Events, activities benefit from flood recovery grants
Published on 30 August 2023
Sixteen community events and activities will share in $39,918 of funding thanks to the Gannawarra Community Flood Recovery Grants program.
Gannawarra Shire-based community groups were able to apply for up to $3,000 to support events, programs and activities that will assist the Gannawarra’s social recovery from the October-December 2022 floods, with Council receiving 22 applications.
“Council thanks all community groups that took the time to apply for funding, with the successful initiatives to help our communities continue to recover from our second major flood event in 11 years,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.
Seven applications successfully received the maximum amount of $3,000, with five of these supporting events that will bring residents and schools together for activities or a meal.
Funding has also been provided to Cohuna Neighbourhood House for its popular Gannawarra ACE Club, which will enable residents to re-connect and attend art, culture and entertainment events, whilst Murrabit Group School and wider community will work with a local Aboriginal artist to create a garden incorporating indigenous plants and edible natives, and an artwork.
“Some events that received funding have already occurred, such as the Leitchville Community Wellbeing Day and the Kerang Traders’ street activation, which saw the group collaborate with the Kerang and District Schools Book Parade to provide fun, family friendly, interactive entertainment to support community and business activation,” Mayor Gillingham said.
“Residents can look forward to major events occurring in the coming months thanks to this program, including New Year’s Eve celebrations at Koondrook, two community events at Quambatook, the Kerang Agricultural Show and Music Festival, and the Dingwall Community Creative Art Project titled ‘Our Place’.
“All projects or events that received funding need to hold their event or complete their initiatives by the end of March 2024, meaning it will be a busy seven-month period for the Gannawarra.”
Community groups and organisations looking for funding for current and future projects are encouraged to visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/grants, which features various grant opportunities.
Projects that have been successfully awarded funding thanks to the Gannawarra Community Flood Recovery Grants program are:
The Gannawarra Flood Recovery Grants Program is an initiative of the Gannawarra Community Resilience Committee, which consist of 32 agencies working with Council to implement the Municipal Recovery Plan.
“Council thanks the Gannawarra Community Resilience Committee for supporting the Gannawarra’s social recovery at this time, and the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments for funding to support the community grants program,” Mayor Gillingham said.
ABOVE: Activities held as part of the Kerang and District Schools Book Parade benefited from Gannawarra Community Flood Recovery Grants program funding.