Bass Coast Shire Council is expanding its Community Grants Program, with the addition of a Quick Response Grant Program and more opportunities to apply for major grants of up to $10,000.
The Community Grants Program will still run twice a year, with grants of up to $5,000 for projects and events and there will now be up to three $10,000 grants offered per round for major projects.
Council has also introduced a Quick Response Grants Program, which will provide community groups with more opportunities to access funding with an easier and quicker application process. Quick Response applications will be open and assessed monthly from July until May each year and will provide funding up to $1,000 per application
Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Brett Tessari, said the changes to the Program will provide more opportunities for community groups to access grant funding.
“The Community Grants Program budget has been set at $294,000 for 2021/22, available across two rounds. From this budget, $40,000 will be allocated to the Climate Action category, to specifically address community led initiatives and $40,000 to the Quick Response Grant Program,” Cr Tessari said.
“Providing Quick Response Grants will enable community groups to access small amounts of funding quickly, to take advantage of opportunities as they arise,” Cr Tessari concluded.
Applications for Quick Response Grants will open on the first day of each month and close the last Friday of the same month, starting in October. Successful applicants will be notified within two weeks of the closing date.
Applications for the first round of the 2022 Community Grants will open on Friday, 1 October 2021 and close on Friday, 4 March 2022. Successful applicants will be notified after the May 2022 Council Meeting.
