Community and sporting groups are invited to submit applications to Lithgow City Council for consideration under Round 9 of the Resources for Regions program.
The NSW Government has recently announced the opening of Round 9 of the Resources for Regions (R4R) program which closes 30 September 2022.
Resources for Regions aims to support ongoing prosperity in regional NSW by providing economic opportunities, improved amenity and positive social outcomes in communities impacted by mining and gas exploration.
A total of $140 million is available in Round 9 for mining and gas exploration affected LGA's with a dedicated $5 million allocated for projects in Lithgow LGA.
Only Councils are eligible to submit applications for R4R funding. Lithgow City Council will be submitting its own grant applications in addition to applications on behalf of community groups where these meet the guidelines, are sufficiently planned and scoped, meet local priorities and the total of all projects is within the $5 million funding cap.
Council will assess the priority of each community submission and not all submitted projects will be lodged with the funding body. For this round, Council will be prioritising applications that support new business, facilitate growth of existing businesses or otherwise provide a "value-add" to the local economy.
There are three funding streams. The key objectives for each stream and example projects are detailed in the funding guidelines available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/resources-for-regions-round-9
Stream 1. Infrastructure projects ($250,000 minimum request and maximum request of $5 million):
Stream 2. Community programs ($100,000 minimum request and $500,000 maximum request per program):
Stream 3. Business plans/ feasibility studies and Masterplans ($50,000 minimum request and $500,000 maximum request for all business cases within the Lithgow funding allocation):
Stream 3 may be particularly helpful for assisting organisations with the planning and design of infrastructure/facility projects which are not yet "shovel ready", with construction costs to be submitted in future funding rounds.
Resources for Regions also supports projects which promote inclusion and accessibility for people with a disability by improving community participation, liveable communities and accessibility.
"The $5 million available for Lithgow under Resources for Regions Round 9 offers fantastic opportunities for Council and community and sporting organisations to work together on economic development and diversification, community wellbeing, community amenity and infrastructure upgrades," said Council's Infrastructure Services Director Jonathon Edgecombe. "Council welcomes project ideas from the community which are vitally important for ensuring that Lithgow gets the best outcomes and value for money from this funding program."
The timeframe for submitting applications is very tight and Council must submit its list of Council and community applications by 30 September 2022. Accordingly, submissions by community and sporting groups must be lodged with Council via the following portal by 5:00pm Friday 16 September 2022 to allow sufficient time for processing and assessment by Council. This portal will be live from Monday 5 September.
https://council.lithgow.com/resources-for-regions-grant-opportunities/
