Funding Finder finds its feet

Photograph: Cows at Coolagolite by Cliff Shipton

9 June 2020

In March this year Bega Valley Shire Council was the 50th Council in Australia to sign-up to a new one-stop-shop for grant funding to help local businesses, community groups and Council access a pool of $172.9 billion in funding opportunities nationwide.

The Bega Valley Funding Finder is a searchable register of more than 1,054 grants available from local, state and federal governments and corporate and philanthropic programs, including disaster relief funding. Council's own grants are also registered on the Funding Finder.

We are pleased to report that since its launch in March, there have been over 525 users accessing the Funding Finder site, with up to 65 users a day at its peak. This has coincided with a number of funding announcements designed to support businesses and jobs in the post bushfire and COVID-19 environment.   

Bega Valley Shire Council Project Lead Recovery, Rebuilding and Resilience, Chris Horsburgh, said the new register has become a vital tool for Council and our community to identify funding for projects that bring direct benefit to the community at this challenging time and as we move into the future.

"The Bega Valley Funding Finder is helping open new doors to funding projects, that community groups and businesses were quite often unaware of. For some, it is also a chance to increase their confidence to apply for funding that they may not have otherwise attempted.” Mr Horsburgh said.

"Council is committed to supporting local businesses and the community to make the most of available funding support.”

The Funding Finder presents funding opportunities for businesses, sole traders (such as artists, small start-ups) not-for-profit community groups, sporting clubs, and larger agricultural and manufacturing businesses. Those using the tool can access a library of useful resources to help write applications. They can also sign up to new funding alerts, all of which helps businesses and community groups plan and prepare their own grant applications.

Those needing a higher level of support can connect with a network of professional grant writers through the Funding Finder or attend one of the grant writing workshops Council will be hosting later in the year.

Community groups and businesses can access the service at no cost, through Council’s subscription.

Funding Finder can be found on Council's website www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/grants

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