An extensive range of community led initiatives across the Wollondilly Shire will be receiving a boost through Council’s 2023 Community Grants program.

The grants were approved at Tuesday night’s Council meeting with a funding pool of $51,500 to be shared between 30 successful applicants, as well as over $18,000 to support the annual Mayoral School Citizenship Awards and annual community hall rate subsidies.

The grants program provides funding towards projects, events and small capital purchases to support community organisations and groups operating within the Wollondilly Shire for the benefit of local residents.

Mayor Matt Gould said, “We are very pleased to be able to make these funds available to support many of the amazing community groups and not-for-profit organisations who are on the ground providing services and creating valuable connections for our residents right across the Shire.”

“The support that Council provides through grants can make a huge difference to local arts, culture, sustainability, recreational activities and events.”

The successful applicants whose projects will be supported with a contribution from the grants program include:

• Community Defib Project (Tahmoor and Bargo) – community defibrillator purchase
• Community Links Wellbeing - The Men's Quarterly
• Picton Magpies Old Boys Club Ltd - Victoria Park digital scoreboard project
• St Stephen's Anglican Church - Blankets of Love, Do Something Good Day
• Police Citizens Youth Club NSW - Safer Driver Program
• Fellowship of Australian Writers - printer and consumables
• The Shepherd Centre for Deaf Children - early intervention for children with hearing loss
• Wollondilly Resilience Network (WReN) - safe food handling education
• Australian Wildlife Sanctuary - Light up the Sanctuary
• Bargo Men's Shed - 30 years of men's sheds, 15 years of WOLCOMS
• Picton Swim Club – electronic scoreboard
• River Road Creative Communities - Wollondilly Men's Music Cave
• Buxton Community Association - meet up for teens
• River Road Creative Communities – Dilly Choir
• Neighbourhood Watch Wollondilly - awareness Program
• Wollondilly Uniting Church - community workshop protecting vegetable & fruit garden
• River Road Creative Communities - creative Dilly Bus mobile art work
• Buxton Community Association – Year 6 fence mural
• Mount Hunter Public School Parents and Citizens Association – new water tank
• St Paul's Anglican Church Mt Hunter - children’s play resources
• Buxton Rural Fire Brigade - trauma kit
• Menangle Men’s Shed - workshop improvements
• One Stop Community Assistance (OSCA) - PPE and sensory garden equipment
• Tahmoor Uniting Community Garden - irrigation system
• Bargo Men's Shed - drill
• Tahmoor Uniting Men’s Shed – tools
• Picton and District Historical and Family History Society -archival storage
• Buxton Community Association - garden mulcher
• River Road Creative Communities - creative Dilly Bus FM broadcast desk

All applications were assessed against the eligibility criteria as adopted by Council in April 2023 under the Financial Assistance Framework.