City opens $1 million grants and sponsorships round

Community and sporting groups, businesses and tourism and event operators can now apply for close to $1 million of community grants and sponsorship funding from City of Newcastle.

Applications are open for projects and initiatives under four categories to support social, cultural, environmental and economic initiatives.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the funding is aimed at initiatives that activate public places, enhance community wellbeing and strengthen the city’s reputation as a tourism, business and events destination.

"City of Newcastle's grants and sponsorships provide vital funding to benefit community initiatives through enhancing wellbeing and contributing to our city being a great place to live, work, play, visit and invest," Cr Nelmes said.

"We provide funding to a variety of activities, projects and events annually, including recreation facilities, businesses façade improvements, community initiatives, arts, culture and heritage, as well as environmental and social inclusion projects.

"Last year City of Newcastle funded a wide range of community-building initiatives such as improvements to local sporting facilities at New Lambton’s Alder Park, Cook Park in Shortland, Corroba Oval in Stockton Stevenson Park in Mayfield and Hamilton Park Tennis Club, inclusive festivals and events including Surfing the Spectrum, technology proficiency events for seniors and an Afghan community festival.

“Also funded were creative arts projects such as the National Young Writers Festival and the Spirit of Newcastle project from Curious Legends, along with environmental and sustainability initiatives the Seaside Scavenge and Go Circular’s Circular Economy Leadership project, among many others."

Glenn Dormand of Stories of Our Town received grant funding for a last year for a film which focuses on the missionary Reverend Threlkeld and Biraban, who worked to preserve local Aboriginal language 200 years ago.

“Biraban and The Reverend Threlkeld: Finding the Third Space has at the heart of it two men looking for connection. We have the Aboriginal space and the European space and now more than ever we need to find a space for all of us in between. If these two men could find it 200 years ago in this town we can do it again,” Mr Dorman said.

“We made this documentary using a stellar collection of both First Nation and European Academics and it only exists because of the generous support of City of Newcastle through their grant funding. This is the third film they've helped with and easily the most important. How wonderful to have our local government put such a value on this important piece of our history.”

Image: Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes reading Threlkeld books from the Newcastle Libraries rare books collection with University of Newcastle Archivist Gionni Di Gravio and 2021 City of Newcastle grant recipient Glenn Dormand, Stories of Our Town Director.

Community grant funding is available to help community groups, sport and recreation clubs and service organisations in areas including arts, culture and heritage, environment and social inclusion.

Grants that target minor infrastructure improvements for recreational facilities, sustainability and façade upgrades are also available under the infrastructure grants category.

Event sponsorships are open for events that promote active and vibrant spaces, attract local and out of region visitation and enhance Newcastle's profile as an events city, while economic development sponsorships will be provided for activities that enable skills and innovation, and are considered city-shaping initiatives.

Applications for grants and sponsorship funding are open now until 30 May 2022. Online community workshops outlining the application process will be held on Wednesday 11 and Monday 16 May. Further details can be viewed on City of Newcastle's website by clicking here.