With a third round of funding now open, grants of up to $30,000 are available for organisations in bushfire-affected areas, providing funding for recovery projects that benefit multiple people within the community.
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In her role as Vinnies community development officer for the Bega Valley Shire, Corinne Brown is available to help assist community members with writing grant applications, project planning and budgeting, and any other information they may need support with.
"I am with them every step of the way," Corinne said.
"It can be overwhelming to actually go ahead and put in the application, I am here to help from working out all the budgeting on whatever the project may be, to helping with the grant application itself.
"If an application is approved I can then assist with the actual project planning and time management to make it all happen."
Corinne said her assistance is not limited to this particular funding through Vinnies, and that she is available to help community members find the right grants to apply for, depending on the nature of their projects.
The Vinnies grants will be awarded to local community, voluntary and not-for-profit groups that are able to demonstrate their ability to add value to those services which are needed by community affected by the Black Summer bushfires.
The aim is for the funding to enable the delivery of services which fulfil an important social, economic, or cultural role which is not fulfilled by other statutory or not-for-profit organisations in the area.
Organisations that have previously applied and/or previously been grant recipients are eligible to apply again, however will need to provide compelling justification to as to why they should receive additional funding.
Previous grant recipients are eligible to apply for the third round for either new or existing projects.
According to Corinne a second community development officer will soon be appointed to help deliver further projects in the northern part of the shire.
"If there are project ideas for community engagement people have, we want to hear about them and can assist - it's all about the community, we can try and push for what they need to make things happen," she said.
"It would be great to see lots of new projects happening around the communities of the Bega Valley Shire."
The first round of Vinnies (Canberra/Goulburn) grants totalled $309,000, the second round $380,000, and now the third round a total of $300,000.
Corinne Brown can be contacted on: 0408454133 or by email: corinne.brown@vinnies.org.au
Applications for Bushfire Community Grants will close on Friday, July 9, 2021.
Further information is available here.
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Leah Szanto
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
Regional journalist covering the Far South Coast of NSW.
