Community groups, artists, local event organisers and sporting clubs in the Yarra Ranges will share in $420,940 worth of funding from Council's 2021 Grants for Community program.
This year there are 63 projects funded that will contribute to social connection and support communities through community development projects, festivals and events or arts and heritage initiatives.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Fiona McAllister, congratulated the successful applicants and said that she looks forward to seeing their projects delivered in the coming year. "On behalf of Yarra Ranges Council I congratulate all of our grant recipients," Cr McAllister said.
"We're so lucky to live in a place filled with wonderful volunteers, artists and residents who are all passionate about supporting and developing their own community.
"In what has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, it's been so heart-warming to see life return to some form of normality in recent times, and these community grants will help that even further in 2021.
"I'm proud that we can help support their visions through this program and I know that all councillors and staff are keen to see the outcomes from this round of funding."
Successful applications include Cat McKay, in a project supported by Eating Disorders Victoria who will hold a photographic exhibition featuring local women celebrating their diverse body shapes. 'Body of Empowerment' workshops will take participants through a process of reconnecting with their bodies with the experience captured through the creation of short film and magazine.
The Mount Evelyn Township Group will hold the Mount Evelyn Street Party, a free community festival in the main shopping precinct of the town, which includes market and food stalls, free and low cost activities, stages, roving performers and workshops. This kind of activity is even more important post COVID-19 in re-connecting and re-activating our places and local economies.
Eastern Domestic Violence Service (EDVOS) will work alongside Inspiro to develop and deliver a gender equity resource and training package to 30 health professionals working with children and families in the Yarra Ranges. The project will help build capacity of health professionals to create gender equitable environments that promote respect as a strategy to prevent gendered violence.
