The first round of grants from Catholic Emergency Relief Australia to support the ongoing recovery from last summer’s bushfires has been awarded. With at least $100,000 available, 24 groups applied for approximately $400,000 in funding to support various programs and projects across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Fifteen organisations were successful in seeking grants, receiving a total of $110,000 to support trauma counselling and mental health, as well as community-building initiatives.