This year’s Community Building Partnership program will leave many struggling local organisations, sports clubs, community groups and councils short-changed in their time of need with the NSW Government committing to the same level of funding as previous years.
The Australian Sports Foundation survey of community sports club has found that nationally an estimated 1 in 4 sports club are at risk of closing if they do not get funding in the next six months.
Inner-west Labor MPs, Jo Haylen and Sophie Cotsis are urgently calling on the NSW Government to double the grant program to help the many community groups that are supporting the inner west community through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Summer Hill Electorate Community Building Partnership 2020 grant round received 46 applications requesting over $1.35 million, while Canterbury Electorate received 29 applications requesting $1.23 million.
Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill is calling for the NSW Government to have the “community’s back during this crisis”.
“2020 has showed us why it is so important to have a strong safety net and build resilience in our community. Community groups are crying out for more Government support, in my electorate community groups need more than triple the funding offered by the NSW Government in order to help local community groups who are struggling to keep up with the extra demand on their essential services.”
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic local community organisations have been helping to do just that – they’ve been on the front lines, providing essential goods and services to our inner west community, connecting people, all mostly with volunteer hours” said Jo Haylen MP.
“This government needs to provide a lifeline for those community groups and sports clubs who have been hit hard by the lockdown and economic fallout of this pandemic and double the pool of grant money available now.”
Sophie Cotsis, Member for Canterbury said "From our football clubs to the soup kitchen, local groups make up the fabric of our communities. Locals are struggling and the community groups that support them deserve support from this Government.”
“By investing $600,000 per electorate, this government would be investing in the people of NSW, creating much needed jobs and injecting much needed funds into our local economies.
Since the launch of the program in 2009, the Community Building Partnership Program has provided over $300 million in grants to over 15,000 community organisations around NSW.
The Government has not indicated whether it will support NSW Labor’s call to double the grant from $300,000 to $600,000 for this year.
Applications for the 2020 Community Building Partnership Program closed on 12th June and successful recipients will be announced soon.