Thirty projects from across Victoria's three main dairy regions will share in $131,188 in grant funding to help build community capacity to deal with local issues and enhance existing community infrastructure.
Now in its 19th year, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation Community Grants Program is delivered by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). The grants of up to $5,000 will help not-for-profit organisations in small Victorian dairy communities deliver projects that will benefit local people and strengthen their ability to deal with local issues.
Gardiner Dairy Foundation chief executive Dr Clive Noble said the funding ensured that Gardiner was contributing to locally identified issues.
"The community grants program continues to attract applications from a wide range of community organisations running varying projects," he said.
"Through this partnership we are contributing to solutions unique to that community to create genuine, long-term impact.
"We also see communities leverage these funds.
"Often, that cash injection can be the catalyst that enables community groups to undertake projects of larger impact."
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FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said the longstanding partnership with Gardiner Dairy Foundation has been successful in creating many exceptional projects within Victoria's dairy communities.
"Our long partnership with Gardiner Dairy Foundation has enabled us to support Victoria's dairy communities with funding for projects that tackle local challenges and meet the needs and priorities of each place.
"The program is supporting several projects that will develop young people socially and educationally, and once again, there are fantastic initiatives to improve community spaces such as the addition of tiered seating in Neerim South, a hot water urn for the residents of Leitchville, and erecting shade sails over the hall deck to increase the utility of the Kawarren Recreation Reserve," Ms Egleton said.
A complete list of the projects supported is available on FRRR's website. They include:
GIPPSLAND DAIRY REGION
- Fish Creek and District Primary School
- Hill End Community Incorporated
- Loch Memorial Reserve Incorporated
- Maffra Golf Club
- Manna Gum Community House Incorporated
- Mirboo and District Historical Society Incorporated
- Neerim District Cricket Club Incorporated
- Nyora Cricket Club Incorporated
- State Coal Mine - Rescue Station Arts Incorporated
- Toora Primary School
- Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited
- Wonthaggi Citizens Band Incorporated
NORTHERN DAIRY REGION
- Blue Light Victoria Incorporated
- Eskdale Public Hall Committee Incorporated
- Gannawarra Shire Council
- Goulburn Region Preschool Association Incorporated
- Leitchville Bowls Club Incorporated
- Milawa Primary School
- Rochester Secondary College
- Springhurst Primary School Council
- The Lions Club of Cohuna Incorporated
SOUTH-WESTERN DAIRY REGION
- Anam Cara House Colac Incorporated
- Camperdown Toy Library Incorporated
- Colac Otway Residents Action Group Incorporated
- Hawkesdale and District Development Action Committee Incorporated
- Kawarren Recreation Reserve
- Macarthur Recreation Reserve
- Terang & District Historical Society Incorporated
- UCA - Terang Uniting Church
- Warrnambool College
Since the launch of the annual program in 2002, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation has invested more than $1.9 million in this program and has supported a total of 497 community projects.
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