Community Recovery Grants Program available for those in need from WA

Community Recovery Grants Program

The Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries in Western Australia is getting behind the Community Recovery Grants Program.

The grant has been made available to assist communities affected by the events associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie in late 2022.

Funding will go towards rebuilding local groups and community organisations so that they can deliver activities and events to support general social and emotional wellbeing, with access to resources a key pillar of building resilience.

This grant program is part of the Community Social Recovery Program – jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The program offers three initiative grant types:

  1. Small Community Initiative Grants for projects ranging from $2500 to $20,000
  2. Large Community Initiative Grants for projects ranging from $20,001 to $100,000.
  3. Additionally, there is an opportunity for claims up to $75,000 for clean-up and repair expenses.

This covers the following four Local Government areas:

  • Shire of Broome
  • Shire of Derby-West Kimberley
  • Shire of Halls Creek
  • Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley

Eligibility to apply will depend on which of the above streams is chosen depending on the organisation.

Organisations who can apply for the Small and Large Community Recovery Grants are:

  • Not-for-profit organisations incorporated either under the Associations Incorporation Act 2015 (WA) or Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) with an Australian Business Number (ABN).
  • Indigenous organisations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth).
  • Exceptional consideration may also be given for an organisation or agency to auspice an application on behalf of a community group, noting that some community groups may not have capacity to apply for or administer funds.

Organisations who can apply for the Clean-up Recovery Grant are:

  • Not-for-profit organisations incorporated either under the Associations Incorporation Act 2015 (WA) or Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) with an Australian Business Number (ABN).
  • Indigenous organisations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth) that:
    • relies on grant funding or donations for the majority of income
    • has an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and that ABN was active prior to and during the disaster
    • suffered direct damage as a result of flooding associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie to the organisation’s premise and/or plant and equipment and the cost of repair or replacement are the applicant’s responsibility
    • was conducting operations and/or services (at least sometime on a regular basis) in the disaster area prior to and at the time of the event
    • has, or intends to, re-establish operations/services in the disaster area.

With the Community Recovery Grants remaining open for applications until April 30, 2025 – there is still plenty of time to submit an application.

For full details, you can find them here.

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Shepparton Cup 2024: The largest junior football tournament goes from strength to strength

The Shepparton Cup was conducted over the weekend, with the event being the largest weekend junior football tournament ever held in Australia.

The 3-day event was a huge overall success, with a record breaking 313 teams competing in the tournament across 21 divisions.

Matches were spread across 38 pitches at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve, Shepparton Sports City, Rumbalara and Wanganui Oval.

With around 4,000 players participating, 755 matches were played over the weekend – with finals matches concluding the event on Sunday.

“It was the biggest and smoothest tournament we’ve ever ran in our 17-year history,” Australian Football Skool (AFS) Director Rolando Navas told Soccerscene.

“There was of course really good football on show across the age groups and great sportsmanship, which was fantastic to see.

“I think the message is getting through about how important it is to provide a positive environment for kids to play sport in. It was pleasing to see everybody there, both players and parents/supporters, had a good time.”

Navas estimates that there were well over 12,500 people attending the event across both venues over the weekend, providing a giant boost to the local Shepparton area.

“You are talking about a wide range of people who are, at a minimum, staying in the city of Shepparton or close by for two nights,” he said.

“The economic impact was massive.”

Economic activity at Shepparton Cup – Image Credit: One Nil Media

Director for Sustainable Development at Greater Shepparton City Council, Geraldine Christou, further explained the greater benefits the tournament had on the local community.

“Australia’s largest junior weekend football tournament right here in Greater Shepparton showcases the strength of our community spirit and our capacity to host major events that bring joy, talent, and visitors to our region,” she stated.

“The economic benefit of this tournament is immense with an estimated $3 to $4 million generated for the region, supporting our local businesses and creating lasting memories for thousands of young athletes and their families.

The Greater Shepparton City Council’s Parks, Sport and Recreation team played a big hand in the organisation of the tournament, which included looking after the setup of pitches to the placement of goals at the venues.

Football Victoria CEO Chris Pehlivanis, who attended the tournament over the course of the weekend, was impressed with the execution of it.

“I’m proud of the whole tournament, it was an amazing opportunity to come down here to Shepparton and see lots of boys and girls playing football and playing lots of games,” he stated at the event.

“I think most kids had six, seven, eight games which is an amazing opportunity and not only that, there was amazing organisation.

“Everyone should be extremely proud of what they have achieved here this weekend…the logistics, everything was run smoothly…the referees were great and all the parents and participants were great.”

Kids at play during the Shepparton Cup – Image Credit: One Nil Media

The Shepparton Cup has continued to grow exponentially over the years, initially starting with just 30 teams in the inaugural tournament in 2007.

This year’s edition also featured a wide range of off the field activities that contributed to a carnival like atmosphere. There was live music, on stage entertainment, food trucks, a fun zone for players and families.

Navas detailed to Soccerscene that the enormity of the event was not lost on him and is investigating ways to make the competition better in the near future.

“(The growth of the event has been) overwhelming, compared to many of the previous years. It was the biggest by far this year and there was a great positivity around it.

“The plan is to not necessarily make it bigger in the future, just to tweak it and add more to it and make it a better experience for everyone.

“I’d love to be able to attract some more international teams, we are looking at that to see how we can get some of the Asian teams to come across to the event.

“This would be fantastic, as it would show the kids here how football is played in different parts of the world. The way we look at things is ‘if I was 10- or 12-years-old what would I want this tournament be?’

“That’s what drives a lot of our thinking and ultimately our initiatives. It’s important to us because if the kids have a good experience, they’re going to become better players and better people because of it.

“We’ve also received some really good information from the feedback surveys we put out, which is very beneficial in shaping the tournament suitably in future editions.”

$200 grants now available through get active kids voucher program

Every child should have the opportunity to get outdoors, join a sports club, and stay active, yet for some families, the costs associated with sports can be a major barrier to participation.

The program offers eligible children $200 vouchers that can be applied toward membership fees, registration, sports equipment, or uniforms (new or second-hand).

Football Victoria urges the football community to take advantage of this excellent initiative from Get Active Victoria, which has already distributed over 100,000 vouchers since the program began.

To qualify for a voucher, your child/dependent must meet the following criteria:

  • Between the ages of 0 and 18 years
  • A resident of Victoria
  • Listed on a valid Australian Government Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
  • Listed on a valid Australian Government Medicare Card

If you have multiple eligible children, you may apply for more than one voucher, and can include all children in a single application.

What costs are covered?

Vouchers valued at up to $200 can be used to cover membership, registration, or participation fees at a registered Get Active Kids sports or active recreation club, association, or program.

You can locate a registered activity provider during the application process or inquire with your local club about their registration status.

If the membership or registration fee includes uniform and equipment costs, a voucher can be applied to cover those items, such as safety gear or mouthguards.

Important dates

Round 8 applications opened on October 9, 2024, and will remain available until the allocation is depleted, as for the voucher expiration date, it will be on the 29 April 2025.

To apply for a voucher, click here.

To learn more about the program, click here.

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