Community Grants Program
Council currently offers a series of small community grants each year.
Two grant rounds are offered each financial year which is limited to Council's yearly budget. This is currently $50,000 across the three grant funds. To better understand each of the grants, Guidelines have been created which outline the types of events, projects or activities which may be eligible for funding and the types of organisations that can apply. It is important that the Guidelines are read prior to making an application.
The Community Development Officer is available to talk through any questions you may have regarding the application process and/or your proposed activity, project or event - call (02) 6655 7300.
Applications for Round 2 of Council's 2023/24 Community Grants Program will open on the 25 September 2023, 8:00am and close on the 20 October 2023, 5:00pm.
Creative Placemaking Fund
The Creative Placemaking Fund is a small grant program that aims to invigorate and activate public spaces through art by taking a unique and creative approach that encourages participation in arts and cultural activities. These activities may include invigorating street furniture, public sculpture, murals, laneway transformation or musical performance. The Creative Placemaking program is open to all members of the community.
Read the guidelines(PDF, 549KB)
Community Support Fund
The Community Support Fund is a small grant program that aims to support local community activities that achieve broad community benefit. Open to not-for-profit organisations and registered charities, eligible projects and activities might include programs for seniors or youth or small infrastructure projects or equipment to support community activities.
Read the guidelines(PDF, 511KB)
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
The Community Event Sponsorship Fund is a small grant program that supports local community events. Open to incorporated not-for-profit organisations and registered charities, events should aim to foster partnerships between community organisations, target regions outside the Shire and be innovative and creative.
Read the guidelines(PDF, 513KB)
How to apply
Applications can be made through Council's online grants management portal.
Apply now
Previous grant recipients
2023-24 – Round 1
|
Grant Fund
|
Organisation
|
Activity
|
$
|
|
Community Support Fund
|
Bellingen Community Playgroup / Playgroup NSW
|
Bellingen Community Playgroup Renewal Project
|
$1,000
|
|
Community Support Fund
|
Bellingen Community Arts Council
|
One Enchanted Evening
|
$430
|
|
Community Support Fund
|
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival
|
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival Schools Program
|
$2,500
|
|
Community Support Fund
|
Country Women's Association of New South Wales - Urunga Branch
|
Upgrading the meeting room furniture at the Urunga CWA rest rooms
|
$1,255
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Bellingen Muse
|
Bellingen Muse
|
$2,000
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Camp Creative
|
Camp Creative Scholarship program
|
$1,500
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Housing Matters Action Group Inc
|
Housing Forum - Working together to unlock housing solutions
|
$1,500
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Urunga Business and Community
|
URUNGAlights
|
$4,000
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival Incorporated
|
Festival fencing
|
$2,500
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival
|
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival 2024
|
$2,000
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Country Women's Association of NSW - Dorrigo
|
Senior's Week Sconversation
|
$500
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Taranta Festival Inc
|
Taranta Festival
|
$1,500
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Bellingen Youth Orchestra Incorporated
|
2023 Schools Concert
|
$2,000
|
|
Community Event Sponsorship Fund
|
Bellingen Community Arts Council
|
Bellingen Shire Arts Trail Weekend
|
$1,748
|
|
Creative Placemaking Fund
|
Anneliese Hauptstein
|
Spray It Loud: Amplifying Youth Voices through Stencil Art
|
$2,650
|
|
Creative Placemaking Fund
|
The Bellingen Valley Historical Society
|
Display Cabinets for Bellingen Museum
|
$2194
|
2022-23 - Round 2
Grant fund
|
Organisation
|
Activity
|
$
|
| Community Support Fund |
Dorrigo and Guy Fawkes Agricultural Association Inc |
Fence Panels for Dorrigo Showground |
$3,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellingen Youth Orchestra Inc |
Schools Concert 2022 |
$2,400 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival Inc |
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival 2023 |
$2,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Arts Council of the Dorrigo Inc |
Dorrigo Easter Art Exhibition 2023 |
$1,215 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Dorrigo Chamber of Commerce |
Day of Dahlias |
$1,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Urunga Business and Community Inc |
Urunga Rail Centenary |
$1,000 |
|
Creative Placemaking Fund
|
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival Inc |
