Success sees community funding program continue

The City of Busselton is once again inviting community groups, individuals, businesses, and schools to participate in its ‘You Choose’ community funding program, building on the success of the 2021/2022 initiative.

‘You Choose’ allocates a total of $100,000 in smaller grants, with individual grants of up to $20,000 available for community-led projects or initiatives aimed at enhancing local neighborhoods or the broader community.

“After the success of the pilot program, Council were excited to support a second round of You Choose. It was great to see our residents get behind their favourite projects, and the successful applicants have delivered some fantastic outcomes for the community,” Mayor Grant Henley said.

“Support for the program was overwhelming with over 1300 people voting, and 96% of residents who participated in voting indicating that they would like to see the program continue.”

Among the beneficiaries of the pilot program was ‘Pets of Older Persons’ (POOPS). According to Busselton Coordinator Cathy Gibson, “The You Choose model enabled POOPS to have a higher profile in the community by providing funds for us to purchase branded t-shirts, caps, and sling bags for our volunteers.

“So many more people now know who we are and what we do, which has translated into more volunteers being recruited.”

Submissions for the ‘You Choose’ program are set to open on October 9 and will remain open until November 6. To learn more about the program and get involved, residents can register to attend information sessions held in both Busselton and Dunsborough. The community voting phase will commence in January, offering residents an opportunity to have a direct impact on the projects they care about most.