{"id":191726,"date":"2026-07-16T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=191726"},"modified":"2026-07-16T09:47:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T23:47:25","slug":"turn-great-ideas-into-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/turn-great-ideas-into-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn great ideas into reality"},"content":{"rendered":"

APPLICATIONS for the city’s 2026\u201327 Community Grants are officially open, offering a fantastic opportunity to bring your next project to life.<\/p>\n

I am very eager to see the innovative ideas our community brings forward this year and to witness firsthand how this new round of funding will empower local change-makers.<\/p>\n

Community Grants are one of our most rewarding initiatives. It’s our way of supporting the incredible people working behind the scenes to strengthen our community.<\/p>\n

If you’ve been sitting on an idea that would make Greater Geelong an even better place, this is your moment to make it happen.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s an event, an environmental project or local infrastructure project, we have funding available to help you build a stronger, more connected region.<\/p>\n

In the last round of funding, several very deserving sports clubs and community groups in Barrabool Hills ward secured funding to turn their ideas into a reality. It’s been fantastic to see these exciting projects coming to fruition this year.<\/p>\n

In the 2025\u201326 Community Grants, we awarded $26,400 for a facility redevelopment at Highton Recreation Reserve.<\/p>\n

This funding will support the crucial planning phase, creating a concept design layout for modern, fit-for-purpose and flexible spaces at the ground.<\/p>\n

These facilities will be designed to accommodate local sporting associations and tenant clubs, optimising areas for playing, training and administrative functions.<\/p>\n

By establishing a smarter layout, this project will create a more connected and professional environment for users, including Geelong Falcons Football Club and Alexander Thomson Cricket Club, so they can keep kicking goals and hitting boundaries for years to come.<\/p>\n

Nearby, the Highton Bowls Club received $166,000 for upgrades to its facilities.<\/p>\n

This substantial investment will be used to extend and renew its ageing 1950s grass green into a compliant, eight-rink playing area.<\/p>\n

The upgrades have incorporated key sustainability elements including integrated stormwater capture.<\/p>\n

The project addresses infrastructure safety and compliance to meet strict competition standards. With this funding, Highton Bowls Club can secure its future expansion and encourage broader community participation in bowls.<\/p>\n

The environmental sustainability of our sports clubs has been a keen focus and it’s great to see more organisations securing funding to reduce their carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

Highton Tennis Club was successful in its application for $3,500 to replace its existing outdated hot water system with a more efficient and environmentally friendly hot water system.<\/p>\n

This practical upgrade is a fantastic example of how grassroots sports can lead the charge toward a net-zero future.<\/p>\n

Sports makes up just one of many areas of focus for our Community Grants and there are plenty of funding opportunities available to suit your big-picture ideas or smaller scale projects.<\/p>\n

The grants span several categories, including the arts, First Nations, Christmas, Climate Change Partnerships and Environmental Sustainability, community events, equipment purchases, infrastructure and community strengthening.<\/p>\n

The breadth of the funding categories just goes to show how committed the city is to reaching a broad cross-section of community groups and projects through our Community Grants.<\/p>\n

I encourage everyone across our region to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.<\/p>\n

The City of Greater Geelong’s Community Grants team are here to help. You can contact the team at communitygrants@geelongcity.vic.gov.au<\/a> or on 5272 5560, or access a range of useful resources at geelong.link\/community-grants<\/a><\/p>\n

If you have a vision that could make our community more vibrant, connected or liveable, please don’t hesitate to put your application forward.<\/p>\n

Cr Ron Nelson<\/p>\n

Barrabool Hills ward,<\/p>\n

City of Greater Geelong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

APPLICATIONS for the city’s 2026\u201327 Community Grants are officially open, offering a fantastic opportunity to bring your next project to life. I am very eager to see the innovative ideas our community brings forward this year and to witness firsthand how this new round of funding will empower local change-makers. Community Grants are one of […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":191892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"featured_section_post":"right_list","home_featured_section_post":"right_list","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-191726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTurn great ideas into reality - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Applications for the 2026\u201327 Geelong Community Grants are now open. 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