BRWF Street Performances and Youth Activities |
$2,110 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Gumbaynggirr Wenonah Head Aboriginal Corporation |
Wenonah Head Indigenous Art Welcome Posts |
$4,500 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Urunga Sail Training Club |
Weaving the Story of Bindarray Yuruun (‘Long River’ in Gumbaynggirr language) |
$3,500 |
|
|
TOTAL |
$20,725 |
2022-23 - Round 1
Grant fund
|
Organisation
|
Activity
|
$
|
| Community Support Fund |
Mylestom Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association |
Activities to support seniors in Mylestom |
$1,400 |
| Community Support Fund |
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival |
Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival Schools Program |
$3,740 |
| Community Support Fund |
Urunga-Mylestom Chamber of Commerce |
Urunga Bicycle Racks |
$2,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Bellingen Public School P&C Association |
Bello Children's Fete |
$1,500 |
| Community Support Fund |
Urunga Public School P&C Association |
Learning on Country with Landcare and Bellingen High School |
$1,700 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellingen RSL Country Club (trading as Bellingen Golf Club) |
Bellingen Shire Golf Classic |
$1,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Camp Creative Inc |
Camp Creative 2023 |
$3,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellingen Improvised Music Collective Inc |
Local Band Showcase at BIMF 2022 |
$2,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival Inc |
Marquees for 20th Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival |
$2,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellingen Community Arts Council Inc (auspice organisation) |
Bellingen Muse 2022 - Festival Fiesta |
$2,000 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Bellingen Community Arts Council Inc |
Bellingen Shire Arts Trail |
$935 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Dorrigo Preschool Association |
Community Mural Project |
$3,000 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Urunga Public School |
Connecting to Gumbaynggirr Culture |
$3,000 |
| |
|
TOTAL |
$27,275 |
2021-22 - Round 2
Grant fund
|
Organisation
|
Activity
|
$
|
| Community Support Fund |
Bellingen Growers Market |
Promote local musicians and performers |
$1,500 |
| Community Support Fund |
Neighbourhood Care Network Inc |
SMS Bush Telegraph Emergency Alert Service |
$2,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Bellingen Valley Working Equitation Inc |
Timber bridge for practice and competitions |
$2,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Bellinger River Sailing Club Inc |
Maintenance and repairs of the Bellinger River Sailing Club |
$2,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Country Women's Association of NSW - Urunga |
Urunga CWA Garden Function |
$2,035 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellinger River Agricultural Society Inc |
EJ Mantova Memorial Art Prize |
$2,500 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Bellinger River Agricultural Society Inc |
Bellingen Show |
$3,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Kalang River Dragon Boat Club |
Kalang River Classic |
$1,500 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Country Women's Association of NSW - Dorrigo |
'Sconversation' Seniors Week |
$1,090 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Dorrigo Dramatic Club |
Back to Eden Film Festival |
$3,500 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival Inc |
Sounds at Megan |
$1,200 |
| |
|
TOTAL |
$20,825 |
2021-22 - Round 1
Grant fund
|
Organisation
|
Activity
|
$
|
| Community Support Fund |
Don Dorrigo and Guy Fawkes Historical Society |
Familiarisation Day |
$1,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Urunga Surf Life Saving Club |
Canteen upgrade at Urunga Surf Life Saving Club |
$4,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Repton Public School P&C Association |
'The River' The Musical |
$2,000 |
| Community Support Fund |
Camp Creative Inc |
Improving event risk, safety and accessibility in community venues |
$2,500 |
| Community Support Fund |
Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire Inc |
People's Library: Voices of the Community 2021 |
$2,199 |
| Community Support Fund |
Housing Matters Action Group Inc |
Housing Matters Community Hosting Program |
$3,800 |
| Community Support Fund |
OzGREEN |
First Aid Training for Bellingen Shire Micro Community Residents |
$1,500 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Arts Council of the Dorrigo Inc |
Dorrigo Easter Art Exhibition (DEAE) |
$2,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
The Grub Club |
Sgt. Matthew Locke MG Charity Match 2022 |
$4,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival Inc |
Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival 2021 |
$3,000 |
| Community Event Sponsorship Fund |
Amanda Fairbanks - auspiced by Auspicious Arts |
'Everything 80s' |
$3,000 |
| Creative Placemaking Fund |
Kristy Holding |
Pop Up Art Gallery and Studio |
$2,000 |
| |
|
TOTAL |
$30,999 |