Small Grants Program
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Each year, funding is available to not-for-profit organisations to provide services to our local residents. Funding amounts are generally in the range of $500-2000, and should be seen as a contribution rather than a commitment to fund the entire service.
Applications NOW OPEN for funding for the 2019-20 financial year (Available in July 2019).
Information about the Application Process
Please read the Small Grant Guidelines (70KB) to determine if your organisation and project is eligible to receive funding.
Please read our D4-07 Community Grants and Subsidies Policy (126KB) Please note that hardcopy application forms are not accepted - you must submit your application using the online application form (available only when funding round is open). Prepare information regarding your project proposal, budget information and supporting documents. Complete your online application form prior to the closing date on Friday 1 March 2019. If you require further information, please contact the Community and Arts Administration Officer, Community Development, on 9936 8100 or email [email protected]Successful Small Grants recipients 2018-19
Assisted Community Living
Gig Buddies is an initiative developed to address social isolation in North Sydney by pairing adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities and/or autism with volunteers to regularly attend cultural, sporting or recreational events. Volunteers are recruited, trained and matched with participants. North Sydney outings include Shoreshocked Youth Festival, North Sydney Oval events, local restaurants and entertainment venues.
Boomerang Bags Lower North Shore
Boomerang Bags LNS makes shopping bags from recycled fabrics and distributes them to individuals, at community events and in local shops. Members of the group meet weekly in the Geddes Room at North Sydney Council. Other members participate by sewing bags at home.
Crows Nest Computer Club
Obtain professional assistance to upgrade computer club website.
Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Sydney
This is an amateur performing arts group, who specialises in Gilbert and Sullivan productions, with a small management committee and volunteer base. The group performs at Shore School in North Sydney (students are involved in the Production) as well as RSL Anzac Village, and community halls. The group has provided excellent training in all aspects of stagecraft for performers who have made a career in opera and musical theatre. The Ensemble style of our productions not only provides the chorus with experience in singing with an orchestra, but also provides ample opportunity to learn and develop skills in characterisation and stagecraft. This year's production is 'Ruddigore' in October. http://www.gsosydney.com.au/
Kidsnest Crows Nest Occasional Care
We will be hiring music teachers from 'Little Einsteinz" teaching institution. Music Therapy Classes available to children and their families. Music therapy is an accepted method to relieve stress, lower depression and counteract other negative mind states in both children and adults. Research suggests that some of the key ways that MT can help you feel better include increasing: • self-acceptance • self-awareness and expression • stimulation of speech • motor integration • a sense of belonging • and enhanced communication and relationships with others, both highly tied to happiness.
Lower North Shore Domestic Violence Network
The booklet 'Charmed and Dangerous' is an excellent source of information and resources that will assist women and their families in their journey to achieving and maintaining a healthy relationship based on trust, respect, positive communication, honesty and balanced power. It will be a useful tool for DV support workers and their clients.
Neutral Bay Uniting Church Seniors Lunch Bunch Programme
This programme is open to everyone over the age of 55 and their caregivers. Our proposal is that we offer the programme monthly at first but this may increase as the Lunch Bunch grows. We have just started this programme offering a monthly drop in programme held over lunchtime. The idea of the programme is to provide community for seniors, reach out to those that are lonely and isolated, provide them with information on how to live healthier and safer in their own homes for longer, and build fellowship within the community.
North Shore Theatre Company
Local amateur theatre company performing at The Independent Theatre North Sydney. Volunteers involved on and off stage for this year's production of "Avenue Q" Musical. This show is a comedy musical requiring the cast of 10 with the skills of acting, singing and puppetry. It will require a twelve week rehearsal period and 1 week technical rehearsal at the theatre. It is accompanied by a 5 piece band. Affordable prices.
North Shore Community Centre
This project is an in conversation event focused on Architecture and disability. The event explores the necessity of spaces to be appropriately designed to suit people with disabilities in community facilities and shared open spaces, office environments and private dwellings. Renowned television and radio presenter, producer and ambassador for the Sydney Architecture Festival, Fenella Kernebone, will join a panel of Sydney Architects and industry experts to discuss how design significantly impacts people living with a disability – physical and/or intellectual. Included also on the panel will be members of the community who are impacted by disability, describing their experiences and needs in the design of spaces to better suit everyday life.
Northside Baptist Church
The Love Crows Nest Herb Garden is a small but bountiful community herb garden in the heart of Crows Nest. The Herb Garden is run by volunteers, and is open to all members of the community (to take part or just to take some herbs). The Herb Garden brings together people of different ages, cultures, and stations in life, and is a place to learn and grow together. This grant application is for a custom rainwater tank to be installed on site at the Herb Garden, to help the garden become more self-sustainable (and as an object lesson for sustainability for those interacting with the garden).
Persian Morning Tea
Persian Morning Tea is held monthly, on the third Saturday of eight months. It targets Farsi speaking residents of North Sydney. It aims to create social inclusiveness and connectedness. The group comes together over morning tea, shares some food, listens to topical guest speakers, watches original films, and connects with writers and scholars across the world.
Phoenix House Youth Services
The project involves conducting wellbeing workshops for adolescents, many of whom are at-risk and suffering from isolation and disadvantage. Teen Talking Circles provides young people a safe and non-judgemental environment, where they can open up on issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, alienation and gender norms. Teen Talking Circles is founded on the principle that both a mature self-identity and healthy relationships develop naturally when one is able to speak freely without fear of judgement, criticism, or rejection. Our wellbeing facilitators are experts in creating a safe space for young people to speak their truth.
Primrose Paper Arts Inc.
