Indigo Shire Council's annual community grant program has received a funding boost with an extra $25,000 available in the 2021-2022 grant round for COVID support thanks to the Victorian State Government.
The additional funding has been provided to help residents and community groups stay connected through an event or activity and/or to assist community organisations to purchase COVIDSafe equipment.
Indigo Shire Deputy Mayor, Peter Croucher, says the extra funding is a welcome boost to the program.
"There's been a lot of conversation about the economic and social impacts COVID has had on our businesses and communities but there hasn't been a huge focus on grass-roots, community-led organisations, which have also been severely impacted. To have this kind of support, for organisations and groups that often make up the back-bone of small rural towns, is wonderful."
In addition to the $25,000 available in COVID support, there is $47,500 available for "General" and "Arts and Culture", $2,500 for "Youth Initiatives", $15,000 for community events and for 2021-2022 only, $5000 for sporting equipment, bringing the total amount available through the grant program to $95,000.
Councillor Croucher says this is one of the largest funding pools the grant program has ever had available and it couldn't come at a better time.
"We all know how difficult the last 18 months has been, with cancelled events, uncertainty around what we can and can't do and ongoing separation from our friends and family. This is a wonderful opportunity for our community groups and organisations to put their hand up and receive a bit of financial assistance to enable them to keep playing a vital role in our communities."
Rikki Raadsveld from the BMF Rock School Inc, was a successful grant recipient in the 2020-2021 grant program and used the funding for a project called Rock School Re-Ignite, in which four industry standard microphones were purchased plus all the sanitation equipment and products required to allow the school to operate in a COVIDSafe environment.
"The grant funding made a huge difference to how we operated last year. Not only did it allow us to invest in equipment that will benefit our students for a long time, but it was a huge relief to know we had financial support to help us be COVIDSafe. We are really grateful for the support and I'd encourage all community groups to apply for some funding," said Rikki.
Applications for the Indigo Shire Community Grants Program open on Friday 20 August and more information can be found here.
