$500 million available to create employment opportunities

The government is offering a total of $500 million in one-off grants to church, charitable and community organisations and local councils to provide employment opportunities for disadvantaged and unemployed people and strengthen the community.

Senator Stephens will be providing information seminars on the grants in Perth this Friday (27 February) and in Launceston next week on Wednesday (4 March). Please contact her office if you would like to attend.

Funding of up to $2 million is available for specific projects that are ready to be implemented.

Under the $200 million Get Communities Working Fund, third sector organisations can apply for funding for innovative programs that provide employment opportunities for job seekers and strengthen local communities using community expertise at a grass roots level.

The $300 million Jobs and Communities Fund offers one-off grants to community third sector organisations and councils to provide employment through innovative projects such as recycling, home maintenance and conservation, generate local jobs through construction of community infrastructure and seed non-profit labour hire and other initiatives for people facing severe barriers to participation.

Of this fund, $60 millionwill be set aside for projects which preserve national or natural heritage and public spaces, and $40 million will be reserved for the construction of bike paths.

Guidelines for grant applications will be released shortly.