Last year, the grant round supported five projects.
Greater Shepparton Foundation’s annual ‘Margaret Attwood Grant Round’ is now open, offering grants of up to $10,000 to local community organisations for place-based projects.
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The grant round seeks to support small projects that greatly impact the community.
The key focus areas where support will be considered include: parenting and early education, social inclusion, housing, safe families, employment, economic engagement, ageing well and the cost-of-living crisis.
Over the past nine years, GSF and its predecessor organisation, Goulburn Valley Community Fund, has opened grant rounds to fund community projects that align with its vision for communities where everyone has equal opportunity to participate.
“During this time, with the incredible support of the community, we have been able to distribute more than $1 million in funds to community organisations across Greater Shepparton,” GSF executive officer Amanda McCulloch said.
“Supporting projects in the sectors of arts and culture, education, training and employment, equipment and infrastructure and social and community wellbeing.”
Last year, the grant round supported five projects.
One of the successful applicants was Horses For Hope, which used the funds to implement upgrades that were needed to create a welcoming and accessible therapy space for its equine-assisted therapy, a practice that brings humans and horses together in a healing environment.
“This additional counselling and meeting space has allowed us to expand our services and offer more sessions,” Horses for Hope representative Amy Turner said.
“It’s a huge milestone, and we couldn’t have done it without the incredible support.”
Another successful applicant, the Crazy Ideas College, used the funds to conduct the Shepparton Social Innovators program.
2024 grant recipient Crazy Ideas College, Shepparton Social Innovators program.
Photo by
Greater Shepparton Foundation
The program supported young people to voice and uncover their ideas for the community and to feel confident about making their mark on the world.
Forty students were involved, four workshops delivered, nine ideas developed, more than 12 community partners provided support and more than two ideas were brought to life.
In the spirit of Margaret Attwood’s contributions to the Shepparton community, GSF is honoured to provide this annual grant round in her name.
The Margaret Attwood Grant Round is a tribute to Margaret May Attwood.
Margaret Attwood was said to be a ‘generous, humble, community-minded lady’, an innovator of philanthropic giving in the Greater Shepparton community.
She was said to have understood the value of collective giving to build local capacity and support those in need.
To read more about Margaret Attwood, visit the GSF website.
Online applications are now open and will close at 5pm on Monday, March 31.
If you are a local organisation, looking to provide a place-based solution to meet community need, you are encouraged to read the grant guidelines to determine if you are eligible to apply.
Successful applicants will be announced in May.
Funds will be available to successful applicants before the end of the financial year.
Funds received must be expended and acquitted by June 30, 2026.
Applications will be reviewed by an independent grant assessment committee, which will put forward its recommendations for funding to the GSF board.
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