Media response - sports grants
Published on 03 June 2020
Response to Messenger.
- I understand a few councils in metro SA - including Charles Sturt and Salisbury - are urging their local sports clubs to apply for council grants to help them back on their feet. I'm just wondering if your council is offering something similar? If so, can you please provide me with details about the grants, including how much they are, how sports clubs can apply, the criteria and when applications close? If you've already had lots of sports clubs apply, can you please provide me with details of how many clubs have applied and if any have been successful yet?
City of Onkaparinga recently launched a COVID-19 Community Wellbeing and Resilience Grant for community groups to connect people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to important services and programs.
Applications are invited from incorporated community and sporting groups to expand or adapt their existing programs/activities, or create new programs/activities that will respond to the impacts of COVID-19, for instance improving mental health, community connectedness, physical health, financial security or food security.
The first round of applications closed last week and we received four applications from local sporting groups. Round 2 is scheduled to open on 17 June, providing grants of between $500 and $2000. Clubs can apply at our website.
We also offer a wide range of other funding opportunities to help stage festivals, events and projects which benefit our communities. Sporting clubs, recreation and community groups are eligible for many of our grants including:
- Community Grants – to assist in the development of programs that encourage community participation and inclusivity to meet community needs. These grants can also be used to fund minor equipment purchases, upgrades or replacement.
- Community Training and Development Fund – to encourage individual and group skill development and community participation for volunteer members of community groups.
- Event Sponsorship – to support with community events and festivals.
- Minor Capital Works and Facilities Grants – to support projects that improve council facilities and provide increased opportunities for the community to be involved in sport and recreation activities.
- Sport & Active Recreation Donation Program – supporting clubs and individuals to compete in intrastate, interstate or international sport and active recreation competitions.
The above programs closed in March, and we received 39 funding applications from 32 sporting clubs and organisations. Council will make a decision on which organisations will receive funding at its 16 June meeting. You can see a list of applicants from page 14 of last night’s Strategic Directions Committee agenda.
We also offer free grant writing training for our communities. With places in high demand, in recent years we have run a specific grant writing training session for sporting clubs.
Information on all of our grants and the support we provide is available on our website at www.onkaparingacity.com/grants or email grants@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au.
In addition to our own grants, we also make available the Onkaparinga Funding Finder. This free online tool is a localised grant sourcing service for our region, and can help sporting clubs and recreation groups find grants that might suit their projects and activities.
Other COVID-19 relief measures we’ve implemented to help our sporting clubs, businesses and community groups include waiving lease and associated costs for those using council facilities that have been forced to shut down. This is for a period of six months between 1 April and 30 September, after which we’ll review.
ENDS