• NAB Foundation grants $4 million to increase its support of Disaster Relief Australia
• Founding Partnership will build Disaster Relief Australia’s community and corporate volunteering capacity

NAB Foundation will more than quadruple its support for Disaster Relief Australia’s ‘NAB Foundation Recovery Crew’ over the next three years to help communities better prepare for and recover from disasters. It will bring total funding for the partnership to $5.2 million since 2023.

Led by Disaster Relief Australia, the ‘NAB Foundation Recovery Crew’ provides workplaces and community members an opportunity to volunteer for a day or even a few hours when a disaster occurs in their local area.

The veteran-led not-for-profit manages the volunteer experience ensuring practical work is undertaken with speed, safety and coordination. The partnership extension aims to grow the Recovery Crew from 1,500 to 6,600 nationally by 2028.

Following the devastating impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, NAB Group CEO Andrew Irvine today met Disaster Relief Australia CEO Dave Smith in the Redland Bay area to visit impacted customers and community members.

Mr Smith said NAB Foundation’s continued support would help put more community and corporate volunteers on the ground to aid disaster preparedness and recovery efforts in their own backyards.

“As disasters become more frequent and severe, people want to help as and when they can. As we scale up our preparedness capabilities and respond to more disaster operations, providing greater support for those who need it is critical,” Mr Smith said.

“Alfred reminded us that disasters can strike at any time, and sometimes with little notice. The need for rapid, coordinated recovery efforts has never been greater.”

More than 1,500 volunteers from NAB, other corporates and the broader community have registered for the NAB Foundation Recovery Crew.

NAB Group CEO Andrew Irvine joined the ‘NAB Foundation Recovery Crew’ in Redland Bay and said it was devastating to see the impact of natural disasters on the community.

“We are committed to supporting customers in moments that matter. We provide fast financial relief, including grants, loan deferrals, and repayment arrangements to help customers recover and rebuild from disasters,” Mr Irvine said.

“At the heart of this program is the Aussie spirit of helping each other when times get tough. I’m extremely proud to partner with Disaster Relief Australia and be part of recovery efforts and resilience building for the future.”

People interested in volunteering for the ‘NAB Foundation Recovery Crew’ can register at www.recoverycrew.org.

NAB Foundation

NAB Foundation uses philanthropy, social investment, and in-kind support to fund social and environmental progress in the Australian communities served by the NAB Group.  NAB Foundation’s support is assisting Disaster Relief Australia to recruit and manage everyday Australians who want to help impacted communities. For more information, visit NAB’s website.

Disaster Relief Australia

Established in 2016, Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is a veteran-led not-for-profit that unites the skills and experience of veterans and other dedicated volunteers to help communities prepare for and recover from disaster. With a focus on either side of the emergency, DRA works with communities to identify risks, develop disaster management strategies, and build their capability to face future challenges. When disaster strikes, focus shifts to recovery providing essential cleanup and support to help communities pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives. Since its inception, DRA has deployed on more than 140 disaster recovery operations and community projects and assisted over 250 communities. DRA has a growing roster of 5,500 active volunteers nationally and has Disaster Relief and Recovery Teams located in every state and territory to ensure optimal capacity to assist communities in need. For more information, visit disasterreliefaus.org.

Notes to editors: 

• In 2023, NAB Foundation granted $1 million to support DRA to bolster corporate and community volunteerism through the NAB Foundation Recovery Crew.
• In response to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, NAB’s flagship Sustainability program NAB Ready Together provided almost $2.5 million in disaster relief grants to customers and colleagues to help with repairs to homes, farms or businesses, and assist with emergency expenses. Additionally, NAB has announced Disaster Relief Grants to Western Queensland.
• In 2024, 522 corporate and community volunteers were deployed to 15 operations around Australia including 237 NAB colleagues.
• Disaster Relief Australia has secured $38.1m in Federal Government funding from 2022-2026. The funding aims to add 5000 volunteers to its workforce and give more support to states and territories when disasters occur.