The VVC, in partnership with Consumer Affairs Victoria as the regulator of patriotic funds, provides advice to ESOs on how patriotic funds can be raised and appropriately used, including transfer and winding-up arrangements.
The VVC is the trustee for six patriotic funds that are administered in accordance with Part 4 of the Veterans Act.
The Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women Scholarship Fund – Albert Coates Memorial Trust
This fund, in association with the Albert Coates Memorial Trust, provides funding for scholarships awarded to students who are studying courses for the training of paramedics, nurses and doctors in emergency care at Victorian universities. In 2021–22, the VVC provided $6,500 to the Albert Coates Memorial Trust to allocate scholarships for rural emergency nursing studies.
The Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women Scholarship Fund No 1 – Nurses Memorial Centre
This fund was first established in August 2006. It provides support for scholarship grants awarded on an annual basis to students undertaking postgraduate studies in care of the older person or palliative care at a recognised university. The VVC administers the funds, which are provided to the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre (ANMC) as the facilitator of the scholarships. In 2021–22, the VVC provided $11,000 to the ANMC for these scholarships.
The War Widows and Widowed Mothers Association Scholarship Fund
This fund supports scholarships awarded by the Federation University Australia to students undertaking graduate or postgraduate study in the fields of nursing, palliative care, aged care or midwifery. In 2021–22, the VVC approved disbursing $2,000 for these scholarships.
The Victorian Blinded Soldiers’ Welfare Patriotic Fund
This fund was established in April 2013 from funds provided by the Blinded Soldiers’ Association and a letter bequest from the estate of the Late Lucy Adamson. It provides welfare assistance to visually impaired veterans and their dependants, and offers assistance for former ADF members, who have visual impairment due to their service in defence of our nation.
The Extremely Disabled Association (EDA) Patriotic Fund
This fund supported the now discontinued Victorian Veteran Community Story Writing and Art Competition, which Austin Health’s Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital facilitated.
Australian United Ex-Services Association Patriotic Fund
This fund was established in 2015 to provide funding for postgraduate study in the field of veterans’ health. A memorandum of understanding with Austin Health was signed in February 2016 to deliver the scholarships for training postgraduate students in cognitive processing therapy, with an associated year of supervision.
Updated