grants program are Community, Education and Environment. The program will provide each Grant recipient (in both Australia and New Zealand) with $2,500 in cash and Canon product worth up to $2,500 RRP. Products will range from cameras to lenses, printers, and other accessories.
In addition, the $10,000 Content Development Package awarded to the overall Grant recipient in each country will enable the winning individual or organisation to build professional content to support their initiative in the form of editing, photography, videography and/or studio hire.
The Grant pool is made up of $25,000 of Grants in Australia and $25,000 in New Zealand, totaling $50,000 across the region. These funds will support the winning projects to continue their important work across the Community, Education and Environment sectors.
Last year’s winner stories
Winners of the 2022 Canon Oceania Grants have put their rewards to great use. Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue, winner of the Community ‘Flood Recovery’ Grant*, aims to lessen the impact of humans on the marine environment. The organisation does this by rescuing and rehabilitating seabirds, shorebirds, sea turtles and sea snakes, and through conducting educational activities to inform the public.
“We took the opportunity to install CCTV cameras in all animal care areas and to be able to stream to a TV in our education room. The ability to monitor the patients remotely has enhanced our after-hours care and allowed us to give timely intervention without the constant need to physically monitor them. In the event of another flood, the cameras will give us the ability to mitigate against being caught unawares.
We would recommend organisations applying for the Canon Grants Program as the impact can be huge. We would like to thank Canon for this generous support of not-for-profit organisations,” said Anna Dicker, President, Australian Seabird & Turtle Rescue.
Last year’s winner of the Education Grant, Kamaruka School, is a specialist school for neurodivergent boys from Years 2 to 10, who often have difficulties navigating the mainstream education system or require support for their unique needs such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
“We have captured a few basic recollections of the school from past and older students to eventually add to our website and we can’t wait for the next camp so that students can capture motion not just moments. Students are also keen to start their own film making. They are currently in the creating and storyboard stages. We are also investigating the safest way to launch a YouTube Channel.
The application process for Canon Grants Program was straightforward. Being a small school with no social media presence, we weren’t sure we would get the votes, but our community got behind us to support us,” said Michelle “Zinny” Zintschenko, Principal, Kamaruka School.
The 2022 Community Grant winner, GingerSnap Patisserie, is a social enterprise that creates plant-based desserts to celebrate the limitless potential of people with disability and create opportunities for more people with a disability to share their stories.
“The Canon Grants program has been monumental for GingerSnap on many levels, predominantly through brand recognition.
During the campaign, we were able to share our story on multiple social media groups and ask for community support. We received hundreds of messages of support from people who had never heard of us prior to the campaign and wanted to jump straight on and vote. This converted to more newsletter sign ups, and even some orders.
Together with this brand recognition, the quality of our photos has gone to a whole new level and means we can develop quality content for our newsletter and website. We now look professional!” said Jessica Colgan, Co-founder/Operations, GingerSnap Patisserie.
Finally, Remember the Wild, winner of the 2022 Environment Grant, is Australia’s leading nature connection organisation that dedicates itself to capturing a huge breadth of wildlife and landscapes and tells their stories. The organisation is committed to educating people on the ways in which Australia’s species and land can flourish, if people are willing to live in a way that fosters connection, respect and reverence for the many forms of life.
“It was a privilege to be the recipient of the Canon Oceania Environment Grant in 2022. At Remember the Wild, we exist to connect people to nature by means of education, art, events and any resource that can further the cause. We are currently producing a film about the endangered and little-known Spotted-tailed Quoll, the largest marsupial predator on the Australian mainland. But to photograph and film them in ultra-high definition, we need camera traps. This was why the Canon Oceania Grant was so helpful to our mission.
We were able to use a Canon EOS R6 to film in beautiful 4K resolution and strong low-light performance. With the cash element of the prize, we were able to purchase the necessary kit to convert this camera into the main body of a motion-triggered camera trap, filming the quolls as they move on their few frequented paths through the wilderness. Our film is aiming to be finished by the end of 2023, available to view in festivals 2024, and we can't wait to see what our Canon gear captures between now and then. Early results have already been exciting,” said Caleb McElrea, Director, Remember the Wild.
The 2023 Grants categories
The 2023 Grants will be awarded under the following categories:
1 x Community Grant – AU$5,000 (made up of $2,500 cash and Canon product up to $2,500RRP)
Open to organisations that have a positive impact on communities, encompassing cultural and societal causes.
1 x Education Grant – AU$5,000 (made up of $2,500 cash and Canon product up to $2,500RRP)
Open to schools and other educational centres for children and adults alike.
1 x Environment Grant – AU$5,000 (made up of $2,500 cash and Canon product up to $2,500RRP)
Open to not-for-profits and organisations dedicated to raising awareness of the protection of the environment or promoting sustainable practices.
The Overall Grant (Content Development Package), valued at AU$10,000, will be awarded to the category Grant recipient who received the highest total amount of votes for their entry.
Submissions are open now until 23 July 2023 via https://www.canon.com.au/about-canon/community/grants. The wider community will vote on finalists in August, and winners will be announced in September.
For more information about the 2023 Canon Oceania Grants program, please visit:
https://www.canon.com.au/about-canon/community/grants
* This Grant category was specific to the 2022 program to support the victims of the floods in Eastern Australia.
Canon Press Release: Canon Australia