Applications are now open for a $200,000 COVID-19 Community Development Fund. The fund, established by City of Mount Gambier following endorsement at a special Council meeting this week, is intended to enable community and sporting groups to undertake works at their facilities during closures forced by COVID-19.
Council has discussed a number of responses to COVID-19 in recent weeks and another of the many elements that has been pursued is the provision of quick access to funding for sporting and community groups so they can carry out repairs, renovations or improvements at their facilities during this downtime.- City of Mount Gambier CEO Andrew Meddle
The fund has two streams – one for minor works up to $5,000 and major works for projects up to $20,000, with the potential to increase the pool of available funding.
“Council intends to make decisions quickly on applications and will consider increasing the funding available should demand outweigh supply for the number of projects,” Mr Meddle said.
“It is hoped that we will be able to expedite this process and turn around applications for minor works within a couple of days, with major works applications presented to a meeting of Council for endorsement.”
There is limited criteria in place, however preference will be given to applications that demonstrate use of local suppliers, contractors and Australian made materials.
“The fund is expected to provide an economic boost to the community because of the need to source labour and materials locally,” Mr Meddle said.
The Community Development Fund supports all three pillars of the ‘Our City. Our Response’ COVID-19 strategy developed by Council in recent weeks.
“This funding stream provides a quick response to our community to carry out improvement works to community and sporting facilities and as such it is an investment in our people, our economy and our recovery and enables us to use this hiatus in community and sporting events to our advantage.”
Further information including the Community Development Fund application form can be accessed here: bit.ly/ComDevFund
Media contact: City of Mount Gambier Communications Officer Ashlea Watson at awatson@mountgambier.sa.gov.au
