Five local groups are among winners from the latest round of Toowoomba Regional Council community grants, with RM Equestrian Centre securing the lion’s share of the $27,106.59 total.
Across the Region, 54 successful applications totalled $237,437.76 and 16 applications were not approved.
Environment and Community Committee Portfolio Chair Cr James O’Shea said the funds TRC had granted would allow many groups to upgrade facilities, purchase new equipment and benefit thousands of members and participants of these groups.
“The Community Grants Program is designed to give back to our community and not-for-profit groups to allow them to run events, build capacity within their own organisations and fund projects that otherwise might not get off the ground,” Cr O’Shea said.
Round One of the 2022/23 program was also the first time groups were asked to use TRC’s new SmartyGrants online platform.
“I’m delighted that all applicants were successfully able to use the newly implemented SmartyGrants software solution to submit their applications for funding,” Cr O’Shea said.
RM Equestrian Centre Inc. will receive $21,106.59 towards providing first-class dressage competition arenas and surface for training weekends.
The assessment panel determined “the maturity of the organisation and governance has provided confidence to the assessment panel for this current application and recommends funding as per the application.”
During a council meeting, Cr Rebecca Vonhoff questioned the need to provide funding for the RM Equestrian Centre when TRC has committed over $80,000 to support the completion of the ‘Toowoomba Equine Centre of Excellence Development Plan’ at the Toowoomba Showgrounds at Glenvale.
The grant to the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland was approved in May and the plan is yet to be approved.
Cambooya State School Parents and Citizens Association Inc. will receive $1,500 towards hosting the School’s 140th birthday this year, which the P&C says is a wonderful opportunity to bring the local community together and celebrate a very important milestone in the area’s history.
Hike to Heal Australia Inc. will receive $1,500 for its annual hiking event at Mount Peel Bushland, an interactive non-competitive experience for people of all ages and levels of fitness.
Nobby Primary School Parents and Citizens Association Inc. will receive $1,500 towards celebrating the school’s 125th anniversary, which will be held on 12 November.
Vale View State School Parents and Citizens Association Inc. will receive $1,500 towards the cost of its first ever school fete, which was held recently.
The fete was designed to be a community-minded, family-orientated event designed to create a fun-filled afternoon for the school’s students and families.
There were stalls, activities, entertainment, performances and food available on the day.
Further afield, Gowrie Little Plain Community Centre Inc. will receive $1,200 towards holding a country music concert on 8 October to raise money for the upkeep of the hall.
Cambooya Landcare Association Inc. was unsuccessful in securing a $6,270 grant focused on building collective knowledge of how Umbiram Creek responds to flooding.
The project aimed to offer solutions, both to reducing the incidence and severity of break-out flooding and to the speed at which flood waters move through the creek system.
The assessment panel believed the project had limited alignment to program priorities and therefore did not recommend it for funding.
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 29 September 2022.
