City of Greater Geelong announces $4.5M worth of community grants for locals, community groups and businesses 
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07.06.2022

City of Greater Geelong announces $4.5M worth of community grants for locals, community groups and businesses 

City of Greater Geelong, Geelong After Dark

Submissions for the council’s annual Community Grant Program are now open to help bolster the local community.

City of Greater Geelong has announced the return of its annual Community Grant Program, with submissions now open.

Available to residents, community groups, organisations and businesses, there is more than $4 million available to assist Greater Geelong’s community, arts, cultural, sporting, recreation, heritage, environmental and sustainability sectors.

Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here

There are 13 different grant streams, ranging in value from a maximum of $500 to assist grassroots activities, to $350,000 to help shovel-ready community infrastructure projects.

While anyone is welcome to apply, the 2022-23 Community Grants have a strong focus on supporting volunteer-led and not-for-profit groups.

“Our volunteer groups are essential to our social fabric and often have a big impact with limited budgets,” says Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan.

“We continue to invest strongly in our grants to help sustain and grow those groups, and to spread investment into all areas of the community.”

Among the opportunities is the new $100,000 Climate Change Partnership fund. Following the development of the Sustainability Framework, the grants support the Council’s aim to become a zero-emission, climate-ready region.

The First Nations Cultural Heritage Grant stream returns with a funding pool of $100,000 for projects that recognise, restore, protect and preserve, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, while those pursuing heritage building conservation projects will be able to access up to $50,000 to assist with their upgrades for projects that have an identified historic value.

The very popular Community Infrastructure Grant has $3 million available to assist with cost of ready to go community infrastructure projects, or planning for future projects. Recipients can receive up to $350,000 under this grant.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to support individual Arts Projects that aim to foster creativity, engage the wider community and embed the role of the arts in the life and experience of the people of the Geelong region. There is a total grant pool of $220,000 available to fund the three Creative Communities grants offered by the City (Arts Projects, Arts Quick Response and Arts Workers Professional Development).

There will also be a total grant pool of $200,000 for community events, with grants of up to $10,000 are available to support moderate-sized events within the City of Greater Geelong municipality. These grants intend to support moderate-sized events which bring economic benefits to the City of Greater Geelong, will strengthen and enrich the community, celebrate common interests, showcase local competitive advantages and provide opportunities for local participation. These include business events, food and wine events, religious and civic events and events showcasing local industries and Geelong’s competitive advantage.

There is also an array of grants up to $10,000 to support capital works, projects, events, programs, activities, or equipment in Environmental Sustainability and for Health & Connected communities, as well as Positive Ageing (up to $1000), Cleantech & Circular Economy (up to $50,000), Geelong Children’s Week (up to $500), Neighbourhood Houses (up to $12,500) and Christmas in the Community – Neighbourhood Houses (up to $5000).

“Council is very proud of its Community Grants program for Geelong,” says Councillor Anthony Aitken, Chair, Finance portfolio.

“There is approximately $4.46 million in grants available, and I encourage all members of the Geelong community to go the website, review the 13 different grant streams available and apply.”

Further information about the grants, the application criteria and how to apply is available here