The 2021 Sport and Recreation Grants Program has been brought forward to help cash-strapped clubs that have faced financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many challenges on the Canberra sports sector resulting in a significant loss of income and increased financial pressure across the industry,” Minister for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry said.
“This package will help sporting organisations meet their costs and assist the sport and recreation sector to return in a strong position.
“Bringing the program forward will also allow opportunities for sporting organisations and clubs to re-engage with the ACT community.”
Ms Berry said the ACT Government has been working hard to support sporting organisations through COVID-19, including bringing forward the 2021 Sport and Recreation Grants Program to provide funding for ‘screwdriver-ready’ building projects and smaller capital works projects.
This year, the funding will extend to support activities or equipment that might be necessary to enhance general hygiene. This may include sanitisation and improvements to general cleanliness, EFTPOS machines or other scanning technologies such as remote access systems.
“The ACT Government will continue to support sporting organisations to ensure the sector can re-emerge in the strongest possible position post-COVID-19,” Ms Berry said.
In addition to the opening of the Sport and Recreation Grants program, the ACT Government has also announced the six programs and initiatives that will receive funding through the 2020 Nature Play Grants Program.
This year, the Nature Play Grants will provide more than $34,000 of financial assistance to eligible organisations that find innovative ways to keep the community active through outdoor play by making use of Canberra’s outdoor areas, open spaces and natural landscape.
This year, the grants program focused on applications that created opportunities for diverse and changing lifestyles with an aim to support areas of the community that may have previously been under-represented.
The 2020 Nature Play Grant recipients are:
- Anglicare at Southern Cross Early Childhood School for equipment to support nature play
- Aeon Academy for equipment to create a nature play space
- Capital Region Community Services (formerly Belconnen Community Service) for equipment to support nature play
- Canberra Mathematical Association for maths in nature resource development
- Baringa Child Care Centre Association for equipment to create a nature play space
- Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres for professional and creative nature play workshops.
Further details on grants, including grant amounts available and eligibility of applications, are on the ACT Sport and Recreation website.