Victorian Govt Donations Encourage Local Project Support

Genevieve Gannon writing in The Melbourne Times 5.08.09 reports that the State Government will donate $2 for every single dollar raised by Melbourne’s Inner North Community Foundation – up to $100,000. It has also committed $100,000 ‘upfront’ – a potential total of $300,000.

Some Foundation Projects

The Foundation has this week announced grants for seven community projects and development officer, Trudy Hairs, explains that the Government is attempting to encourage locals to support projects such as:

• The Sprout Community Garden which is a recovery focused program for people recovering from mental illness, drug and alcohol issues or at risk of homelessness that promotes well-being and community strengthening. The foundation is providing money for business managers in this community enterprise that’s all about people growing and selling their own produce.
• Also winning support is the Next Step employment program, run jointly by Richmond Rotary and the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. The aim here is to ensure disadvantaged youths get training, work experience and access to job opportunities. The plan is to help twenty young people. The Government money will support a new approach enabling community members to have a say in how the money is distributed. They will help answer two important questions:

• Is ‘x’ needed in the community?
• Are there funds to support it?

Grassroots Input Valued

The Foundation will consult with residents and run a webpoll to establish where the money is needed most.

All sounds pretty good…