Grants deliver community projects and equipment
A cool room to assist food relief efforts, hall improvements in Hill End and Neerim South, and a shade structure for tennis players are amongst projects to gain funding in this year’s Baw Baw Shire community development grants.
Councillors have approved grants totalling $165,105 to 40 non-profit organisations and associations to support the purchase of equipment and deliver projects.
Community development grants were split into three categories - environment, equipment and minor capital works, with successful applicants spread across the shire from Longwarry to Thorpdale and Neerim South.
Two environment grant applications, 31 equipment grant applications and nine minor capital works applications were received requesting a total of $184,885.
The assessment panel recommended funding to 40 of the 42 applications.
A report to council said $300,000 was set aside for the community development grant and community sponsorship programs in 2022/23. There is now $85,695 remaining for the second round of community sponsorship applications, education sponsorships and a grants presentation reception planned for late November.
Cr Joe Gauci said there had been an increase in equipment-based grants and “a lot less minor capital works projects” than previous years. Despite predicting a future review, he said all the successful applicants met the current criteria.
“The projects that are in there are very important to the community,” Cr Gauci said. “It’s $165,000 that is going out to the community for community needs, so it’s a great outcome.”
Cr Tricia Jones said the grants were “a winwin for both community and council”, noting the many worthy and exciting projects.
“We all understand that applying for a grant is an onerous and time-consuming task. However, it is so worth it, as the 40 successful applicants have found,” Cr Jones said.
Cr Peter Kostos said only two applications were unsuccessful and all successful groups generally received their requested funds, with a few minor variations.
“It’s fantastic to come here on the night of the presentation of the cheques so to speak, shake hands with the people and see a lot of happy faces where council can actually help the community,” Cr Kostos said.
Cr Annemarie McCabe urged community groups to apply for the next round of community development grants.
“It’s a rewarding part of council business to be able to support those who are doing their bit, in one way or another, to make Baw Baw Shire a better place for our community,” Cr McCabe said.
Cr Michael Leaney praised council officers involved in the program for their work with applicants to ensure grant requirements were fulfilled.
“Ultimately we want these groups to be successful,” Cr Leaney said. “We want to make sure they get their grants.”
“It’s very pleasing that we will be approving just over $165,000 worth of grants to our much needed and vital community groups, spread all over the shire, that deliver so much for our community at so many levels,” he said.
The successful applicants include:
Environment
Committee for Drouin (Friends of Drouin’s Trees) - $5000 for 4000 copies of “Biodiversity of West Gippsland” booklet.
Equipment
Ellinbank Badminton Club - $5000 for floor sweeper;
Thorpdale Football Netball Club - $3000 for two-door fridge;
Thorpdale Mechanics Institute - $399 for steam cleaner mop;
Trafalgar Victory Football Club - $3172.80 for Automated External Defibrillator (AED) package and wall mount, and soccer training equipment;
Olivia’s Place - $4220.07 for warehouse shelving units;
Longwarry Cricket Club - $2349 for generator;
Drouin Bowling Club - $2381.01 for mower, trimmer and blower along with safety equipment;
Drouin Basketball Club - $5000 for new playing uniforms;
Ellinbank and District Football and Netball League - $4295.45 for IT, public address system, portable stage and interleague uniforms;
Rotary Club of Drouin - $3295 for automatic operation defibrillator;
Riding for the Disabled Victoria - $4327.90 for three pole paddings and two custom-made saddles;
Warragul United Soccer Club - $2450.80 for VEO camera, tripod and livestreaming software;
Warragul Heritage Preservation Association $2615 for automatic operation defibrillator at Wesley of Warragul;
West Gippsland Bush Walkers - $2762.90 for laptop and accessories along with flatbed scanner;
Warragul Blues Junior Football Club $3312.50 for stretcher bed, first aid kits, footballs, helmets, uniforms and coaches boards;
Trafalgar Park Bowls Club - $4436.34 for ride on mower and gardening equipment including whipper snipper, leaf blower, pruning saw and hedge shears.
U3A Baw Baw - $914.93 for digital piano and accessories including digital keyboard, pedal and double braced stand;
Yarragon Junior Football Club - $1545 for laptop computer;
Scout Association of Australia for 1st Neerim Scouts - $4160 for 6x4 trailer with lockable box;
Trafalgar Bowls Club - $3670 for two laptops; Warragul Pony Club - $5000 for safety riding vests;
Knoxbrooke Inc - $5000 for a frame birds nest adult swing;
Warragul Playgroup - $5000 for indoor foam podplay circus play centre, mini trampolines, prams, blocks and storage;
Neerim South Recreation Reserve Community
Assets Committee - $5000 for ride on commercial lawn mower;
Gladiators Basketball Warragul - $3960 for 21 molten leather basketballs and 40 playing tops;
Trafalgar Playgroup - $295 for four padded play mats and one play kitchen;
Neerim-Neerim South Football Netball Club - $5000 for portable digital netball scoreboard and accessories;
Warragul and District Netball Association $4483.55 for netball uniforms, 15 sports bags, 30 game balls and 15 sets of bibs;
Warragul Industrials Netball Club - $3270.20 for training equipment such as agility poles, ladder and rings, rubber blade squeegee and ball trolley;
3BBR FM West Gippsland Community Radio - $2776 for a 12-track digital mixer and recorder, six microphones and associated cables and stands; and
Willow Rose Foundation for Diabetes $4840 for portable barbecue trailer.
Minor Capital Works
Warragul Tennis Club - $6136 for permanent shade structure;
Warragul Harness Racing Club - $2000 for sprinkler system replacement and laser light;
Thorpdale Recreation Reserve - $2706.06 for fence replacement;
Neerim South Public Hall Reserve Committee of Management - $10,000 for operable walls;
Longwarry Recreation Reserve - $4997.50 for ground renewal project;
Hill End Mechanics Institute Hall Committee - $7750 for new roof;
Hill End Community Incorporated (HECI) $8583 for kitchen upgrade; and
Baw Baw Combined Churches Food Relief $10,000 for coolroom installation.