General News
27 November, 2023
Minister visit launches grants round
Small towns with big ideas are set to benefit as part of Victoria’s new grants program that will deliver important projects to help revitalise regional areas. Towns like Talbot can now apply for the first round of the State Government’s Tiny...
Small towns with big ideas are set to benefit as part of Victoria’s new grants program that will deliver important projects to help revitalise regional areas.
Towns like Talbot can now apply for the first round of the State Government’s Tiny Towns Fund — which was launched last week by Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney at the Talbot Arts & Historical Museum.
The grants encourage local community groups to bring their best project ideas to the table, giving smaller communities the support they need to develop projects to benefit locals and attract visitors.
“There are so many incredible tiny towns across Ripon, filled with hardworking community groups who will be able to benefit from this fund and who will already have a list of projects they are eager to get off the ground — this fund will bring those projects to life,” Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said.
According to Talbot Arts & Historical Museum secretary Marion Miller, these grants open up a range of opportunities.
“It’s a really significant announcement for us — we’ve been in catch up mode,” she said.
“Without funding, we would not be able to meet the standard that is expected of a local museum. Grants like these are so critical for small community organisations and we have a lot of those in Talbot, all of us are looking to do things better.
“It’s important to remember that even though a town is small now doesn’t mean it always was or that it’s not important. In any town, there’s history, there’s stories and there’s people with wonderful ideas, who sometimes have no way of implementing those — that’s where this grant comes in.”
Applications for the Tiny Towns Fund (ranging from $5000 and $50,000) can come from community and non-profit groups and councils in towns with under 5000 people across regional
Victoria. Round one of the grants are now open and will close in February 2024, with further rounds to open from next year.
For more information visit rdv.vic.gov.au/tiny-towns-fund.