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Community sports organisations can now score a major boost to funding, with applications open for the NSW Government’s Local Sport Grant Program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the program provides grants of up to $10,000, with up to $50,000 available in each NSW electorate.

“Community sporting clubs are the lifeblood of our community, and so many are in need of a cash injection so they can upgrade new facilities and boost participation,” Ms Cooke said.

“This funding will help modernise facilities for local clubs and enable more local people to participate in community sport and recreation activities.” 

The program will focus on initiatives enabling more people to enjoy the benefits of playing sports, regardless of age, gender, background or ability.

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said last year the Program funded more than 830 projects across NSW.

“We want more people playing sport in our State, which is why we’re growing participation and helping people boost their budget through programs like the Active Kids voucher program,” Mr Henskens said.

“The Local Sport Grant Program is about giving community sporting clubs a boost, by investing in clubs to improve facilities, enhance accessibility and hold new and exciting events and development programs that engage people of all ages and abilities.”

Since 2017 The Local Sport Grant Program has supported over 55 local projects in every corner of the Cootamundra electorate.

Applications close Monday 21 November. For more information visit https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/local-sport-grant-program

Women and girls across the region will benefit from funding to help enhance local sports facilities and boost participation, with applications now open for the NSW Government’s Female Friendly Sport Facilities and Lighting Upgrades Program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the program provides grants of up to $500,000 to help transform local sport facilities into safer and more inclusive venues.

“Community sport is a vital part of the social fabric of the region, with its focus on participation and improves both physical and mental health,” Ms Cooke said.

“This funding will help modernise facilities for local clubs, which will help get more women and girls to participate in community sport and recreation activities.

“This investment in our community will also support local jobs, which will grow the economy and help secure a brighter future for the people of NSW.”

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the program will deliver female-friendly change rooms, amenities and lighting upgrades, which is one of the biggest barriers that prevent women and girls from participating in sport.

“Community sport is where it all begins and we know the number of female players is soaring. This program will give them the facilities to complement their aspirations,” Mr Henskens said.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the program was a game changer for women’s sport in NSW.

“When women and girls feel comfortable they are more likely to stick with their chosen sport. This helps local clubs keep existing player and inspires the next generation of female sporting stars,” Mrs Taylor said.

More information about the program, and how to apply, is available https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/female-friendly-community-sport-facilities-and-lighting-upgrades-grant-program

Working families are receiving more support with quality Before and After School Care (BASC) thanks to two new grant programs for service providers.

The NSW Government has committed $7.8 million to establish the grants which will encourage providers to offer new, inclusive and sustainable services:  

• New Innovation Grants will offer up to $60,000 to stimulate innovation in the sector and help ensure BASC services support more NSW families, including students with additional needs. 
• New Development Grants will offer up to $80,000 for staff training and professional development, and marketing to increase take up and promote attractive programs for students.   

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said these grants will support services in providing better educational programs and development for students.

“Whether it’s funding pilot programs, sports lessons or digital equipment our students will be put first by BASC providers to better support them in their development,” Ms Cooke said.

“I know that these services are so important for working families in the region, we want to continue to provide working parents with a range of options for their child to have a safe place to play, learn and socialise.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said it was important to support working families and give them the option of accessing a quality BASC service.

“Given Before and After School Care is not a 9 to 5 job for educators, these grants could support services to offer improved professional development for their staff, which will be critical in sustaining the workforce and ultimately expanding the range of services available,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“I encourage BASC services across NSW to apply for these grants, which are a unique opportunity to deliver new and innovative educational activities with community partnerships, and to look at upskilling their staff,”

“Since 2019, the NSW Government has committed more than $235 million to ensure that all parents with children at public primary schools have access to a before and after school care program, if they need it.”  Applications for round one for both grant programs will open on 17 October 2022 and close on 2 December 2022.

Cootamundra Show was bigger and brighter this year with a newly completed fit-out of the showground’s multi-purpose livestock and equestrian facility, thanks to $157,667 of funding under the NSW Government’s Club Grants Category 3 program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said she was delighted to attend the Cootamundra Show and officially open and inspect the completed fit-out on the multi-purpose livestock and equestrian facility.

“I also had the privilege to officially open the newly completed rooms at the showground, built by the local Absolon family and named after them. These rooms are equipped with a kitchen and meeting area and will be of ongoing benefit to everyone who uses the grounds,” Ms Cooke said.

The livestock and equestrian facility upgrades include animal loading ramps, safety gates, rails, livestock tie-up panels, wash bay along with electrical fit-out, bringing to the community an undercover livestock facility that they have not had in the past.

Cootamundra APH&I Association Inc has also been supported by the NSW Government, receiving $30,000 in funding under the Country Shows Support Package to deliver this year’s 2022 show.

