The Stronger Communities Programme provides grants for community projects to strengthen and benefit local communities.

I invite interested organisations in Nicholls to submit an expression of interest form before 5pm on February 14 to sam.birrell.mp@aph.gov.au 

The grant amount will be up to 100 per cent of eligible project expenditure (grant percentage) except for local governing bodies where the grant amount will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenditure.

The minimum grant amount is $2,500
The maximum grant amount is $20,000.
The maximum cost of your project cannot exceed $50,000.
You must complete your project no later than 31 December 2025.

To be eligible you must:

– be invited to apply by your MP
(successfull projects will be determined by a community committee following assessment of EOIs and forwarded to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts who will then invite you to formally apply for the grant.)

– have an Australian Business Number (ABN)

and be one of the following entities:

an incorporated not for profit entity, such as:
– Police and Citizen Youth Clubs
– childcare centres
– surf clubs
– local aged care bodies
– Parents and Citizens, Parents and Friends groups and equivalent bodies
 – a Commonwealth, state or territory government agency or entity that is a fire
service, rural fire service, country fire authority, state emergency service or
similar.
– non-distributing co-operatives
– companies limited by guarantee
– Australian Indigenous corporations
– religious organisations incorporated under legislation.
– an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust with responsibility for a
community asset or property.
– a local governing body as defined by the Local Government (Financial
Assistance) Act 1995.

The objective of the program is to deliver infrastructure projects that provide social benefits for local communities, by supporting one or more of the following:

– support or encourage interstate or international tourism
– support or celebrate Indigenous Australians
– commemorate Australians killed or injured in war or who contributed to Australia’s war efforts
– support veterans and defence force members and their families and communities
– support the participation and settlement of newly arrived (i.e. within the last 5 years) immigrants who are not citizens
– support the acquisition or deployment of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measures
– support the dignity of persons (including children) with disabilities by enhancing their access to public infrastructure
– support access for children to public infrastructure which enables interstate or overseas travel, accommodation, or education or
health care infrastructure or services
– address gender inequality or discrimination in access to public infrastructure or sport
– provide medical services or facilities, or services or facilities incidental to the provision of medical services
– provide benefits to a specific cohort or cohorts of students enable or foster the use of electronic communications.

Projects that align with the objectives include:

– build, fit out, alterations and/or extensions to a tourism premise available to interstate or overseas tourists
– information signage of people, places, of natural local significance
– establish new or update to a website/social media presence that supports or encourages interstate or international tourism
– establish new or update to a website/social media presence to support newly arrived immigrants who are not citizens
– support towards NAIDOC week celebrations
– information signage for places of First Nations significance
– purchase of First Nation themed uniforms
– installation of First Nations art in public spaces
– construction of or upgrade to a First Nations cultural space
– build, fit out, alterations and/or extensions to a premise for the specific purpose of providing services to First Nations persons
   installation or upgrade to a native garden
– upgrades to existing or installation of new war memorials
– signage or flags (information, themed and or national) that commemorate Australians killed or injured war or who contributed to
Australia’s war efforts
– build, fit out, alterations and/or extensions to a premise specifically available to support Veterans and/or Defence Force members
and their families
– establish new or update to a website/social media presence to support and/or commemorate veterans and Defence Force members
and their families and communities
– localised welcoming and/or information events for newly arrived immigrants who are not citizens
– establish new or update to a website/social media presence to support newly arrived immigrants who are not citizens
– acquisition and installation of the highest energy efficient appliances/systems available and relevant to your requirements/available
funding
– acquisition and installation of renewable energy sources
– acquisition and installation of renewable energy storage
– acquisition and installation of native or drought tolerant vegetation suitable to local conditions
– acquisition and installation of energy efficient windows and or window attachments relevant to your localisedrequirements/available
funding
– new or upgrades to disability access and or amenities in public buildings or facilities
– construction of or upgrade to child friendly spaces/facilities at airports
– construction of or upgrade to child friendly spaces/facilities at community supported accommodation
– construction of or upgrade to child friendly spaces/facilities at child-care/education/health care services
– provision of women’s facilities at sporting grounds/buildings
– provision of gender-neutral facilities for public access
– construction of or upgrade to parent rooms at sporting grounds/buildings and or public spaces
– construction of or upgrade to breastfeeding rooms at sporting grounds/buildings and or public spaces
– purchase and installation of defibrillator/s and or other first aid equipment, including first aid kits
– upgrade to or construction of first aid rooms/spaces
– upgrades to public libraries and/or community facilities to benefit pre-school, school and university students
– purchase and installation of ICT equipment and or software in public libraries and/or community facilities to benefit pre-school,
school and university students
– establish new or update to a website/social media presence for a public library and/or community facility to benefit pre-school,
school and university students
– purchase, establish new or update to a website/social media presence
– purchase of applications (apps) that deliver social benefits to your community
– purchase of customer relationship management (CRM) systems and/or software that deliver social benefits to your community
– purchase and or installation of audio-visual equipment that deliver social benefits to your community
– purchase and or installation of ICT equipment that deliver social benefits to your community
– installation of or upgrades to electrical works to allow or enhance the use of ICT equipment that deliver social benefits to your
community.