Yarra Ranges Council is inviting eligible community groups, not-for-profits and event organisers to apply for multi-year funding of up to $40,000 per year.
Applications open on 1 October 2022 for Council's 2023-27 Partnership Program funding.
Eligible community groups are encouraged to apply for funding for projects that align with Council's Health and Wellbeing and Creative Communities Strategies, to deliver programs which enhance local culture, celebrate creativity and contribute to the liveability of the Yarra Ranges.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Jim Child, said the partnership funding supports programs that run long-term and have a significant benefit to the community.
"The events we've been able to fund through our Partnership Grants are things that dominate the cultural calendar in the Yarra Ranges, or deliver incredible and measurable support for community members," he said.
"Annual events that draw people in their thousands, programs to help vulnerable people in our community and ideas that improve this beautiful area we live in – the funding available is significant, because the programs we fund deliver far more than their dollar amount back to our community.
"Applying for funding year-on-year can put the future of these programs in jeopardy, creating uncertainty for people working to help the community and, of course, the community members benefitting from these services.
"Partnership Grant funding addresses this, by locking in four years of funding. This means that community groups can get on with planning and running their fantastic work, without constant grant applications and nervous anticipation.
"I'm so proud of the events and programs we're able to support through grant streams such as these, and I look forward to seeing what is proposed in this round of funding."
Projects funded in the 2018-22 Creative Communities stream included events such as the Belgrave Survival Day, Belgrave Lantern Parade, Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival, the Yarra Valley Arts / Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition and Awards, and Dandenong Ranges Open Studios.
In the 2018-22 Connected and Healthy Communities stream, Council provided funding to organisations including Eastern Legal Community Centre, LinC Church Services Network Yarra Valley Inc, Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service. (DRERS), Melba Support Services, Anchor Inc and Koha Community Café. These groups delivered projects improving community members' access to legal advice, referral services, social connection and support.
Cr Child encouraged groups to begin compiling their ideas and their applications, and to reach out to Council to float their ideas.
"Grant applications take significant amounts of time and effort – they also go through a rigorous assessment by Council staff and an independent panel, and there's heavy competition for this funding," Cr Child said.
"We get incredible proposals through all of our grant streams and we can only fund a fraction of these.
"For the best chance of success, applications should demonstrate a strong alignment to Council's strategies, meet the selection criteria, demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively, and outline previous experience delivering Council funded initiatives. These are a must.
