Lake Macquarie City Council is partnering with local not-for-profit Community Activities Lake Macquarie (CALM) to launch Awesome Lake Mac, a grassroots program offering $1,000 grants each month to support projects that benefit the Lake Macquarie community.
Community Development Officer, Emilie Wiggers said council was excited to be launching Awesome Lake Mac with CALM, and was now looking for interested parties to join the Awesome Lake Mac Board.
“We’re looking to fill nine permanent board member positions, as well as monthly guest board member positions for our new Awesome Lake Mac chapter,” Emilie said.
“Being a board member allows you to directly contribute to projects that support community members to positively impact their city.
“We want to hear from people willing to give up around three hours and $100 a month to help bring awesome ideas to life in their own community. We are looking for board members who come from a range of backgrounds.”
The board will award one $1,000 grant a month at a pitch event held at Canon, Warners Bay. In 2019, three grant rounds will be held specifically for youth ideas, hearing from young people aged 16-24 years.
Since starting in 2009, Awesome Foundation chapters across the globe – including Australian chapters in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle – have given away more than $3 million to support ideas that are, simply, awesome.
CALM Youth Development Officer, Sarah Berry said the “no strings attached” nature of the Awesome Lake Mac grants program means ideas and initiatives that might not otherwise receive funding now have an avenue to become a reality.
“As someone who works closely with young people in Lake Macquarie, I can’t tell you how often I hear exciting ideas – if they only had the funds to make them happen,” Sarah said.
“Awesome Lake Mac will be a welcome new source of funding, not only for community-based and not-for-profit organisations but for individuals with big ideas.
“We can’t wait to see what kinds of initiatives our board will help fund through this program.”
IMAGE | Emilie Wiggers and Sarah Berry in Warners Bay
