Community Matters

The Ardlussa Community Board meeting held on 10 August featured a range of topics. Here’s a summary of key points to keep our community informed.

The board has been working alongside a number of community organisations to discuss the following local community initiatives and provide support and advice where required:

• mountain bike track in the Waikaia forestry block
• pump track in Balfour
• disc golf
• a community garden in Riversdale

Community Partnership Fund

Following the launch of our Community Partnership Fund for Ardlussa, a successful meeting was held at Riversdale on 2 July. Remember applications for the Community Partnership Fund close on 30 September. Application forms are available on our  community partnership page or from SDC area offices.

District Initiatives Fund

Applications are also open for the new District Initiatives Fund. As part of the funding review process where it was decided to disestablish the Community Initiatives Fund and create the Community Partnership Fund (which his to be administered by Council’s nine community boards), a separate fund is also being retained for District wide initiatives. This will be allocated by the Community and Strategy committee.

The purpose of this fund is to support the development and implementation of initiatives within the Southland District of a scale which provides benefit to the whole District at least two community board areas. The first round closes on 30 September 2020 and the second on 31 March 2021. Application forms are available on the funding & grants page .

Sport NZ Resilience Fund

The Sport NZ Resilience Fund provides financial support for community-based organisations to cover fixed and operational costs. The first Community Resilience Fund closed on 19 June and generated valuable support to more than 1600 local and 300 regional organisations affiliated to Sport NZ national partners which were immediately impacted by Covid-19.

Sport NZ has analysed what was learnt during the operation period for this fund and has opted to run a second Community Resilience Fund. Again distributed by regional sports trusts, including Sport Southland, the new fund will be $10 million. Eligible organisations can apply for up to $25,000 in support. The fund closes 4 September. More information is available on the Sport Southland website www.sportsouthland.co.nz (external link) .