From Wonboyn to Bermagui, 27 organisations and events in the Bega Valley have secured a share of grant funding from the Mumbulla Community Foundation.
Chair of the Foundation, Micheal Pryke, told East Coast Radio unfortunately not every application could be chosen but it was great to be able to hand out more funding this year, which is $122,000, up from $50,000 last year.
“We were overwhelmed with good grant applications,” Mr Pryke said.
“A group of five of us sat down and worked through them, looking at applicability to recovery and resilience, and where were they in out community,” he said.
“We like to try and spread the benefit around so looking at age cohorts, young people, older people, businesses, the arts sector, environment.
“So we got 62 applications down to 27 successful applicants worth $122,000.”
Bega Valley Shire Councillor, Helen O’Neil, attended the grant funding announcement this week and described it as a “truly happy event.”
“Groups from Qaama Chorale and Sculpture Bermagui through to Towamba RFS received funding for great community projects!
Susie Sarah received funding for the Wonboyn Fire Story Book which is at the publisher now.
“A huge thank you to Ray Flint our bush fire pastor and President of the Wonboyn Ratepayers as well as Carina Severs of the Eden Community Access Centre, who wrote our grant proposal, and of course the Mumbulla Community Foundation,” Ms Sarah posted to Facebook.
“The book is due out in the New Year and all funds from the sale of books go to Wonboyn Ratepayers who will use those funds for community projects.”
Funding will go towards a number of organisations and projects in the Bega Valley including the Eden Log Cabin Upgrade, the Yuin Folk Club, the Cobargo Preschool Dance Project and the Candelo Village Festival Kids Program.
After receiving 62 applications for grants worth over $430,000, the Mumbulla Community Foundation awarded the 27 community organisations and events below with grant funding.
Towamba RFS – LG Washtower
Eden Community Radio Inc. – Broadcast Bench
Eden Community Access Centre Inc – Wonboyn Fire Story Book
Eden Community Access Centre Inc – Eden Log Cabin Upgrade
Quaama Progress Association Incorporated – Quaama Chorale
Towamba Parents and Citizens Association – Playgroup equipment
Eden Service and Social Club Inccorporated – Automatic Heart Defibrillator
Bega A P & H Society Incorporated – First Aid and Counselling Rooms – Equipment
Yuin Folk Club Inc – 2023 Cobargo Folk Festival: KIDBARGO!
Edgy Art Incorporated trading as Sculpture Bermagui – An Introduction to Bronze Casting – Transformation through Fire
Theatre Onset Inc – Swimming Upstream
Burragate Rural Fire Brigade – Fire hose drying rack
Cobargo Preschool – Dance Project
SE Arts – Headland Aboriginal Cultural Program
Towamba Community Progress Association – Towamba Valley Community BBQ’s
Kiah Rural Fire Brigade – Kiah RFS powered roller doors
Fungi Feastival Association Incorporated – Fungi Feastival
Rotary Club of Pambula Inc – Groundwork Flame impacted properties across the Bega Valley
Tathra Community Garden – Completion of Community Garden Covered Work Station
Triangle Owner Builder Network auspiced by..Quaama Progress Association – Deconstructing Construction Road Trips
Southern Womens Group – Keeping Bega Valley women safe
Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness Inc – The Bush and Us: Stronger Together
Candelo Arts Society – This Is Us : a community banner making project
Candelo Arts Society – Candelo Village Festival Kids Program 2023
Bega Women’s Resource Centre – Recovery Sanctuary
The Disability Trust – Connecting Carers
Rocky Hall Community Association Inc. – A Picnic Table for Rocky Hall
Meanwhile, Mumbulla Foundation Grants for Bega Valley’s Young Women aged 18-25 are now open.
The grants aim to recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution that young women make in our community in the areas as: arts and culture, environment, business, health, sport and more.
For more information and grant criteria click HERE.
Grants close at 5pm on the 6th of February 2023.
Images: Helen O’Neil, Susie Sarah