The plan for the proposed project is to create a visual record of Primrose Paper Arts' members and the Primrose site, by employing a local film maker to produce a documentary of interviews with members who will relate their experiences of working in the studio, their involvement in community projects and the growth of the Association. Primrose Paper Arts(originally known as Primrose Paperworks) was conceived by six local papermaker artists in 1987. The group shared a visionary desire to establish a papermaking resource centre in Sydney and, at the same time, provide an opportunity for members of the public to learn about papermaking and related paper arts. When the documentary is completed, a copy will be given to the Heritage Centre in Stanton Library and access to it will be available to the community. The whole documentary or parts of it could be used for public presentations, workshops etc., and will be shared on our website and with other arts organisations such as the International Association of Paper Makers and Artists (IAPMA).
Reach your Potential
The Reach Your Potential - Employability Skills for Migrants program involves a series of 6 half day workshops for migrants from the North Sydney area with professional skills from overseas to enhance their ability to find employment in Australia. The program is currently in its 6th year (Program 10) and focuses on participants getting jobs that utilise the professional skills and qualifications they brought to Australia rather than "just getting any job". So far there are over 80 graduates from the program with another 12 currently attending the Summer 2018 program. Over 40% have found jobs within a year of attending the program, 70% between one and two years, 90% between two and three years and 100% after 3 years. Several have gone on to get promotions after their initial job in the field of their trained profession. To continue enhancing the effectiveness of the program our aim is to: (1) Continue to recruit volunteer mentors and enhance their skills through training; (2) Involve the North Sydney business community by seeking people in various industries to have "introductory" one-off talks about the industry and job market in which the participants are interested.
Sydney Multicultural Community Services
"Refugee week is an annual celebration to highlight the positive contributions of refugees to Australian society. Sydney Multicultural Community Services in Collaboration with the Lower North Shore Multicultural Network will hold a celebration that will educate residents and local service providers and businesses in the North Sydney area about the lived experiences of refugees and migrants. This would assist refugees and migrants with employment and further education opportunities, greater social inclusion and a more positive contribution to the community. We plan to hold a social public event. Following this event, we anticipate opportunities opening up for refugees and migrants in this area, through a greater awareness of the contribution they can make to the community of which they are a part."
Tee to Totes
"The project is 2-pronged and aims to reduce clothing waste as well as reduce the use of plastic bags in the North Sydney vicinity. We upcycle old/used/unwanted t-shirts and singlets destined for landfill and make them into reusable tote-bags using only a pair of scissors, and give them to the general public at sustainability fairs and markets. The aim of this project is to start providing more tote-bags to markets and stores in the North Sydney precinct, to encourage them to offer non- plastic bags to customers, and to get customers more accustomed to using non-plastic alternatives to carry their shopping in. Tees to Totes are collaborating with the Women’s Creative Hub at the House of Welcome (Auburn) to be able to produce large numbers of tote-bags. The organisation is committed to supporting refugees and to engage them in activities to increase self-esteem and integration into society."
The Chinese Christian Church
The English classes are designed to help people in the community from different cultural backgrounds improve their English. It is open for anyone in the local area who wants to learn English. We will run the classes during school term on Monday mornings.
The Kirribilli Centre – African Drumming
We would like to provide a community event for families with children. We would have African drummers come and engage with children and their families. This is a great way to bring our community together, for other parents to meet other local parents, for children to engage and learn about different cultures, whilst in a safe and fun environment.
The Kirribilli Centre – Baby Massage
This project is specially for new mums and their babies. It is for mums that struggle to bond with their baby. Baby massage has been proven to help mum and bub bond, it has also proven to help babies relax, which in turn helps mum. We have many new mums in our community, of which a high percentage feel socially isolated, stressed and unattached to bub. The project is so very helpful to both mum and bub - it can help subside many potential risks (such as PND, social isolation etc). To be able to bond with your child is imperative. Unfortunately for some mums, they struggle with this. This program is specially for them and their bubs, and for those mums who are finding it tough financially. Such programs as this are simply out of reach for them. Our aim is to give them as much support as they can possibly get.
1st North Sydney Scout Group
Our Scouts (11-14yo) are beginning to develop the skills to undertake 2-3 day bushwalks with minimal adult involvement. We want to make sure the Scouts are equipped with the skills and equipment to safely undertake these activities.
Cammeray Croquet Club
The membership of the club includes a lot of keen gardeners and given the surrounds of our playing lawns are quite extensive we would like to put them to good use growing herbs, vegetables and citrus fruit trees. The most expensive item needed is a hose on a reel to reach the furthest extremities on our site with the balance on assorted gardening tools.
Dance Chance Incorporated
Dance Chance is a not for profit dance group for people with a disability. Located on the lower north shore, Dance Chance provides a weekly dance class for 35 people with a disability. Our dancers range in age from 6 to 76 and have a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. Each week our dancers are supported by a team of 20 dedicated volunteers, who guide the dancers with their learning. This project will allow Dance Chance to recognise the outstanding contributions made by our volunteers across the year through a volunteer reward and recognition program and end of year volunteer celebration.
The Kirribilli Centre – Seniors Exercise
We will have a qualified fitness teacher, come and teach a specific class to seniors. This class will be designed specifically for the needs of seniors in our community. This class will be once a week, allow isolated seniors not only a place to come and meet people, but also an opportunity to keep fit and healthy.
Grant Acquittal ReportsFor previous funding that was received for the 2018-19 Financial year - due date 30 June 2019.
Grant Acquittal Form for Community Organisations (Word Version) (111KB)
Grant Acquittal Form for community Organisations (PDF) (96KB)
Grant Acquittal Form for Cultural Organisations (word version) (111KB)
Grants Acquittal Form for Cultural Organisations (PDF) (98KB)
Posted on 14 December 2018