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2026-2027 COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM - COMMUNITY PROJECT AND SIGNATURE COMMUNITY EVENT GRANTS - SUMMARY

Community Connections Manager, Alison Hamblin · Community Connection| Community Services Department

Executive summary

The purpose of this report is to provide background information and a summary of the 2026-27 Community Project Grants and Three-Year Signature Community Event Grants, and to note the proposed allocation of funding for each category. The proposed 2026/27 budget includes a total allocation of $285,466.82 for these community grant categories, subject to the budget being adopted as presented. These grant recommendations are being presented to Council in five subsequent reports for consideration and endorsement at the 9 June 2026 round of meetings. In summary: 2026-27 Community Project Grants Category Value of Grants Proposed Events $32,500.00 Equipment $16,754.40 Infrastructure $147,296.32 Project / Program $61,916.10

TOTAL

$258,466.82 2026-2028 Multi-Year Grants Category Value of Grants Proposed Signature Community Events $27,000.00

TOTAL

A balance of $102,393.22 is proposed for 2026/27, which is recommended for Quick Response and emergent grant requirements that may arise throughout the year. This amount may vary if any funded grant projects do not proceed as intended.

Recommendation

That Council:

  1. Note the report by the Community Connection Manager to the General Committee Meeting dated 9 June 2026 outlining the summary of the 2026-27 Community Project Grants, out-of-round Three Year Signature Community Event Grants; and
  2. Approve the allocation of the remaining 2026/27 Community Project Grants budget to Quick Response grants and emergent grant requirements that may arise throughout the year, subject to sufficient funds being allocated in Council’s adopted 2026/27 Community Grants Program budget.

Report

Background

Noosa Council's Community Grants program assists in delivering Council’s strategic goals and objectives. The funding is intended to help community organisations meet community needs, build community skills and resilience, support community connection and develop and maintain community infrastructure. The grants program is administered through an equitable and transparent process whereby funds are awarded to projects which best meet the relevant criteria and represent value for ratepayer money.

Community Project Grants The Community Project Grants are being offered in one major round (Round #24) for 2026-27. The grant opportunity was advertised in local media, e-newsletters and through community networks as well as grant information sessions. The round opened on 9 February 2026 and closed on the 23 March 2026. Community grant projects may include, but are not restricted to:

Events • Community based festivals or events that bring residents together (beyond the applicant organisation’s membership base), including cultural, sports or community festivals.

Projects/Programs • Projects or programs that respond to a specific opportunity or need within the community. Ongoing projects or programs may be funded for a maximum of three times. Previous recipients of ongoing projects or programs that have been funded by Council must re-apply each year.

Infrastructure • Building work or infrastructure improvement projects that include new or replacement infrastructure or maintenance of existing infrastructure. This may include but is not limited to energy efficient lighting, shade sails, storage facilities, new or upgraded amenities, water harvesting, fit outs, solar systems etc.

Equipment • Purchases of equipment that respond to a specific opportunity or need within the community. A total of 45 applications were received in Round 24 with total funds requested of $626,319. Applications were initially checked for mandatory eligibility against the Noosa Council Grants Policy (Community Grants Policy) and Guidelines. Applications which met the mandatory eligibility criteria were then reviewed and assessed by staff with a broad range of skills, knowledge and expertise against the following criteria: • Demonstrated need for the project • Benefit to the community organisation • Benefit to the wider community • Alignment with Council’s strategic plans, goals and identified key initiatives/priorities • Contributions, financial or in-kind, toward the project • Organisational capacity and capability to deliver the project within the grant timeframes Finally, the applications were considered by the community grants moderation panel to develop the list of applications recommended for funding and the corresponding recommended funding amounts. As per the relevant Noosa Council Grant Policies, assessors and moderator panel members recognised and declared any material or perceived conflicts of interest and did not debate nor were involved in any discussions on matters relating to that application. Following the assessment process, 25 projects are being recommended for funding with a total recommended value of $285,466.82. The table below outlines the number of grants that were received, the number of grants recommended by the moderation panel, the budget and the value recommended by the moderation panel for 2026-27 Round of the Community Grants Program.

Grants

Amount

Grants

Total amount

Grant Program

Recommended for Recommended for

Received

requested

Funding Funding Community 42 $626,319 25 $258,466.82 Projects

Three-Year Signature Community Event Grants Council provides financial support for up to three years to not-for-profit community organisations who have an established track record delivering community led events that: • Support high profile events that celebrate significant community occasions • Deliver significant benefits to the Noosa community • Demonstrate value for money and contribute to Noosa’s identity • Align with Council’s strategic goals and key initiatives, as outlined in Noosa Council Corporate Plan 2023-2028 and Noosa Social Strategy and any other relevant Council plans and strategies • Strengthen and complement Noosa’s event offerings Three out of round Signature Community Event Grant applications were received. Council officers assessed these applications and compared them with those endorsed in June 2025. The applications were then reviewed by a moderation panel, which considered the assessors’ recommendations and confirmed the proposed funding outcomes. All applications scored highly and are recommended to receive a Signature Community Event Funding Agreement from 2026/27 to 2027/28, aligning with the remainder of the current program.

Grants

Amount Recommended

Grant Program

Submissions Received

Recommended for

for Funding

Funding Signature Community 3 3 $27,000.00 Events Recipients of Three-Year Signature Community Event Grants are ineligible for Three-Year Maintenance Agreements and Three-Year Alliance Agreements. As per the relevant Noosa Council Grant Policies, assessors and moderator panel members recognised and declared any material or perceived conflicts of interest and did not debate nor were involved in any discussions on matters relating to that application.

Report details

Index: ECM/Subject/26.17 Community Funding/Grant