The Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s community matching fund is now open, with $140,000 available to help fund projects that make a difference across the district.
The fund is made up of a general fund for social, recreational and cultural initiatives ($100,000) and an environmental fund for projects associated with the natural environment ($40,000).
Grants are matched on a 50/50 basis – council’s half is a cash grant, while the community contribution can be made up of any combination of volunteer labour, donated professional services, funds raised through other means and/or donations.
The amount contributed by council is most commonly between $1000 to $10,000.
Last year, 32 general and 13 environmental projects benefited from the community matching fund. To assist potential applicants, council is holding a series of walk-in workshop sessions at local library and service centres, where people can ask questions and receive guidance on their applications.
