DOZENS of community groups will soon have projects off the ground after Swan Hill Council approved recipients for its annual grants program.
The program included the $78,000 development fund and $100,000 event support fund.
The community development fund provided funding of up to $5000 for eligible community groups, which could be spent on a myriad of things such as repairs or minor upgrades to facilities or new programs or activities within a community or projects that promote local sustainability initiatives.
Council director of development and planning Michelle Grainger said of the 46 submissions, 22 were recommended for funding.
The total value requested from the council was $165,374, with the annual budget for the 2024/2025 round being $78,000.
“Successful applicants will contribute approximately $170,000 in cash, in-kind and sponsorship/other funding to match council’s $78,000 worth of grant funds,” Ms Grainger said in her report.
“This will result in approximately $248,000 worth of community projects being completed by the end of May 2025.”
Ms Grainger said a broad cross-section of projects covered several townships including Swan Hill, Lake Boga, Piangil, Nyah, Speewa and Manangatang.
Recipients funded the full $5000 included Robinvale and District Ballet Guild to install a theatre projector to Robinvale Community Centre, Swan Hill Little Athletics to construct a shed to store equipment, Lakers Cricket Club to construct a shed for shelter and storage and Nyah District Memorial Hall committee of management for repair works.
The Swan Hill Lions Club will spend $5000 on a new barbecue trailer and Swan Hill Neighbourhood House to install automatic glass doors to the entrance.
Swan Hill Little Athletics secretary Felicia Chalmers said the club had grown in the past two years.
“We’ve been fortunate to purchase new equipment and have some donated to cater for our extra athletes,” she told The Guardian.
“Now, though, we’ve run out of space to store all our gear.
“We’ll use this $5000 from council, along with funding from local sponsors and input from volunteers, to extend our shed.
“It’s not an exciting or flashy project, but it will make a huge, positive difference to our centre and volunteers.
“There aren’t a lot of funding programs out there that offer funding for small, capital works like this, so we’re fortunate that council offers it each year.”
The event support fund provided cash sponsorship and logistical support up to the value of $5000 to event organisers.
Ms Grainger said 49 applications were received for the 2024/2025 round.
The total value of cash sponsorship requested from the fund was $145,129 which did not account for logistical (in-kind) support leaving the budget oversubscribed.
Of the 49 applicants, 24 of the applications were for new events, and 25 applicants reapplied for existing events through this year’s program.
Ms Grainger said due to the quality of the applications, the council decided to support 39 applicants and use reserve funds to ensure that there was an equitable distribution of funds for successful applicants.
“The events that have been listed as successful vary in size, purpose and location supporting community groups and event organisers across the municipality,” she said.
While most of the events have been successful in obtaining funding, in most cases they did not receive the total funding that they have requested.
“This decision is made at the discretion of the panel to maximise the support for as many events as possible, considering repeated applications and consistency and equitable funding allocations,” she said.
