Golden Plains Shire Council has awarded Community Strengthening Grants to eight Golden Plains community groups in the first round of the 2023 program.
Council awarded a combined $30,241 to the successful groups to deliver eight projects with grants available in four different streams: Environment and Sustainability, Healthy Active Living, Community Safety, and Creative Community.
The successful groups were announced to the community at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 23 May, with the Councillors sharing an overview of each of the successful projects.
In this round, grants were allocated to eight local organisations, ranging from St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School to the Smythesdale Cemetery Trust. The supported projects include an Indigenous Community Connections Project; Historical Themed Mural; upgrading of local community facilities and reserves; and supporting new opportunities for community members to connect, learn and get active.
Council’s contribution of $30,241 for the first round of the Community Strengthening Grants Program in 2023 will deliver eight projects with a combined total project value of $64,757 (across the eight projects) to local communities across Golden Plains.
Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham congratulated the successful recipients of the Community Strengthening Grants in the first round of the 2023 program.
Congratulations again to the eight community groups that will receive a total of $30,241 in Community Strengthening Grant funding in the first round of the program for the year. I encourage community groups to start thinking about applying for the second round, which will open in September this year.
Council’s Community Strengthening Grants has been supporting local events, projects and programs in Golden Plains for 26 years and Council is once again delighted to have awarded grants to support eight new community projects.
These projects directly benefit our Shire communities and I look forward to seeing the completed projects, that will be enjoyed for many years to come.
The recipients of the first round of Council’s Community Strengthening Grants 2023 are:
| Community Group | Project Name | Grant Category | Grant Amount |
| Woady Yaloak Historical Society | Historical Themed Mural | Creative Community | $5000 |
| St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary Schoool | Indigenous Community Connections Project | Creative Community | $7000 |
| Geelong Landcare Network | Wildlife Hollows and Nesting Box Workshops | Environment and Sustainability | $3200 |
| Smythesdale Cemetery Trust | Gorse Removal at Smythesdale Cemetery | Environment and Sustainability | $1500 |
| Moorabool Valley Masters Football Club | Goal Post Safety Padding | Healthy Active Living | $2126 |
| Haddon Community Learning Centre | Haddon Community Learning Centre Kitchen Fridge/Freezer Replacement | Healthy Active Living | $3635 |
| Cape Clear Recreation Reserve | Solstice Bonfire | Healthy Active Living | $1180 |
| Inverleigh RSL Sub-Branch | Inverleigh RSL Sub-Branch Internal and External Painting | Healthy Active Living | $6600 |