Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman is urging volunteer organisations across the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury to apply for up to $5,000 worth of Commonwealth funding.

Expressions of Interest are now open for the 2022 Volunteer Grants program, which provides between $1,000 and $5,000 to eligible not-for-profit organisations where at least 40 per cent of staff are volunteers, Ms Templeman said.

“If you’re a member of a volunteer organisation, you’ll know how difficult it’s been to conduct fundraising activities throughout covid, and in the midst of so many natural disasters in our area,” Ms Templeman said.

“That means volunteers in some organisations are making do with old equipment, or scraping together money for training, or paying for petrol out of their own pocket.

“The good news is that expressions of interest have now opened for 2022 Volunteer Grants in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains.”

The grants fund things like:

• Eligible small equipment items for use by volunteers;
• Promoting awareness of and increasing participation in volunteering;
• Fuel costs incurred by volunteers;
• Transport costs of volunteers with disability;
• Training courses and screening checks for volunteers; and,
• Adapt practices to support volunteers’ safety with regard to COVID19.

“Once an expression of interest is received, it will be reviewed by an independent community consultative panel to determine which organisations will be nominated to proceed to the next stage – that is, lodging an application to the Department of Social Services,” Ms Templeman said.

The expression of interest form must be submitted by 5pm on September 19. If nominated, groups will need to complete the second pa