Local funding up for grabs

THE latest round of grants from local community group Empowering Eaglehawk has opened.

The group provides up to $5000 and past grants have allowed for upgrades to parks, skateparks, playgrounds, sports facilities in the suburb.

Mitchell Graham, currently studying to be a primary school teacher, is the president of Empowering Eaglehawk and joined in 2018, when his high school principal recommended him.

“I said yeah righto, it’d be a good opportunity for me to develop my leadership skills. I became a youth representative back in 2020 and got asked this year to be president,” he said.

The group helped fund an upgrade to the Eaglehawk play space worth about $40,000 and has delivered over 100 grants to various schools, sporting groups and community projects.

Grants are funded through referrals to Bendigo Bank or Bendigo Telco, and groups must provide proof of referral to be eligible for funding.

Mr Graham said this year Empowering Eaglehawk has developed an events committee designed to host more community activities when COVID-19 restrictions ease.

He said having the grants program is essential to help groups recover from COVID-19.

“Everyone’s taken a hit over the last two years, especially clubs not getting the financial assistance they would like through business partnerships and people coming through the door and playing sport,” he said.

“I think it’s vitally important for community groups like us to be able to provide that money and grants to community organisations.”

For more information and to apply for a grant, head to empoweringeaglehawk.org.au before 31 October.