A not-for-profit formed in the wake of Black Saturday is responding to the most recent bushfires and plans to be a major recovery body for future disasters.
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Into Our Hands Community Foundation has awarded more than $700,000 in recent years and executive officer Sarah Thompson said a new trust would replace the one launched in 2012.
"Activities of last year have been administrating trust money from the 2009 Black Saturday funding, and that particular tranche of funding is winding down, but the foundation itself has been in a building mode," she said.
"We've been supporting communities like Corryong where people have raised a lot of money and have become very accountable in their communities for how that money is spent.
"That can be difficult, when they haven't given out money before and have to put in processes."
At a bushfire recovery forum on Sunday, Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund chair Patrick McNamara said the region should consider creating their version of the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund for future disasters.
But Ms Thompson said Into Our Hands already worked in that way and was ready to help.
"We supported the Beechworth forum on the weekend and a community event in Harrietville last week, and our board is considering another event," she said.
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"We've set up a North East Bushfire Appeal Fund, and that is a fund that can support relief, recovery and ongoing resilience.
"We want to continue the support we've been providing in terms of disaster relief, but also broaden our support in the way Border Trust has."
