More than 100 small businesses and community groups across the City of Parramatta have been awarded with over half a million dollars in grants as part of Council’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Council has provided 36 local not-for-profit and social enterprises with Community Resilience Grants, totalling just over $380,000, to help them adapt and diversify during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An additional $150,000 was provided to set up the new Small Business COVID-19 Response Grant program, which has aided 85 businesses to pivot, expand, or digitise their operations amid public health restrictions.
Both initiatives are part of the City of Parramatta’s $3 million COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Package.
“I am proud that Council has been able to offer much-needed support to our local community organisations and small businesses through these grants and help them during these tough times,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Bob Dwyer said.
“These groups and businesses contribute so much to our City, and I hope the funding from these grants will help them continue to thrive.
“The City of Parramatta is dedicated to supporting all areas of our community through our various grant programs, and I encourage people to explore what funding opportunities may be available to them.”
Kapil Bajaj, from the Hindu Council of Australia, thanked Council for the $20,000 they received under the Community Resilience Grants program. This funding has allowed the organisation to continue delivering food hampers to Parramatta’s most vulnerable community members.
“The City of Parramatta Community Resilience Grant was a great help to the Hindu Council of Australia – receiving it was a true blessing,” Mr Bajaj said.
“The funding from this grant helped us to continue supporting those in need, and help them to get through the dire circumstances presented by COVID-19.”
Arthur Tong, owner of local business Tea Craft, said the Small Business COVID-19 Response Grant helped fund a new project that enabled them to overcome a downturn in sales caused by the pandemic.
“We lost nearly 90 per cent of our business at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic which posed a significant challenge,” Mr Tong said.
“We used the funds from the Small Business COVID-19 Response Grant to adapt and expand our business’s offerings, which helped us to reach a new customer base. This grant provided us with the confidence boost that we needed to try out something new during a very uncertain time.
“We’re very grateful for the generosity and support that Council has shown to Tea Craft, as well as other small local businesses.”
