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City of Wollongong

Kick-start your project with Council funding

Monday 8 February 2021

Are you organising a community event? Do you have an arts and cultural project you want to get off the ground? Or perhaps own a property that has local heritage listing and need help conserving items of local cultural significance?

Wollongong City Council’s Financial Assistance 2021/2022 program is now open and we’re calling for community members to submit an application.

Each year, we offer a number of grants that provide financial or in-kind support to community groups and individuals. This round of financial assistance is available for five of our programs:

  • Community Events
  • Small Cultural Grants
  • Bands and Choirs
  • Heritage Grants
  • NAIDOC Week Grants

“COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the arts, culture and event sectors, I want to encourage people to think outside the box on how they can deliver their event objectives, performances or other projects in a COVID safe environment,” Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.

“There are a number of grants available to support community groups, artists, event organisers and individuals. I encourage people to take a look, consider applying to one of these grants and make the most of this opportunity.”

To assist individuals and groups with their applications, Council will hold an online information session in March 2021. Visit Council’s website for further information, or see our apply for a grant webpage.

Not sure which grant you should apply to? Here’s a run-down of each program and who can apply:

Community Events

Are you an individual or not-for-profit group running an event open to the community? If yes, you might be eligible for our Sponsorship of Community Events Program.

This program supports community events, and state or national sporting events held within the Wollongong Local Government Area. With up to $15,000 worth of funding available, this program aims to support community groups in delivering successful events.

This program is open to not-for-profit groups, organisations or individuals who are innovating traditional events to suit the current COVID climate. All applicants will need to demonstrate how they intend to meet the COVID-19 Public Health Order at the time of application.

Applications open until Wednesday 31 March 2021.

Small Cultural Grants

Our Small Cultural grants program aims to encourage a broad range of activities that enliven our City and add to our creative industries. These projects can include community activities like music, performing arts, visual arts and craft or cultural projects.

Anyone can apply to this program and we encourage people from diverse cultural and language backgrounds and members of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to apply.

Successful applicants can request up to $4,000 through this program to go towards an arts-based or community focused initiative.

Applications open until Wednesday 31 March 2021.

Bands and Choirs

Targeting not-for-profit public bands and choirs based in Wollongong, this program aims to support bands and choirs performing at events. In past years, we’ve supported local bands and choirs who have performed at public events such as Citizenship ceremonies and other Council civic events.

Funding available through this program is between $500 and $2000. To be eligible for this program your band or choir must be not-for-profit, open to new members joining, be able to perform outdoors without sound equipment, hold regular rehearsals and be available to perform at community events.

Applications open until Wednesday 31 March 2021.

Heritage Grants

We value our shared heritage and history here in Wollongong. Council’s Heritage Grants program encourages conservation projects in heritage places by helping to conserve items that have local cultural significance. This program assists applicants with the cost of ongoing maintenance and larger conservation projects.

In past years, successful applicants have used this program to fund conservation projects on places such as Keeravale House in West Wollongong, the ‘Lee and Me’ Building in Crown Street and the Row of Terraces on Corrimal Street.

If you own a property that has local heritage listing, you can apply for support from the Wollongong Heritage Fund and receive up to 50% of the total project cost, to a maximum of $10,000. There are criteria applicants need to meet to be eligible for this program so visit our website for more information.

Applications open until Wednesday 31 March 2021.

NAIDOC Week Grants

This year, NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held from 4 – 11 July, with the theme being Heal Country. We want to support our community to get involved in NAIDOC Week and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Up to $1,500 of funding is available to each applicant through this program.

Applications for this program are welcome from not-for-profit organisations that are planning an activity in the Wollongong Local Government Area that will take place during NAIDOC Week or as close to NAIDOC Week as possible. Event organisers will need to demonstrate how they intend to meet the COVID-19 Public Health Order at the time of application.

Applications open until 5pm Friday 7 May 2021.

None of these programs suit your project? Council has two other financial assistance programs that receive applications year-round. The Minor Donations program and Economic and Industry Grants program are open to a community groups, individuals, industry groups and businesses and encourage a range of different activities.

For more information, online application or to register for the information sessions, visit our apply for a grant webpage.


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