The Community Support Program Grants are offered through four funding streams: Community Adaptation and Participation, Technology Support, Quick Response and Community Connection. The grants are targeted at service providers to help with the delivery of programs and activities that will positively impact on South Gippsland residents and help with COVID-19 recovery.

Successful recipients of grants through the Community Support Program Grants so far include:

The Salvation Army which will use the funding to help resource the Doorways program – that provides a first point of contact for people in a crisis and seeking emergency assistance – and to provide volunteers with resources that can be used to assist isolated community members.

Manna Gum Community House will use a Technology Grant to deliver an accessible digital literacy Computer Club program and supply internet dongles that can be loaned to community members to assist with remote learning and connecting with family and support services.

Milpara Community House will use a Technology Grant to help people who are isolated to maintain connection. The group aim to use tablets to help vulnerable community members access the internet to help them socialise and have access to classes run at Milpara.

South Gippsland Hospital will distribute 270 hard copy welfare and health information packs to students at the Foster Secondary College. The packs will provide resources to assist in improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people in Foster and surrounding areas and will include strategies for dealing with mental health issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grants that have been awarded will provide much-needed support to our local community. They have all met the guidelines and the primary objective of the $2M COVID-19 Community Support Package, which is to help our region to respond to and recover from COVID-19 by working alongside communities and supporting and building the capacity of individuals, communities, businesses and organisations. 

$59,000 has been awarded in round one with $141,000 in funding still remaining. Applications for the COVID-19 Community Grants and Community Support Program Grants can be made at www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/covidsupport

Applications will be accepted until the funding allocation has been exhausted.

Successful Round One recipients are listed below: