By Dylan J. Stone
Community organisations are being urged to apply for grants under the New South Wales Business Case and Strategy Development Fund, now open for local councils, joint organisations of councils, industry, plus not-for-profit, and Aboriginal community groups, until August 24.
The aim is to provide funding to develop business cases or strategies for regionally significant projects and initiatives and groups, and Broken Hill groups are urged to apply.
This funding will help organisations expand their capacity to plan and deliver regional development initiatives and projects, and will allow them to prepare investment-ready projects that can be funded under future funding opportunities.
Two separate streams of funding are available, for regional significance (stream one) and for Aboriginal prosperity (stream two).
For stream one, the application requires an applicant to be an incorporated entity and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another Act.
Locally, this stream of funding is also open to incorporated not-for-profit organisations, and peak bodies in industry, business, and community associations.
Under stream two, the application requires the applicant to be a not-for-profit, incorporated Aboriginal community organisation (so, initiated by, controlled and operated by Aboriginal people and/or governed by a board or committee of Aboriginal people).
Locally, Aboriginal Land Councils can apply for funding under this stream.
Under stream one, the application outlines some examples of eligible funding opportunities, such as where an organisation establishes a business case for a regionally significant project that will activate new or expanded industry investment and job creation, (or) a business case for shared infrastructure supporting the visitor economy in a region.
Whereas under stream two, some eligible funding opportunities include a business case for an Aboriginal cultural tourism project or other economic development project, (or) a strategy to develop the cultural tourism sector in a region.
Currently, no community organisation that meets the eligibility criteria have indicated they are planning any projects that would enliven these funding opportunities, with some community organisations confirming they either do not meet the eligibility criteria, or they are not undertaking any projects or initiatives within the scope of these funding opportunities.
The $24 million fund is state-wide, so any contribution of this fund within Broken Hill will benefit the community significantly. For more information on this fund, or to apply, go to https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/regional-nsw-%E2%80%93-business-case-and-strategy-development-fund
