Sixteen Golden Plains community groups have successfully secured Community Strengthening Grants from Council, to deliver an exciting range of community projects and programs across the Shire.
In the first round of this year’s revamped program, Council awarded a combined $74,284 to the successful groups for projects across four categories: Healthy Active Living; Creative Community; Environment and Sustainability; and Community Safety.
With COVID-19 restrictions preventing a community celebration event to present each community group with their grant, Council invited recipients to tune into the livestream of Tuesday’s Council Meeting, where Councillors read out a short statement on each of the successful projects.
In this round, grants were received by a diverse field of organisations, ranging from sport and recreation clubs, environment groups, history groups, and community coordinators, as well as a CFA Brigade. These grants will support a variety of programs, including protecting biodiversity in local reserves, improving community sporting facilities, and helping children deal with the impacts of family violence trauma.
In its 25th year, Council revised its successful community grants program, which now sees Community Strengthening Grants awarded in two rounds each year. Applications for Round Two of this year’s program will open on 17 August 2020 and close on 21 September 2020. Community groups seeking more information on the program are encouraged to contact Council’s Community Partnerships Officer on 5220 7220 or email [email protected]. Further information will be shortly available at goldenplains.vic.gov.au/grants.
Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey congratulated the successful community groups, and encouraged more groups to get ready to apply for the next round.
“Congratulations to the first round recipients of Council’s 2020 Community Strengthening Grants program. Normally, we’d hold a special event to present each community group with their cheque, and while not the same, it was an honour for my fellow Councillors and I to announce the 16 recipients at this week’s Council Meeting.”
“From projects in Ross Creek to Inverleigh, it is terrific for Council to be able to support these well deserving community groups to deliver a great list of projects across our Shire.”
“With community groups required to match the amount of funding sought through either cash or in-kind contributions, the $74,284 from Council will leverage another $229,246 in value for the community. This works out to providing a return of $2.90 for every $1 contributed by Council.”
“If your community group has a valuable project that would benefit from a Community Strengthening Grant, applications for the next round will open next month and we encourage you to apply.”
The recipients of the first round of Council’s Community Strengthening Grants are:
|
Community Group |
Project Name |
Grant Category |
Grant Amount |
|
Leisure Networks |
Mini Movers project |
Healthy Active Living |
$8,000 |
|
Haddon Recreational Committee of Management |
Spectator Seating |
Healthy Active Living |
$2,756 |
|
Bannockburn and District Bowls Club |
Bowls for Bannockburn |
Healthy Active Living |
$4,500 |
|
Inverleigh Golf Club |
Disc Golf Project |
Healthy Active Living |
$8,900 |
|
WRISC Family Violence Support |
Van Go Project |
Healthy Active Living |
$2,880 |
|
Meredith Recreation Reserve Committee of Management |
Hall improvements |
Healthy Active Living |
$3,625 |
|
Ross Creek/Smythes Creek Community Coordinators |
Community Signage |
Healthy Active Living |
$3,075 |
|
Rokewood/Corindhap Community Coordinators |
History Boards |
Creative Community |
$2,225 |
|
Northern Access TV |
Chronicles X TV Episode on Golden Plains |
Creative Community |
$7,500 |
|
Meredith History Interest Group |
Bringing History Alive |
Creative Community |
$2,662.50 |
|
Smythesdale Community Arts |
Community Arts and Music Fiesta |
Creative Community |
$3,000 |
|
Friends of Bannockburn Bush |
Accessible Tracks |
Environment and Sustainability |
$5,000 |
|
Ballarat Environment Network |
Fencing in defence of biodiversity |
Environment and Sustainability |
$8,000 |
|
Birdlife Australia |
Water security for woodland birds and biodiversity |
Environment and Sustainability |
$5,630 |
|
Bannockburn CFA Brigade |
Portable Lighting |
Community Safety |
$1,530 |
|
Bannockburn Cemetery Trust |
Safety Fencing and Tree Barriers |
Community Safety |
$5,000 |