Grants target collaborative responses to COVID-19 pandemic

City of Newcastle is offering $500,000 for city-shaping projects and initiatives as part of its $5.5 million COVID-19 resilience package.

The City Taskforce Industry Response Program sees $500,000 committed to encourage collaboration between industry groups, businesses and community organisations to provide long-term, strategic benefits to sectors hardest hit by the economic and social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The response program has been shaped through input from the 17 City Taskforce members, business, community and cultural leaders from across Newcastle, with the intent to foster community connections and industry resilience in the wake of the pandemic.

City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said this collaborative approach illustrates one of the strengths of our community.

“We are harnessing the collective knowledge of our corporate, not-for-profit and government sectors in our City’s recovery,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Newcastle’s visitor economy has been one of the hardest-hit sectors of the community, along with accommodation and food services and arts and recreation.

“Naturally, this has far reaching implications for our local economy and community and has affected specific population groups such as youth. We know that woman have been especially impacted by the disruption to our economy and community.

“Our large-scale funding project looks to support packages of between $100,000 and $200,000 for city-shaping projects and initiatives that will provide benefits across the city’s economy and community.

“We are looking for innovative and creative responses to addressing the impacts of COVID-19 and are strongly encouraging applications for different approaches to create unique and long-lasting solutions for our City.”

Successful Expressions of Interest will support outcome-focused projects that can be delivered within a 6-month timeframe.

In addition to this funding program, the City has previously made available grants of up to $30,000 to non-government organisations, not-for-profits, charities and for-profit service providers that directly support community health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Expression of Interest period for the Industry Response program runs until 25 June with funding to be delivered in early July.

Information on how to apply is available via the website.