Mildura Rural City Council will establish an Events Funding and Support Recovery Fund to help local event organisers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Councillors last night endorsed the fund, which will allow Council to be more responsive and flexible in providing funding support to event organisers. The opening date for applications will be announced in coming weeks.
Councillor for Economic Development and Tourism Mark Eckel said COVID-19 and resulting restrictions on social gatherings and groups had severely impacted local event organisers.
Cr Eckel said numerous events, both large hallmark and smaller events, planned for 2020-21 had been cancelled and many more were in jeopardy given uncertainty over the duration and severity of COVID-19 restrictions.
He said the Events Funding and Support Recovery Fund was designed to help businesses and not-for-profit organisations quickly apply for Council funding for their events as and when restrictions are lifted.
"As we've seen throughout most of this year, conditions can change rapidly, with COVID-19 restrictions either eased or tightened, sometimes with only a couple of days' notice," Cr Eckel said.
"This makes it incredibly challenging for the numerous hard-working businesses and event organisers in our region to plan and react, many of whom rely on Council grants for a portion of their event funding."
The Events Funding and Support Recovery Fund endorsed by Councillors last night has two components.
Firstly, it will allow Council to approve grants up to $20,000 under General Manager delegation for the 2020-21 financial year.
And for applications for more than $20,000, grants can be approved at an Ordinary Council meeting.
These measures will apply to businesses and not-for-profit organisations to support events not previously assessed for funding as part of Council's 2020-21 Events Funding and Support program.
Once applications open, there will be four categories of applicable events:
- major events
- large community events
- small community events
- business events and conferences.
"With this new fund we're aiming to provide more certainty and quicker turnaround times when applying for funding, which will help reinvigorate our vibrant events calendar as quickly as possible as restrictions are eased," he said.
"Importantly, will also provide much-needed economic stimulus for our region, helping our community recover more quickly through the significant economic benefits major events bring to our region."
