Funds from the grant pool are sourced from a portion of every Strawberry Fields festival ticket sold in an effort to support small not-for-profit and community groups.
The organisers currently have $35,000 to award across a multitude of projects, sourced from the March and April proceeds of the Strawberry Fields festival.
Grants are awarded based on the amount of Berrigan Shire residents that will benefit, the level of community support and overall quality of the application.
Since the program’s inception in 2016, it has contributed more than $100,000 to community causes, including Tocumwal Public School, Biralee Preschool, Berrigan Football Club and Cancer Patients’ Assistance Society (Can Assist).
In 2018 and 2019 the event donated more than $35,000 in grants to local causes.
Strawberry Fields festival director Tara Medina said they were keen to bring the program back to Berrigan Shire after a two-year hiatus.
“We are so rapt to be bringing back the grants program to Berrigan Shire and really sharing the benefits of the festival with as many locals as possible,” she said.
“These grants are intended to provide a much-needed boost to smaller grassroots community organisations in particular, who often fall through the cracks when it comes to government funding and don’t necessarily have the resources to co-ordinate regular fundraising.”
The festival organisers welcome projects and groups who need extra financial support to apply on the Strawberry Fields Local Community Grants webpage.
Applications close at midnight on July 31 and all successful applicants will be contacted by the end of August.
12°C