By JESSE GRAHAM
COMMUNITY groups in the valley will have funding certainty for the coming three years, after Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously passed partnership grants earlier this month.
At their meeting on Tuesday 9 June, councillors unanimously endorsed the council’s 2016 Partnership Grants, which will provide funds to 40 community groups across the shire.
The groups will share in $748,762 in funding over the coming three years, after having applications to the council reviewed by an expert panel of two members and a Yarra Ranges manager.
Koha Community Cafe will receive $15,000 to run its weekly pay-what-you-can meal, to help the socially and economically disadvantaged, while the Healesville Music Festival will receive $30,000 over the coming three years.
Emergency relief organisations also fared well in the funding pool, with Healesville Interchurch Community Care Incorporated (HICCI) receiving $120,000.
Yarra Ranges mayor Maria McCarthy said the funding meant that groups across the Yarra Ranges could have certainty of being funded for the coming years.
“It will enable council to work more closely with these groups – to help them provide the services and skills they need, to support what they’re trying to achieve for their groups,” Cr McCarthy said.
HICCI president Rod Hystead said the funding recognised the work the group undertakes in the community, whether it’s the weekly free meal at Dinner at Darron’s or Emergency Relief, providing food to vulnerable residents.
“Without this funding, we’d find it very, very difficult to continue our programs – it’s an essential part of what we do and it enables us to provide a very effective program of assistance for people in Healesville,” Mr Hystead said.
In 2014, HICCI had 4721 instances of emergency relief food being needed by residents, as well as 1943 instances of helping people in need of travel, with 75,000 kilometres recorded.
At the Yarra Ranges Council meeting, Cr Len Cox said the funding acknowledged the work of volunteers and those in community groups in the area.
“We get better value for money for this than anything else we do,” he said.
“It’s council’s move to help the community and community groups to do the things they think ought to be done, and will improve living in our community generally.
“Every one of them is worthwhile.”
Community houses across the shire also received funding under the grants, though Cr Noel Cliff noted that the funding varied from group to group, ranging from $13,000 to $62,000.
A council representative at the meeting said there was a plan to make funding for community houses more ‘equitable’ in the future.
For a full list of recipients, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au.
