Big boost for WA arts, sport and community sectors seeking relief

  • More than $47.5 million in grants will support WA community groups
  • Relief for community groups impacted by event cancellation during COVID-19
  • Latest grant rounds focused on support to arts, sport and community groups
  • The State Government, through Lotterywest, has provided the biggest agenda of grants – in number and value-making up more than $47.5 million in crucial funding to the Western Australian community.

    The latest round of grants as part of the $159 million COVID-19 Relief Fund resulted in Lotterywest receiving the same number of applications in a month that it would normally approve in a year.

    Event Cancellation Relief and Resilient Organisation Support rounds resulted in 381 grants recommended, totalling up to $26.3 million. This means organisations and businesses experiencing financial hardship as a result of events cancelled due to COVID‑19 will receive much-needed relief and support.

    Grant support will also help maintain staff, develop new ways of working and build resilience so they can continue delivering benefit for the Western Australian community during the state of emergency.

    These grants are distributed by Lotterywest and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) to not-for-profit arts, sports and community organisations across the State.

    Lotterywest is also set to provide a further $10 million to DLGSC, assisting them to deliver specific COVID-19 relief programs for arts and sporting groups.

    A further $5.2 million towards crisis and emergency relief has also been allocated to 23 not-for-profit organisations and local government authorities, bringing a total of $11.2 million allocated to 91 groups to support Western Australians most in need.

    Development is now underway for Lotterywest’s 2020-21 COVID-19 Relief Fund program for up to $100 million in grant funding.

    All available profits from every jackpot, draw and ticket will go directly into the COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist the Western Australian community to recover.

    For more information on the approved grants, visit https://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/lotterywest/grants/approved-grants-list/

    As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:

    “This COVID-19 Relief Fund is an extension of the purpose for which Lotterywest was originally created – to support the Western Australian community through charitable organisations.

    “In 1931 the crisis was the Great Depression; in 2020 it’s COVID-19. These impacts are not limited to health alone, but include the broader economic downturn and disruption to the community.

    “I feel deeply for businesses and groups that have suffered financial losses during this pandemic. Our arts, culture and sporting sectors have really felt this through events cancelled and impacted because of COVID-19.

    “As more restrictions are eased I encourage the community to get back out and support their local businesses and attend more events as we work together on WA’s recovery journey.

    “Lotterywest’s COVID-19 Relief Fund is responding to the needs of the WA community with a focus on providing support to organisations so they can continue to deliver benefits to the Western Australian community during the state of emergency.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.