$15M In Grants To Support Grassroots Closing The Gap Initiatives In NSW

The Government has announced more than $15 million in grant funding to help close the gap across NSW.

Nearly 80 Aboriginal community organisations will share in they Community and Place Grants to help realise their aspirations to improve education, wellbeing, environmental and social outcomes.

The successful grant recipients were selected for their ability to deliver real benefits against the Closing the Gap socio-economic targets.

The grants are part of the government’s investment of more than $221 million over four years to 2027, under the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan.

Hay Aboriginal Medical Service received $240,000 to improve health outcomes for the Hay community.

The funding will support a wide range of initiatives all over NSW, including:

Koori Youth on the Move, a Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council program of tailored workshops to equip Aboriginal young people with driving skills;

Yarikuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre Aboriginal Corporation refurbishing a Deniliquin youth space for mentoring, study, and community meetings;

A program to redirect young offenders from the justice system into a pathway of cultural training and mentoring in Malabugilmah, near Grafton;

A new art gallery, workshop, and retail space at Saltwatger Freshwater Arts Alliance in Coffs Harbour to support more than 120 Aboriginal artists and cultural practitioners;

Training program in Aboriginal traditional ecological knowledge and cultural burning that gives graduates opportunities to work as rangers on Gandangara Country in south-west Sydney; and

Development of a Nursery near Dubbo connecting Aboriginal people to culture by teaching skills in seed collection, plant propagation, plant use and language.

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said based on extensive evidence, we know Aboriginal communities do best to close the gap when it is their people shaping and driving outcomes alongside government.

“There are so many wonderful Aboriginal-led programs that work every day to make real, lasting positive impacts to the lives of people in t heir communities,” Mr Harris said.

“The NSW Government’s $15 million Community and Place Grants investment is a highly targeted way to partner with these organisations to maximise outcomes.”

Visit www.aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au for a full list of grant recipients and upcoming grant opportunities.

• Topics:

• Grants / Funding
• Community Groups