Knox City Council will award $750,000 dollars a year to local not-for-profit organisations to provide welfare, wellbeing and volunteer support to the community, for a total of $3 million over four years through Council’s community partnership funding.
An expression of interest process will open this month for organisations to apply for funding under the contested streams, before council determines the four-year round of funding based on the 2021-25 Council Plan priorities and in respond to identified needs for the community.
Knox City Council Mayor Susan Laukens said the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the value of Council’s funding programs in aiding community support.
“The Community Partnership Funding program maintains a focus on social outcomes that reflect Council’s strategic objectives and community partnerships that aim to benefit the Knox community, whilst continuing to respond to the social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely mental health, social isolation, family and individual financial health, digital literacy and food security,” she said.
“Volunteer-based emergency services such as local CFA brigades and the SES Knox unit, continue to play a significant role in contributing to community awareness and resilience in response to bushfire, extreme weather events and local disasters and incidents.”
In the last year of the current funding round, $733,609 has been distributed to 20 local groups including volunteer CFA and SES emergency services, counselling and financial counselling services, welfare support and emergency support, and the Knox Historical Society.
