Local community groups who have received financial support from Bland Shire Council have been invited to provide feedback on the newly endorsed draft Bland Shire Community Funding Program 2025.
The Program is a new approach to supporting local organisations, groups and events across the Shire.
The draft Bland Shire Community Funding Program will be on public exhibition from 21 August 2025 to 18 September 2025, with written feedback received up until 5pm, Friday 2 October 2025. Council is encouraging community members and organisations to provide feedback before the program is finalised.
The Community Funding Program brings together three key funding streams, each designed to support different types of local initiatives:
• Strengthening Community Fund – $30,000 pool available in 2025–26, offered in two rounds, with up to $5,000 available per application for community driven initiatives and projects.
• Community Activity Grant – $20,000 pool available, offered in one round, with up to $10,000 available per application to support events that create social connections and improve wellbeing. This program will be for activities to be delivered in the 2026-27 financial year.
• Community Support Donations – annual allocations to be determined as part of Council's budget, designed to assist groups that require ongoing financial support over the term of Council.
Mayor Brian Monaghan said the new program provides greater certainty for local groups while streamlining the application process.
"Over the past seven years, Council has provided almost $380,000 in financial support to nearly 60 community organisations," Mayor Monaghan said.
"This new program ensures we can continue that support in a fair, transparent and sustainable way while giving groups more certainty when planning their events and initiatives."
The program sits alongside the Wyalong Solar Farm Community Benefit Fund, which will make $30,000 available each year for the next nine years to support projects across the Shire.
Council is now inviting submissions on the draft Community Funding Program until 5pm, Friday 2 October 2025. If no submissions are received, the guidelines will be formally adopted, and promotion of the program will begin.
