Project grants on offer

Published on 24 February 2014

Loddon Shire’s Community Planning Program is open for business for 2014/15, with a $750,000 pool available for local projects which meet Council’s guidelines.

Operating on a partnership basis, the program allocates $50,000 to each of the Shire’s five wards for projects identified in local community plans or facility master plans.

An additional $500,000 is set aside in the Shire-wide Strategic Fund.

This cash reserve is designed for “big picture” developments which usually attract significant external funding.

Running alongside these two funding streams is Loddon’s $200,000 Community Grants Scheme, which targets smaller projects up to a value of $15,000.

This scheme will open for the next round of applications on Monday 3 March.

That means there’s a total pool of $950,000 available to local people for projects which build into our community life and infrastructure.

Loddon Shire’s Manager Community Planning, Tim Jenkyn, said local groups hoping to secure funding under Council’s Community Planning Program needed to keep a number of key factors in mind.

“Firstly, the project has to be already identified in a community plan or facility master plan,” Mr Jenkyn said.

“It has to take into account existing Council plans and strategies, measure community support for the project and consider the ‘whole of life’ cost, as that relates to time, maintenance, finance and resources.

“The time frame for getting things done, relations with outside funding sources and potential of the project for enhancing community well-being are also important.”

Applications for Community Planning funding must be received by 31 March to be considered by Council in June.

Application forms are available by visiting www.loddon.vic.gov.au, in paper form at Shire offices in Wedderburn and Serpentine or by calling Council on 5494 1200.

For more details, please phone Tim Jenkyn on 5494 1253 or 0428 545  258 or email tjenkyn@loddon.vic.gov.au