Grant scheme funding open to Kimberley community groups

• People and communities in the Kimberley to benefit from Kimberley Community Grants Scheme
• Grants of up to $10,000 are available to not-for-profit organisations and schools in the Kimberley

Water Minister Dave Kelly is encouraging not-for-profit groups and schools in the Kimberley with a great idea for a community project to apply for a grant of up to $10,000.

The Kimberley Community Grants Scheme is a partnership between the Water Corporation and the Lions Club of Broome, aimed at empowering community groups in the Kimberley to turn great grassroots ideas into a reality.

Funds are raised through the sale of hay produced by the Water Corporation's Broome North Wastewater Treatment Plant as an environmentally sustainable means of recycling water.

In the last round of funding, the grants scheme supported 10 projects in areas such as community health, education, the environment, culture and the arts.

This included Broome North Primary School students and their families who created a stunning mural celebrating the local community's unique birdlife and waterways as a way to add vibrancy to the Cable Beach esplanade.

Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre also brought the local community together to deliver a live musical performance at Mowanjum Festival 2019, highlighting the importance and preciousness of water to Aboriginal culture.

The fifth round of funding for the Kimberley Community Grants Scheme is open until May 8, 2020. To apply, visit http://www.watercorporation.com.au/kcgrants

Comments attributed to Water Minister Dave Kelly:

"It is fantastic to see the Kimberley Community Grants Scheme continue to provide opportunities to empower local community groups and schools within the Kimberley region.

"Now in its fifth round, the Water Corporation and Lions Club of Broome grants scheme has provided an incredible $185,807 back to the community since it began in 2016, funding 30 projects across the Kimberley.

"Over the past four years we have seen communities in One Arm Point, Kununurra, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Broome and Mowanjum all benefited from fantastic projects that have empowered and delighted the local community."

Comments attributed to Kimberley MLA Josie Farrer:

"This is a fantastic opportunity for community groups. I'd like to give a big thank you to the Water Corporation and Lions Club of Broome for their foresight in using recycled water for such a great project and their generosity in using the funds generated by the project to provide a Grant Scheme for the Kimberley.

"It's been great to witness these community grants making a real difference in the Kimberley, particularly for Aboriginal communities.

"The Kimberley is home to many passionate local community groups with great ideas for projects and initiatives that can really make a positive difference to the community.

"I encourage these groups to apply to Water Corporation for a Kimberley Community Grant."