City presents community grants

THE City of Greater Geelong has handed out more than $4 million in its latest round of community grants endorsed by the council.

This round of funding included nine programs.

The city says there was a very high standard of grant applications, with more than $14.6 million in funding requested and $4,021,732 awarded.

Across the grant categories:

• Arts Projects saw 13 applicants receiving $116,285
• Clean Economy saw two applicants receiving $48,400
• Climate Change Partnership saw six applicants receiving $180,000
• Community Events Grants saw 30 applicants receiving $179,750
• Community Infrastructure saw 27 applicants receiving $2,999,002
• Creative Commissions saw four applicants receiving $65,000
• Environmental Sustainability saw 11 applicants receiving $70,030
• Geelong Heritage saw four applicants receiving $100,000, and
• Healthy & Connected Communities saw 58 applicants receiving $263,265.

The successful 155 applicants include:

• Norlane Community Initiatives, to develop a volunteer strategy for sustaining community meals in Norlane, improving food security, social connections, and active participation
• Platform Arts, to create A People’s Guide to (North) Geelong
• Ocean Grove Film Society, to establish a monthly film society for Ocean Grove and surrounds, to increase community connection, and to provide access to films in an inclusive environment
• Geelong West Neighbourhood House, to support presentations from local health experts around healthy ageing
• Funding for the Winter Lights Festival in Labuan Square
• Clifton Springs Curlewis Coastcare, to help understand, improve and protect the biodiversity of the Clifton Springs Curlewis foreshore and waterways, and
• Friends of the Bellarine Rail Trail, for the construction of a storage shed for tools used at working bees along the Bellarine Rail Trail.

An independent Community Assessment Panel was convened to review the applications.

Applications were considered against endorsed policies and guidelines, along with specialist advice from city officers.

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the panel carefully reviewed every grant application.

“I want to congratulate all the successful applicants, and I look forward to seeing how they will partner with the city to strengthen and improve our community.

“With 155 successful applications and over four million dollars in funding, our entire community will benefit from this program in so many ways.”

Chair of the council’s finance portfolio Cr Andrew Katos said there would be future opportunities for unsuccessful grant applicants.

“There were a lot of very worthy community projects that we received funding applications for.

“Ultimately, we received over $14 million in funding requests against a total budget of $4,043,000, meaning that we couldn’t fund everything.”

For the full list of successful applicants, head to geelongaustralia.com.au/grants