Northern Victoria’s 30-year-old community leadership program will go into recess.

The board of the charitable program announced this week it had not been able to secure sufficient funding following the withdrawal of Victorian Government money about two years ago.

Hundreds of people have graduated from the program and moved into management and leadership positions in this region and other cities.

The Goulburn Murray Community Leadership Program is known as the Fairley Leadership Program due to the sponsorship of the Fairley family.

The graduation program for the 22 2026 candidates was held on October 28.

Chair Lacey Nicholson said the board had decided that the program would not be delivered in 2027 and would enter a defined recess because sufficient funding had not yet been secured.

In a letter to supporters, Ms Nicholson said funding was the constraint on future delivery and if the required investment was secured, the program would continue at the earliest responsible opportunity.

“This is a responsible pause, not a retreat from our commitment to regional leadership, connection and community impact,” she said.

The program has an annual budget of about $250,000.

It has been funded through charitable contributions, sponsorship and participant contributions.

The last major government contribution was made in 2023 when grants totalled $172,000.

The program employs two staff.

Graduate in the 2026 cohort, City of Greater Shepparton Councillor Fern Summer, expressed disappointment and some sadness that the program was under threat.

“It’s celebrating 30 years, and generated 250 alumni so it’s sad to see it go into recess,” she said.

She said it was difficult to calculate the impact when the program was about building human capital, but she had experienced a stimulating year where networks were created and participants were exposed to elements of the community that many people never got to see.

One example for Cr Summer was the visit to the Noumi dairy factory in Shepparton, where nationally-distributed products are produced.

Cr Summer said the program also taught personal growth.

“You can never invest too much in people.”

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Geoff Akers said the region had benefited from the large number of graduates who had gone on to take leadership roles.

“Let’s hope the program can find sponsorship enabling the work to continue in 2028.”

While the Victorian Government has withdrawn funding from some rural leadership programs, it is paying for participants in the Victorian Rural Women’s Network leadership and mentoring program.

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Monday, 1st March 2027

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