$10 million helping hand for Australia’s volunteers

Nearly 100,000 volunteers will benefit from $10 million in Australian Government grants for small community organisations.

Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, announced today that almost 2,700 organisations would receive a grant to support the work of their volunteers.

“Volunteers play a vital role locally in our own communities and on a national scale right across the country by being there every day to help some of the most disadvantaged people,” the Minister said.

“I’m pleased to be able to announce these grants in the lead up to National Volunteer week from the 8th May, a week dedicated to acknowledging the work of the 6 million Australians who undertake volunteer activities.

“Almost $6 million of the funding I’m announcing today will go to support organisations in regional Australia.

“Outside our cities, volunteers are at the heart of communities – from volunteer fire fighters, to raising funds for local schools and caring for the elderly.

“Many of our smaller regional and remote communities, which are far from the services we take for granted in the cities, would not function without the strong support of local volunteers and community organisations.”

The grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 are used by organisations to help out with the cost of much needed equipment, training and transport, to allow their volunteers to be out there supporting people every day.

The Minister said the Volunteer Grants give priority to organisations working with individuals or communities experiencing disadvantage, including communities impacted by natural disasters in the year to December 2016.

“We’ve seen just recently with Cyclone Debbie and the wild weather that followed across Queensland and New South Wales, volunteers out their everyday helping their communities re-establish themselves after natural disasters,” the Minister said.

“Successful grant recipients include local Lions Clubs, Rotary, local RSL branches, local St Vincent de Paul Society and Meals on Wheels branches, whose volunteers help some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.”

A list of successful community organisations is available.