City of Darwin is pleased to announce the recipients for the second round of its Community Grants Program, with recipients receiving funding to facilitate community capacity activities, programs and events.
The program provides funding for community organisations to carry out one-off projects that enrich the diversity of cultural, environmental, recreational, or social opportunity for Darwin residents.
Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said City of Darwin was pleased to be able to continue to support projects that make a difference in the community and build a more inclusive and vibrant Darwin.
“Each year we allocate $100,000 for the Community Grants Program, split into two rounds, which is allocated to projects that contribute to active reconciliation, forge partnerships between community groups and encourage active engagement by underrepresented populations,” Mr Vatskalis said.
“I’m really pleased to see a diverse range of community groups supported in this round of funding, including Football NT holding a Refugee World Cup for over 1000 Darwin locals from diverse backgrounds; Workforce Plus creating an inclusive and accessible sensory community garden and the Sri Lankan Australian Friendship Association hosting a community-driven Sri Lankan New Year festival.
“When we work together, we can achieve great things and I encourage community groups to keep applying for these grant opportunities to help facilitate events that benefit the entire community,” he said.
The full list of grant recipients is as follows:
- Football NT – will host the Refugee World Cup, an annual event celebrated on Australia Day where over 1000 Darwin locals from diverse backgrounds and with diverse attributes come together to play football.
- Workforce Plus – will create a sensory community garden, an inclusive and accessible outdoor space designed for people with dementia and people with disability.
- Desexing Assistance and Community Support – will host Doggy Desexing Month in conjunction with vet clinics across the NT, supporting the community in desexing and microchipping their pets.
- Sugarbag Incorporated – will host the Sugarbag Festival Block Party, a free arts and culture all-ages event that provides a platform for the community to come together and celebrate local talents.
- Sri Lankan Australian Friendship Association – will host a Sri Lankan New Year Festival aimed at celebrating the rich traditions of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, showcasing Sri Lankan heritage and promoting inclusion and harmony.
- Indian Orthodox Church Darwin Inc – will host a reconciliation family fest that builds on the free breakfast program for homeless people that the church has run for three years.
- NTAHC – will run a series of supported social events for women living with HIV to connect over a meal, addressing some of the unique challenges faced by this community.
- Variety the Children’s Charity – will celebrate 25 years of supporting teenagers with disabilities with a fun-filled afternoon of activities including art and craft, basketball, dance and music.
