News Alert |

A three-year Strategic Partnership between Commerce Ballarat and the City of Ballarat has been approved.

Ballarat City Council also voted last night to form a three-year Strategic Partnership with Leadership Ballarat and Western Victoria (LBWR).

The partnerships acknowledge the integral roles both organisations play within the Ballarat community.

Commerce Ballarat is the major member-based business advocacy organisation within the Ballarat community.

It has more than 500 members and provides strong leadership for the business community on a wide range of issues.

The City of Ballarat has also partnered with Commerce Ballarat over the past 15 years on an expansive range of business-related programs and events that have helped build the town’s annual economy to $6.4 billion.

The new Strategic Partnership maintains the current level of financial support but includes extra partnership opportunities, such as Tender Write workshops, business skills development and training, Welcome to Ballarat business package, skills development and industry forums

Similarly, LBWR plays an important role in developing Ballarat’s future leaders.

LBWR provides professional development and networking opportunities to about 30 participants each year, giving them the ability to gain an overview of community issues, and to appreciate the value of different community perspectives.

Nearly 50 per cent of LBWR graduates increased their volunteer hours by 50 per cent after completing the annual Leaders Forum.

The Strategic Partnership with Commerce Ballarat is costed at $110,000 annually while the agreement with Leadership Ballarat and Western Victoria will be $20,000 per annum.

The City of Ballarat Grants Policy aims to ensure recipients can deliver quality programs, events, products and services which bring a wide range of social, environmental and economic returns to the city.