For the past decade, a remarkable grassroots movement in Newcastle has been quietly transforming the local community through simple acts of generosity. Awesome Newcastle, a DIY philanthropic group, recently celebrated giving away an impressive $100,000 in self-funded micro-grants since its establishment in 2015.
A Decade of Community Support
What began as a small initiative has grown into a significant force for positive change across the Newcastle region. According to Andy Howard, one of the original Awesome Newcastle board members, the organization has funded an extraordinary variety of projects over the years.
Since 2015 we've funded not-for-profits, for-profits, tourism, street art, bike DJs, card games, dog days, surf mornings, podcasts, theatre, books, art exhibitions, gardens, public artworks, fishing lures, social programs, cooking programs, healing programs, entrepreneurship programs, swimming programs, aged care programs, community events and men's sheds, Howard explains.
Every project that receives funding must share a common goal: advancing the culture or wellbeing of the Newcastle community. This simple yet powerful criterion has allowed the group to support a diverse range of initiatives that might otherwise struggle to find funding.
How the Awesome Process Works
Awesome Newcastle operates as part of the broader Awesome Foundation network, which was established in 2009 and now includes dozens of chapters worldwide. Each chapter functions independently, supporting local projects through small grants typically distributed monthly.
The process is beautifully straightforward. Each month, ten Awesome Newcastle board members—some permanent, some guest trustees—gather with $100 cash each. Three community members then have exactly three minutes each to pitch their ideas directly to the board.
After hearing all three pitches, the board debates and discusses the merits of each proposal before selecting one winner who takes home $1000 in cash—no strings attached.
Lois Donaldson, who jokes about being an original gangster board member, has been involved since the beginning. She loves the element of surprise that each meeting brings.
You never know what you're going to get. Every time we meet, there's some part of Newcastle or something about the people you never knew about. There's always something new, Donaldson says.
The People Behind the Grants
The board members come from diverse backgrounds but share a common commitment to their community. Adrienne Donnelly appreciates her role as a board member because, as a local business owner herself, she finds it rewarding to support emerging businesses through the Awesome Newcastle platform.
Emma Levine, another founding member, emphasizes the genuine nature of their giving. People think there must be a catch, but there's not, and that's what makes it so good. We just get to give money away to great ideas, she says.
Levine also notes that while only one applicant receives funding each month, the inspiration comes from hearing all three finalists present their visions. There's technically only one winner each month, but it's so inspiring listening to all three finalists pitch their amazing ideas.
Annual Showcase Event
Several years ago, Awesome Newcastle established a special tradition for their final gathering of the year in November. Three strong finalists from earlier months return for a second chance to pitch their ideas, and the entire Newcastle community is invited to watch the proceedings.
This year's final event took place on Wednesday, November 10, 2025, at the Young Street Hotel. The organization welcomed back three returning finalists: Larissa Elliott with her Under the Same Sun initiative, Chris Jones of the nonprofit LiveFree Project, and Valerie Watson's Arts in Recovery at The Creator Incubator.
After another round of compelling pitches, Larissa Elliott emerged victorious with her Under the Same Sun project, though the decision was remarkably close—she won by just one vote.
Under the Same Sun wants to support families who navigate mobile work, and I would like to use the money to fund my online connection group where mums dealing with mobile work can come together and connect, Elliott explained after her win.
Among the audience members was previous Awesome Newcastle winner Karen Livesey, who volunteered to keep time for each pitch. Thanks to her earlier grant, she will be able to run ghost fungus tours in Glenrock Reserve in 2026.
It's given me a lot of confidence that my idea is not rubbish. I'm signed up for a meeting with NSW National Parks next week to get our agreement under way so that I can run night tours in Glenrock State Conservation Area, Livesey shared.
As Awesome Newcastle looks toward its next decade of community support, the organization continues to welcome new board members and applications from community members with great ideas. Those interested in learning more can visit awesomenewcastle.org to discover how they might participate in this unique grassroots movement that proves small grants can make a big difference.