Heather Bush of Cootamundra APH&I said the show society was delighted to have the support of the NSW Government for this year’s Cootamundra Show.

“The Country Shows Support Package has helped us with running costs and upgrades and allowed local organisations to have free stalls at this year’s show,” Ms Bush said.

“All of these improvements will enhance the experience of all showground users and is a welcomed injection to the local economy.” Ms Cooke said.

Local organisations in the region can once again apply for funding to support local community projects under the NSW Government’s Infrastructure Grants program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the $12.5 million annual program supports new or upgraded facilities across sport and recreation, arts and culture, disaster readiness and community infrastructure.

“This is a great chance for local organisations to seek funding for a project to provide long-term tangible benefits to the community,” Ms Cooke said.

“The current round of funding will prioritise projects in flood-affected communities, supporting ongoing efforts to rebuild and repair damaged community infrastructure.

“With floods and storms taking a huge toll on many regions across NSW, it’s great that Infrastructure Grants can be used to help impacted communities get back on their feet.

Infrastructure Grants can fund the construction, alteration, renovation, completion and fit-out of buildings and community infrastructure.

Types of projects funded include new or upgraded sports grounds, museums, theatres, homeless shelters and evacuation centres.

Since 2015, the NSW Government has funded more than 560 community projects worth $85 million under the Infrastructure Grants Program.  

“Funding under the program is made possible by the Clubgrants Category 3 program, which re-invests profits from registered clubs’ gaming machines into community projects.”    The current round of funding closes on Monday 31 October.
For more details visit: www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/responsible-gambling-grants

Return and Earners in the region could be in for a massive update, with the NSW Government planning to expand the scheme so it includes containers like glass wine and spirits bottles and larger containers.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said this is an exciting opportunity to build on one of Australia’s most successful recycling initiatives and improve recycling practices in households across NSW.

“More than 8 billion bottles have been returned and given a new life since the scheme started in 2017, a huge achievement and I thank the regional communities for embracing this new way of thinking about beverage containers,” Ms Cooke said.

“Together we have driven down drink container litter rates by an impressive 52 per cent, increased recycling rates and donated funds to charities,”

“Return and Earn has achieved an enormous amount so far and now we’re looking to take the next step as we strive towards our vision for a circular economy in the region.”  

Return and Earn locations across the Cootamundra Electorate are located at:

Bland LGA	V & L Machinery Railway Road, West Wyalong	Over the counter
Coolamon LGA	Coolamon Lions Club 59 Loughan Street, Coolamon	Over the counter
Cootamundra-Gundagai LGA	Gundagai Mitre 10, 1 Byron Street, Gundagai   Woolworths Cootamundra, 26 Bourke St, Cootamundra	Over the counter     Reverse vending machine
Cowra LGA	Woolworths Cowra, 3-9 Railway Lane, Cowra	Reverse vending machine
Hilltops LGA	Donges Supa IGA, 159 Boorowa Street, Young	Reverse vending machine
Junee LGA	Junee Supa IGA, 102 Broadway Street, Junee	Over the counter
Narrandera LGA	Narrandera Recycling 16 Red Hill Road Narrandera	Reverse vending machine
Temora LGA	IGA Temora, Victoria Street 7 Baker Street Temora	Reverse vending machine
Weddin LGA	Grenfell Furniture, 66 Main Street, Grenfell	Over the counter

Consultation is now open on the Scheme’s expansion, which would see almost all beverage containers between 150 ml and 3 litres accepted for refund.

For example, this would include:

• Wine and spirits in glass bottles
• Cordials and juice concentrate
• Larger containers up to 3 litres of beverages already in the scheme, such as flavoured milk, fruit and vegetable juice, cask wine and sachets. 

Plain milk and health tonics would continue to be excluded from the scheme.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority will be holding targeted stakeholder information sessions and webinars in the coming months around NSW so a transition can be as smooth as possible for new suppliers to the scheme.

The discussion paper Driving NSW’s circular economy is available at https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/ and will be open for consultation until 5pm 2 December 2022.

For more information about Return and Earn visit www.returnandearn.org.au

The NSW Government’s $80 million commitment to redevelop the Temora Hospital has taken a key step forward with the appointment of the project team to oversee the redevelopment.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the NSW Government is committed to delivering enhanced health services and future-proofing care for the local community.

“An experienced team of project managers, architects and cost managers who have worked on a range of health infrastructure projects in both metro and regional areas have been engaged to progress master planning for the Temora Hospital redevelopment,” Ms Cooke said.

“The appointment of the project team is a key milestone in the advancement of healthcare for the region and will ensure we can move ahead and deliver the best possible hospital to support the health needs of the Temora community now and into the future.”

