One of its sub-funds is the Janine Owen Fund, which was created as a lasting legacy following her accidental death in 2012. 

Ms Owen completed a commerce degree at the former University of Ballarat, before a successful finance career with Ballarat Regional Industries, Goodman Fielder and the Department of Sustainability and Environments. 

The Ballarat Foundation chief executive officer Geoff Sharp said Ms Owen was passionate about helping out in the community and it had been something her husband Tim Owen, along with family and friends, wanted to continue in her honour.

“(The fund) has two significant parts – it supports local organisations to help them do what they do and it has also provided scholarships for people studying commerce, who are finding it a little bit tough, to assist them with their costs,” he said.

Mr Sharp said the foundation worked with local high schools and universities as it searched for a worthy student. 

“Usually around February a few of them (family and friends) get together and meet the person receiving the scholarship. It’s always really special and a bittersweet time as you can image.

“(The fund) is something that’s very special to all of us at the foundation. The friends and family of Janine have given us a huge amount of trust to ask us to look after this fund in her memory.”

The charities to benefit from the Janine Owen Fund, either entirely or partially, are the One Humanity Shower Bus, Mercy Associates Care Packages and Meals for Change. 

The One Humanity Shower Bus offers dignity to the homeless of Ballarat through provision of hygiene services. 

Chairman Constantine Osuchukwu brought the idea to the city after becoming aware of the lack of shower access when his friend began sleeping rough following her husband’s death.

The Meals for Change, a program focused on providing meals for those in need, celebrated its first birthday this month.

It is a social inclusion program, where people experiencing or at risk of homelessness can purchase a meal at a local community cafe without financial exclusion or stigma. 

Members can purchase meals of up to $15 value from partnering cafes for $3, with Meals for Change reimbursing the cafe the difference.

Project officer Jen Pollard said it offered young people a sense of dignity. 

“We're doing a whole lot of things to help them from falling into homelessness. It's early intervention not crisis support,” she said.

"They're very powerful words when they say they feel like a normal person. We see it as a hand up rather than a handout." 

In its first year, the program has provided a total of 600 meals and assisted 75 members, while the Ballarat community has donated an estimated total of $4500.

Mr Sharp said The Courier Charity Fund was another Ballarat Foundation sub-fund that raised a significant amount of money for community organisations and was inspiration for other companies.

The sub-fund was set up in 2002 as a long-term community commitment and legacy for future generations. 

In the most recent round of funding announced a few weeks ago, The Courier Charity Fund gave away more than $55,000. 

One of the community facilities to benefit was UnitingCare Ballarat’s Enid Rogers Jubilee Kindergarten, situated at Lake Wendouree, with the money put towards a kitchen upgrade.

Early childhood services manager Dannie Dupleix said the kindergarten hadn’t been renovated since it was built.

“With the changes to the ratios between educators and children we need to increase our floor space,” she said.

“And those facilities we got the grant for will have a huge impact on the quality of the program because the educators will be able to undertake many more cooking experiences with children.

“This will make it much easier for staff when they do all their preparation for activities and tidying up. It will be a very hygienic and efficient workplace. But it will also have a really positive impact on the children in their planning and their programming.”

The upgrade is anticipated to be completed by the middle of next year, once the centre has applied for planning permission. 

Another organisation to benefit was the Male Bag Foundation, known for promoting men’s health via road trips on old postman motorbikes.

The donated funds went towards a prostate cancer biopsy machine probe, which would provide an increased availability of prostate biopsy services at Ballarat Health Services. 

Head of urology Lachlan Dodds said at the unveiling of the machine the impact would be “massive”.

“The thing prostate cancer survivors remember most from their experience is their biopsy – ask any survivor in this room,” he said. “There is virtually no pain and virtually no risk of infection that is traditionally a problem with traditional biopsy machines.”

Other projects to receive funding included Life Education Ballarat and District’s mobile learning centre upgrade, Centacare Ballarat’s Peplow House kitchen upgrade, the State Emergency Service Ballarat for the purchase of two external defibrillators and two first aid kits for use in rescue vehicles and Child and Family Services Ballarat for art and cultural workshops for Indigenous clients in out-of-home care and their carers.