2020 has been a year that none of us could have foreseen. The lives that we took for granted are now very different. The personal, family and community impacts will be felt for a long time.
On behalf of Hydro Tasmania we convey our sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. We also acknowledge the difficulty of being separated from cherished family and friends.
Along with the heartbreak, we have seen the best of the Tasmanian community spirit – the dedicated health-workers, all those who provide our daily services and everyday people who have instigated campaigns to support others.
To help our communities rebuild, Hydro Tasmania is offering a special COVID-19 round of community grants.
These grants are intended to support specific initiatives across Tasmania that will help impacted communities overcome difficulties associated with COVID-19. Community organisations are invited to apply for grants up to $10,000.
We're happy to announce the following community groups have been awarded a grant to help their local community with the ongoing effects of COVID-19.
People sleeping rough in Scottsdale can get a shower and wash their clothes in a new facility at Dorset Community House. Dorset Community House will also use the laundry to support the operation of its community kitchen.
The renowned Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden in Romaine relies on its volunteers to keep the gardens growing, and they will soon be able to relax in their own newly constructed rest area.
Heaven’s Kitchen is an initiative of Gateway Community Care in Devonport, which will use its grant to provide a series of mobile cooking stations used to deliver cooking lessons and meals for people with mental health issues and disabilities.
George Town Neighbourhood House has been given a grant for new computer equipment. These are essential tools for a wide mix of clients doing everything from applying or training for work to just interacting during social isolation.
Since 1852, the Hobart City Mission has been caring for the people of Southern Tasmania and this grant will go to its ongoing relief programs, which have seen a surge in demand during the pandemic.
The town of Jericho will once again be able to comfortably use its town hall for community events, after the Jericho Volunteer Fire Brigade secured a grant to fix the hall’s leaking roof.
A grant has gone to King Island District High School towards a new dining courtyard that will be used by students, staff and the wider community. Importantly, the project will be undertaken by local contractors on-island.
The Launceston Benevolent Society is there to support people who are at their most desperate, with its grant going to create homelessness care packs, providing a swag, sleeping bag, food, warm clothing and hygiene products to stay safe.
Children living and learning through the pandemic are being given an opportunity to build resilience thanks to funding going towards Launceston City Mission’s Inside Out 4 Kids program, which addresses stress, grief and self-esteem issues.
As social distancing continues to send people online, the Launceston Computer Group will use its grant to enrich the lives of Tasmanian seniors by training them in computer use.
The Melaleuca Home for the Aged has received a grant to purchase iPads for residents, enabling them to remain in contact with loved ones while staying safe with social distancing.
The Mersey Community Care Association provides a much-needed mobile gardening service for its clients, which helps to keep people living independently at home. With a grant the association has purchased a new ride-on lawnmower.
New Horizons Tasmania has been given a grant to help keep Tasmanians with disabilities active and connected, with access to sport and recreation, and online classes in craft, fitness, yoga, meditation and dance.
Reclink Australia provides sport, art and recreation opportunities for socially disadvantaged people throughout Australia, including rural and remote locations in Tasmania. Using Reclink’s grant, Neighbourhood Houses around Tasmania will be provided with a sport and recreation pack, paired with online resources.
The Rocherlea Football Club only recently began playing games again and is now able to invite members and guests back into the clubroom, after using a grant to purchase plastic chairs that can easily be kept hygienically clean.
Providing food relief for the entire West Coast is a challenge for the Rosebery Neighbourhood House, which will put the grant towards a new community pantry, featuring increased storage, workspace and an outdoor area.
Rosebury’s Mount Black Men’s Shed will start receiving some much-needed maintenance using a grant, which will go towards roof repairs and heating to help keep the attendees warm and dry.
The Sexual Assault Support Service in Hobart used its grant to buy new COVID-safe cleanable furniture, for refurbished consultation rooms that provide a welcoming, comfortable and safe environment for clients.
Young people and women from Sheffield are being encouraged to participate in sport and getting help with any financial barriers to participation, thanks to the Sheffield Cricket Club.
The South Riana Memorial Hall will receive a much-needed safety and maintenance upgrade, with the grant going towards safety rails for the elderly and outdoor awnings for poor weather, making it a community hall for all.
The Southern Touch Football Association has returned to play in 2020 after lockdown, with just a little help from a grant, which has purchased hygiene and safety products for players.
The volunteers of the St Mary’s Sports Centre can continue the upkeep of their golf course and bowls rink, and install a new heater in their clubrooms, with a $5,000 grant. It all keeps the facility open and operating for the benefit of the wider community.
The replica Lady Nelson is a familiar site on the River Derwent and will continue to be after the Tasmanian Sail Training Association secured a grant towards dry dock repairs, which will enable visitors and school groups to experience this piece of Tasmania’s history.
Counselling services provided by West Moonah Community House will expand, thanks to a grant for online video equipment to make localised online content on coping with anxiety using mediation and exercise.
Lack of connectivity, intellectual and social activities have had a profound effect on elderly people in Wynyard, but the Wynyard Agricultural and Pastoral Society will use its grant to purchase devices and provide training for its older members.
Sometimes, all you need is a chance to get together with friends. The Zeehan Neighbourhood Community Centre has been given a grant to provide free monthly lunches at the Heemskirk Hotel, which will be open to all community members.
Eligible applications include:
Ineligible applications include:
To be considered for these grants applicants must demonstrate that:
To demonstrate that there is a need and that the project will be successful, the applicant must provide:
Applicants must be willing to provide information and photographs during the project for use by Hydro Tasmania.
All successful applicants will be required to sign a Funding Agreement which Hydro Tasmania will provide.