City of Sydney’s Matching Grants proving a success!

The City of Sydney’s Matching Grants program has now run over several months and is proving a huge success. The program offers the opportunity to double the budget to improve your local area and make a difference. It will now be available all year round.

The City of Sydney will help community groups to purchase equipment and labour by matching raised funds of up to $10,000, in addition to offering the use of Council-owned venues.

One of the best ideas so far produced was that of the Bourke Street Public School Community, who created the ‘Bike 2 Bourke Challenge’.

To educate children about healthy lifestyle choices, they decided to make the most of the Bourke Street cycleway. Bourke Street Public School children were encouraged to ride their bikes to school with a rewards program. It was issued to the kids as a challenge, where their number of rides is recorded and the “keenest riders” are rewarded with a certificate and a bike-related prize.

The Bike 2 Bourke volunteers applied for a grant and were given $1,600 by the City of Sydney to aid their project. They have lauded Matching Grants for “providing a supportive, encouraging role, giving me the freedom to deliver and manage the project as I’ve wished”.

The success of this project has struck a chord within the community and sparked more activity ideas such as bike breakfasts and cycle education courses for junior years.

Have you been sitting on a great idea to make your suburb a better place to live, work and play? Apply for the Local Action Plans Matching Grants Program and you could see your innovative and creative idea become a reality.

For more information and to apply for a Matched Grant, visit the Green Villages website here for ideas and inspiration! You can also follow Green Villages on Twitter @greenvillagessyd, to stay up to date with all the latest news.