Community grants open
Horsham and district sporting and community groups can apply for their share of a $125,000 sponsorship pool when Horsham Sports and Community Club opens its annual campaign tomorrow.
The club will offer sponsorships to sporting and community organisations for once-off capital works, or to upgrade equipment.
The annual initiative has provided more than $3-million to groups since the club’s inception in 1992.
The club’s manager Glenn Carroll said the board would favourably consider projects that sought to develop facilities and equipment for longerterm impact.
“We’ve given more than $132,000 to fire brigades in the region. We’ve given to every kindergarten in the area, every golf club, tennis club, bowls club, footy club, netball club, every brass band, CWA halls – all sorts of places have been supported in the past,” Mr Carroll said.
“Keep your application simple. Tell us what you want to do and how you are going to help yourselves co-fund it.
“The people who set-up the club 30 years ago had the community in mind, and this is exactly what it’s doing – supporting its community.”
Eligible applicants will be Wimmera-based
and demonstrate a direct benefit to residents of Horsham and surrounding districts; demonstrate their contribution towards the project in the form of cash, voluntary services or in-kind support; and address demonstrated sporting and community needs.
Groups based in the Horsham Rural City municipality and most areas of the Hindmarsh, Yarriambiack and West Wimmera shires are eligible to apply.
The board will assess applications in May and groups will learn their outcome by the end of May; a presentation day in June will award successful sponsorship applicants.
Past recipients include more than $325,000 to football clubs, $172,000 to bowls clubs, $139,000 to education-related projects and almost $210,000 to service clubs.
Geographically, Natimuk clubs have received more than $98,000, while Nhill clubs have received $90,000 and Warracknabeal and Dimboola clubs more than $80,000 each.
The sponsorships are additional to independent sponsorships and other community projects the club supports – such as its $30,000 donation towards Grampians Health’s lung function lab in Horsham last year. The donation came the same year as the club’s 30-year commemoration and used a public call-out for project ideas, and subsequently, to select the sponsorship recipient.
People wanting more information, including a full list of eligibility criteria – or to apply for sponsorship – can go to hscc.org.au or phone the club on 5382 6649 during office hours.
Applications close on Thursday, April 6 at 5pm.