Communities in Greater Melbourne are among the most vulnerable in the world to bushfire and heatwaves.

Resilient communities that can respond to and recover from extreme weather events, natural disasters or other major emergencies are often characterised by high levels of community connection, social cohesion, an understanding of their strengths and vulnerabilities and equitable access to resources and systems.
 
Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation supports the development of community resilience through cross-sector collaborations, which focus on those who may be disproportionately affected by extreme weather and disasters, especially those facing financial disadvantage or social exclusion.

The Foundation supports both disaster preparedness and disaster recovery.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Broad community and cross-sector engagement to increase knowledge of the key determinants of community resilience. 
• Strengthening and defining the important role of community-based and social service organisations in building community resilience. 
• Cross-sector collaborations to plan for and respond to extreme weather and disasters, with a focus on vulnerable communities and individuals most at risk.

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Climate change is described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the ‘greatest challenge to human health globally’, affecting critical social and environmental determinants including clear air, drinking water, food security and housing.
 
Given the health impacts of climate change disproportionately affect communities with higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage and greater prevalence of preventable health issues, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation supports a health-equity response to climate change by all parts of our health sector. 

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Increasing the capacity of health organisations to understand and respond to the health impacts of climate change. 
• Building community awareness and capabilities regarding climate and health to prevent and alleviate adverse health outcomes. 
• Research that leads to improved policy, focusing on the population health benefits of climate change action and responding to the existing health risks of climate change. 
• Innovative collaborations between health and environmental organisations responding proactively to the population health effects of climate change. 

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Discrimination based on race, culture and religion contributes to social disadvantage and exclusion, makes communities less socially cohesive, and undermines a community’s collective ability to build resilience. 

Additionally, there a strong relationship between an individual’s experience of discrimination or disadvantage, and poor health and wellbeing - particularly mental health. 

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation encourages the development of socially cohesive communities, where people are safe from discrimination, feel a sense of belonging and trust and there is mutual respect, awareness and an understanding of diversity. 

The Foundation’s support is focused on: 

• Work that addresses discrimination towards and exclusion of racial, cultural or religious minority groups on a systems or structural level.
• Community-based initiatives that reduce discrimination and increase understanding and respect for racial, cultural or religious minority groups.
• Interventions that counteract widespread discriminatory views towards racial, cultural or religious minority groups. 

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