More community grants to boost small business: Treasurer

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – An extra $20m will be pumped into the popular Immediate Works Stimulus Package to continue creating jobs for local businesses and tradies.
 
This will boost the $10m Community Grants program to $30m to meet the unprecedented demand for the scheme.
 
The package is part of a wider suite of immediate stimulus measures to create jobs for local tradies and small businesses. In just three months 100 organisations were approved for funding.
 
So far there has been around $12 million in work generated for local business, with an estimated economic impact of around $22 million. The additional $20 million will result in an estimated economic impact of around $37.4m.
 
The additional $20 million will be allocated to community organisations or not for profit groups who have already applied for funding to upgrade and repair their facilities. The application process closed last month.
 
The scheme awards grants of up to $100,000 to eligible not-for-profit and community organisations to engage local businesses to upgrade their property and facilities.
 
In addition, the government matches up to a further $100,000 on a dollar-for-dollar basis for organisations wanting to do larger jobs.
 
Nicole Manison (pictured)
Treasurer