Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton pictured with Binnaway Show Society President Harry Powell. The Binnaway Show Society is one of nine organisations in the Parkes electorate to share in $31,760 in Volunteer Grants.

An additional nine community organisations in the Parkes electorate will benefit from funding to support local volunteers, under a reserve phase of the Australian Government’s 2021 Volunteer Grants program.

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton today announced a total of $31,760 in funding has been approved to assist those volunteer groups who missed out in the main funding round.

“I’m so pleased to see a further nine groups receive much-needed funding under the 2021 Volunteer Grants program,” Mr Coulton said.

“Our volunteers are the lifeblood of towns and villages throughout the Parkes electorate, turning up and helping out to enhance our communities for the better.

“However, it’s been a difficult few years for our volunteer organisations with COVID-19 restrictions significantly impacting regular fundraising opportunities. And now they’re also feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living, so these grants are as important as ever, and I hope they’ll go some way to easing pressures.

“I’d like to thank the grant recipients, and all volunteer groups in the Parkes electorate, for the wonderful work they do for the community.”

The Volunteer Grants program provides organisations with grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 to purchase small equipment items, contribute towards the cost of training courses and background checks, and to help to reimburse volunteers for the cost of their fuel or transport.

A 2022 Volunteer Grants funding round will open later this year.

Volunteers are integral to many Australian organisations, with more than 8.7 million volunteers across the country giving their time freely to support their communities.

Parkes electorate 2021 Volunteer Grants Reserve Phase recipients:

• Binnaway Show Society – $4,500
• Broken Hill Community Incorporated – $2,090
• Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (Gunnedah) – $4,500
• Golf Broken Hill Incorporated – $2,250
• Gunnedah Urban Landcare Group Incorporated – $4,500
• RAW Impact International Limited (benefitting Indigenous youth in various locations in North West NSW) – $5,000
• RiverSmart Australia Limited (Warren) – $2,240
• Rotary Club of Dubbo Macquarie Incorporated – $1,680
• The Corporate Trustees of the Diocese of Armidale on behalf of the Warialda Anglican Church – $5,000