Community Underwriting, backed by the NSW Meals on Wheels Association, has announced the recipients of its first annual small grants program.

They include prisoner and children’s disability support groups from all over Australia.

The more than 20 community groups given awards include Shine for Kids, a transport program for children of prisoners based in Victoria, NSW and the ACT; Funsworth, an after-school program for disabled children from Holdsworth, NSW; Northern Illawarra U3A in NSW; Moving Forward, a Sydney-based mentoring program for victims of domestic violence; and the NT-based Under the CASSE Tjilirra Project, where Aboriginal elders teach youngsters how to make tools.

The underwriting agency, launched a year ago, insures more than 700 non-profit organisations across Australia.

Community Underwriting has a unique business model and is owned by the larger not-for-profits involved, with Meals on Wheels the largest shareholder.