2026-2027 Community Project Grants Program - Equipment

Brian Stockwell183:51

Well done to the Chairperson. Thank you. Okay then move on to item 7.5 which is the 2026-27 community grants project grant program for equipment. Over to you, Alison.

Brian Stockwell172:59

Really great. Thanks. I'll put the motion all in favour. That's unanimous. We then move on to the specific types of community grants and the first one is 2026-27 community project grant program projects and a quick snapshot of that.

Nicola Wilson179:57

I do. In accordance with Chapter 5B of the Local Government Act 2009, I inform the meeting that I have a prescribed conflict of interest in relation to item 7.4, 2026-27 community grants program, community project grants, facility development, as Noosa Arts Theatre have been recommended as a recipient of a facility development grant. I am the senior vice president of Noosa Arts Theatre as a result of my conflict of interest, I will now leave the meeting room.

Brian Stockwell180:28

Thank you. And I will follow up under the same section as local government. I inform the meeting that I have prescribed conflict of interest in relation to item 7.4, the 26-27 community grants program, community project grants, facility development on this agenda, as I am the current president of Noosa Lions Football Club, who I recommend for funding as of. Today. A result my conflicts, I will now leave the meeting room while the matter is considered and voted on.

Brian Stockwell189:24

Councillor Finzel, would you like to close? No, I think that's all that we've said, thank you. I put to the vote those in favour. That's unanimous. We then move on to the next item, if I scroll down, will be events, I think, is the community project grants program for events.

Karen Finzel184:41

Oh thank you look I think again this is fantastic especially for our hinterland community groups that are well represented there because I know how much they like work really hard in their small communities to get equipment and you know benefit the community with things coming their way especially I have to mention Carters Ridge they've been slugging away out there for time and they're trying to grow their community engagement and bring people on board so I think it's really lovely to see this you know it's a small amount of equipment but I think that will create a huge change for their small community that actually is growing when we see people moving the hinterland so it's really wonderful and they're really supporting those events and growing that community out there so yeah I really support this I think every little bit counts when you've got your community groups working hard and the volunteers and giving these opportunities through the equipment program to just get that one small thing that might you know be instrumental in creating a really large impetus for that community to thrive so yeah I'm really happy with the recommendation and as always the process it's rigorous and stands you know scrutiny so I think in terms of using that money to benefit our community I wish there was more. Thank you.

It is the equipment category so the outcome being support sought in council's agreements to approve the recommended equipment grant allocation to the three community organisations in attachment one so Cooran School of Arts, Cooran Organic Garden and Ridgewood Community Hall the value of sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty four dollars and forty cents again subject to funding being confirmed in the adopted 2627 budget for community grants. Happy to move.

Thank you very much Councillors. So first report today. The purpose of today's report is to provide a summary of the 26-27 community grants and three year signature community event grants. And to seek council's endorsement of the proposed funding allocation across the four categories. And those categories being projects, equipment, facility development and events. The grant program as you are aware is a really key driver to our situation. Strategic goals for Council and supporting our community organisations and our most valuable volunteers in the community as well. The demand continues to exceed. So the demand that we get for our grants continues to exceed what we have in our budget and we've had over 626. Six hundred and twenty six thousand dollars worth of requests coming through from 42 community organisations for our community project grants. This really highlights what the reason why we need to do a very robust and transparent assessment process as well grants. For this particular round we're recommending 22 projects for funding to the value of $258,466.82 with a total project value of $862,000. So what I'd like to let you know is every dollar that we provide to our community project grants and subject to endorsement we're actually getting $3.33 in return so it's a great investment. So again for our three out-of-round signature grants recommended funding for $27,000 we're leveraging a total project value of over $95,000. So if we put that into a dollar investment it is every dollar we put in we're getting $3.55 in return. So again a great investment. So the outcome being sought in this particular report is council's agreement to endorse the recommended distribution of grant funding and the allocation of remaining funds to community respond to needs through the quick response grants throughout the year subject to sufficient funds being allocated in council's adopted budget in 26-27 community grants program. Thank you very much.