Community Grants now available

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, is encouraging local not-for-profit community organisations in the Benalla Electorate to apply for funding through the Victorian Volunteer Small Grants available through the Department of Victorian Communities.

Victorian Volunteer Small Grants up to $5,000 will be provided directly to Victorian organisations so they can extend local volunteering opportunities.

“The grants are to encourage local community organisations to attract new volunteers from diverse backgrounds and create new volunteering opportunities”, Dr Sykes said.

“Volunteers form the backbone of our rural communities and many organisations, events and services would disappear altogether if our volunteers withdrew their time”, he said.

Small community organisations can also apply for funding of projects which improve their capacity to manage, develop and maintain existing volunteer programs.

Applications are ongoing and are assessed every two months.
Guidelines and application forms can be obtained from the Department of Victorian Communities website at www.grants.dvc.vic.gov.au or by contacting Mrs Peta Clark at Bill Sykes’ office, 2/55 Carrier St, Benalla, Ph: 5762 2100.

If you have any further queries regarding this funding option contact the Department of Victorian Communities on free call 1300 366 356.

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Also take note of the latest community grants on offer by The Foster’s Group.

“Foster's Community Grants support projects in three core focus areas: wellness, culture and the environment. “Wellness” is defined as both physical and mental health, “culture” as artistic, sporting and educational activities and “environment” as all aspects of the natural environment”.

Grant applications will be assessed principally on the quality of the community benefit they will deliver. The on-line application form enables applicants to set out their claims with respect to each of the following considerations:

• The project meets community need and is based on sound research / methodology;
• The applicant organisation/s has a capacity to deliver, or track record of delivering community outcomes and managing similar projects;
• The project has a sound strategy and project plan, which includes identified milestones (if appropriate);
• The benefit produced is viable / sustainable over the long term;
• The community and/or other key stakeholders support the project;
• The project outcomes are capable of evaluation;
• A cost / benefit analysis suggests the project is highly worthwhile.

Round 1: -:12th March – 30th April 2007

Round 2: - 1st August – 19th September 2007

Information, online application forms and guidelines can be obtained from:
www.fosterscommunitygrants.com or Ph 03 9633 2261 or by contacting
Peta Clark, Grant Researcher, at Bill Sykes’ office ph: 5762 2100.