Nineteen local groups will share in $55,120.50 of funding to deliver community projects and events across East Gippsland Shire.

The groups were granted funding under round one of council’s 2018/19 Community Project Grants at its October meeting on Tuesday night.

Mayor, Cr Joe Rettino, said there is a community value-adding aspect of the program with all funding provided on a dollar-for-dollar matching requirement.

“This means that council achieves more value for each dollar expended than would be the case for projects without these partnerships,” Cr Rettino said.

The total combined project investment for the 19 community projects is $281,025.

“The objective of the grants program is to provide local community-based organisations the opportunity to access funding for a variety of needs and initiatives in a manner that is open, transparent and accountable,” Cr Rettino said.

The 2018/2019 budget allocation for the Community Project Grants is $111,363. This year round one received 36 applications and half of the budget has been awarded in this round, leaving $56,242.50 for round two.

A series of afternoon and evening council grants information sessions were held across the shire in June. Locations this round included Lindenow Community Hall, Bairnsdale Library, Cann River Community Centre, Swifts Creek Community Centre, Benambra Neighbourhood House and Goongerah and Tubbut Neighbourhood House (via telephone).

“The workshops were conducted by council staff to assist community members with their project queries, to give examples of successful past recipients, advise on how to plan and write a project budget and to introduce program staff in the hope that the community will contact us with any further questions,” Cr Rettino said.