The project team includes:

• Capital Insight as the Project Managers
• HDR as the Architect

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said the immediate focus for the redevelopment team includes commencing the master planning for the hospital.

“With the project team on board, we will be consulting with key stakeholders including clinicians, staff, patients and the local community to inform the project’s planning and design,” Mrs Taylor said.

“It’s an exciting project for the entire Temora community and the NSW Government is committed to ensuring regional communities like Temora have access to quality healthcare and modern health facilities that meet the needs of the region.

“The full range of services and infrastructure to be delivered as part of the redevelopment will be identified through the planning phase.”

The $80 million Temora Health Service redevelopment is part of the NSW Government’s record $11.9 billion investment in health infrastructure over four years to 2025-26, with nearly a third of the capital allocation in this financial year going towards regional and rural health facilities. Since 2011, the government has delivered more than 180 health capital works projects across NSW, with more than 130 projects currently underway – of those, more than 90 are in rural and regional areas.

Funding is available for festivals and events that help bring people together to celebrate our State’s cultural diversity through the NSW Government’s Stronger Together Festival and Event Grants Program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said local groups and community organisations can apply for a share of $500,000 to host celebrations into 2023.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to get out and experience the vibrant cultures that make NSW one of the world’s most successful multicultural states,” Ms Cookesaid.

“If you’re organising a festival or event for next year, now is the time to partner with the NSW Government so that we can continue to support the wonderful celebrations that place in our communities.” 

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said this funding is in addition to the more than $1 million the NSW Government has already invested in cultural events and festivals this year.

“These celebrations bring the colour and vibrancy of cultures across the world to our local communities,” Mr Coure said.

“Most importantly, they serve to break down barriers between people by fostering mutual respect and understanding.”

The Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants provide between $5,000 and $15,000 towards the running of celebrations held between 1 February 2023 and 30 June 2023.

The grants program is currently open. Applications close at 3pm, Friday 28 October, with outcomes announced in early December.

For further information about the grants, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au.

Applications are open for the 2022 Local Domestic and Family Violence Committee grant program.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke says the NSW Government is looking to fund collaborations with local groups and organisations in leading efforts for change.

“Examples of initiatives include community awareness campaigns that reinforce messages about positive behaviours and healthy relationships,” Ms Cooke said.

“Other ideas include holding events with local community groups including men’s organisations and schools to lead efforts for change.

“Outreach programs to raise community awareness about support services and assistance available for victim-survivors.”

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the program would help local domestic and family violence committees raise awareness about domestic and family violence issues in their communities.

“Local Domestic and Family Violence Committees play an important role in supporting victim-survivors and raising awareness about the impact of domestic and sexual violence, as well as the local services available to victim-survivors,” Mrs Ward said. 

“Under this program, committees are able to apply for grants of up to $1,800 to fund a range of important initiatives aimed at raising awareness about domestic and family violence, reinforcing messages about positive behavior, and engaging local community groups.”

This is part of the NSW Government’s record $687 million investment in 2021/22 for a range of for Women’s Safety initiatives, as well as a further $100 million in the 2022/23 Budget.

Applications close on 23 October 2022 at 11.59pm. To apply or review the guidelines, please visit Local Domestic and Family Violence Committee Grants (nsw.gov.au)

Bland Shire Council is among the latest successful applicants announced under the NSW Government’s Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery initiative.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the project will help support recovery and boost resilience for young people in the region following the impacts of natural disasters and COVID-19.

“I’m thrilled to announce the funding of $2,524 in support of the ‘Kinder Kick AFL Sessions’ that will help young people in our community bounce back stronger than ever,” Ms Cooke said.

“Projects like the ‘Kinder Kick AFL Sessions’ are a great example of how we can help young people recover, build resilience and improve wellbeing by providing them with the tools and resources they need to grow.”

This AFL sporting program is aimed to capture children from culturally diverse families and provide peer support and mentoring. It will allow children access to coaches which will create bonds, friendships, and provide another outlet of support for children.

Minister for Regional Youth Ben Franklin said the $10.3 million Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery Initiative offers large grants between $10,000 and $50,000 and small grants for up to $10,000.

“The large grants fund projects such as community events, peer support groups, cultural connection or partnership programs, while small grants are to enable initiatives like sporting programs and barbecues,” Mr Franklin said.

“Our Regional Youth Community Coordinators will help connect young people with the projects that best support their wellbeing and recovery and foster resilience and connection.”

The Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery Initiative is funded through the NSW COVID-19 Economic Recovery Initiative and the co-funded NSW and Australian Governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for funding for wellbeing programs, events and resources as part of the initiative which are open now and close on 31 December 2022, or when fully allocated. For program and eligibility guidelines, visit nsw.gov.au/YouthWellbeing