Community Resilience Grants Program expanded 

Published on 19 November 2019

The Gannawarra Community Resilience Grants Program has been expanded, with community groups located within the Gannawarra encouraged to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to support community-led initiatives.

Developed by the Gannawarra Community Resilience Committee, $40,000 will be available to support a variety of small activities that promote social connectedness and mental health and wellbeing.

“Round 1 of the program is already benefiting residents of the Gannawarra, with funding provided to support community events, Christmas celebrations and support for the development of a veteran assistance centre in Kerang,” Mayor Lorraine Learmonth said.

“It is important that, as a community, we continue to unite and support each other, and this program is one way to contribute to initiatives that assist to keep our communities connected.”

The program guidelines detail priority areas that applications need to consider. Some of these include:

• Community celebrations, such as Christmas, New Year, Australia Day, Neighbour Day and Easter celebrations in towns, or other events that bring people together;
• Minor equipment purchases;
• Workshops that build the capacity to develop localised solutions to climate change;
• Community bus trips to locations within the Gannawarra that will boost the local economy;
• Community initiatives that aim to raise funds for the Gannawarra Giving Account; and
• Programs and activities that promote the Five Ways to Wellbeing – Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

“I encourage not-for-profit community groups to look at the program guidelines, which are available on Council’s website, and determine whether any projects, activities or events planned would benefit from a funding application,” Mayor Learmonth said.

“Projects and events that are successful in obtaining funding must be held or completed by 15 June 2020.”

Applications, which close on Friday, 13 December, can be submitted online at www.gsc.vic.gov.au/grants or by completing a hard copy form, available from Council’s Customer Service Centres at Cohuna and Kerang.

For more details, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/grants, phone (03) 5450 9333 or email grants@gannawarra.vic.gov.au