is your community ready?
We support regional communities to drive place-based solutions
Discover | Activate | Evaluate
What we do
We support regional communities to drive place-based solutions
Ready Communities is a national place-based program designed to build strengths in regional Australian communities (this includes rural and remote communities).
All Ready Communities programs work with community members to drive clarity and understanding; connection and connectivity; capability and capacity; advocacy and promotion and collaboration for purpose.
Ready Community works at various stages of community change, we describe these as discovery, activation and evaluation. We can work with communities at any or all of these phases.
There’s a critical space between community aspirations and economic outcomes that often goes unaddressed. It’s where dreams meet reality, where social capital meets financial sustainability.
At Ready Communities, we’ve spent years understanding this vital intersection. Our work across regional Australia has shown us that true regional development isn’t just about economics OR community – it’s about both working in harmony.
Kerry and Chad, in leading Kempsey through the Ready Communities program, have absolutely transformed the conversation around positive place based change here in the Macleay Valley.
Father Jesse poole
Minister, Anglican Parish of Kempsey
About Ready Communities
Who are we?
Ready Communities was founded by Kerry Grace and Dr. Chad Renando in 2023. While both founders agree there are excellent place-based initiatives found across Australia, few incorporate both community and economic development in their framework.
The combined experiences of the founders enables integration of community and economic development portfolios to maximise the impact of siloed initiatives and enhance established long-term place- based methodologies.
Social Impact in the Regions
Each year Ready Communities alumni are invited to join regional changemakers at the national Social Impact in the Regions Conference.
The conference has been hosted in Coffs Harbour (year 0) and Kempsey (Year 1). The 2025 venue is soon to be announced…
Communities wanting to host a full Ready Communities program also host the national event which acts as a catalyst for change in the host community and also generates significant opportunities for local businesses and not for profits.
Mapping Connections
Evidence-Based Success
Visualising community connections highlights the complexity and strength of a local community network. Understanding community connectedness also shows the systemic nature of challenges and opportunities in regional areas.
Everything we do at Ready Communities is to connect and grow strengths in community. We pride ourselves in measuring, visualizing and communicating results the results of our projects to all stakeholders in an effort to maintain belief in our work and that of the communities that we work with.
The more connected a community, the more likely there will be a backup and diversity of services, faster and higher-quality response to emergencies and opportunities, and an increase in the number of individuals progressing ideas for commercial and social impact.
Dr. Chad Renando
Co-Founder of Ready Communities
