Arts & Culture
23 October, 2025
Community foundation awards $129,641 in grants to 17 community organisations
Seventeen local community organisations will share in $129,641 of funding to support a wide range of initiatives focused on youth, mental health, community arts, environment and school infrastructure, thanks to the latest round of Community Grants from the Southern Highlands Community Foundation (SHCF).
Seventeen local community organisations will share in $129,641 of funding to support a wide range of initiatives focused on youth, mental health, community arts, environment and school infrastructure, thanks to the latest round of Community Grants from the Southern Highlands Community Foundation (SHCF).
The 2025 SHCF Grants Program opened on July 1 and closed on August 31st, with the Grants Committee considering applications for grants from eligible organisations across the Wingecarribee Shire.
Multi-year funding opportunities are now available for the first time, thanks to new partners including the Medich Foundation, PAYCE Foundation, and Deicorp.
SHCF says this milestone marks a major step forward in their ability to drive greater, longer-term impact at a grassroots level.
“Our community is full of passionate people working hard to support others and affect real change,” said Jenny Bott, Chair of the SHCF.
“Through our Grants Program, we have the opportunity to connect directly with what our community needs and now, with the addition of multi-year funding, we can support eligible initiatives to embed and have greater long-term impact.”
This year’s recipients are delivering projects across a diverse range of needs including:
• Your Angel Charity - Funding to support a pilot student wellbeing program over the next 2 years at Colo Vale Public School ($12,800);
• Community Links Wellbeing – ‘Mendable’ their new intergenerational men’s group, where participants share practical skills and stories to help with social isolation and mental health ($5,000);
• Southern Highlands Community Hospice - Training volunteers to support palliative care in aged care homes, helping to reduce anxiety and depression among residents ($8,000 received);
• Ngununggula – ‘The Glossy Black Cockatoo Project’ engages local primary schools in an arts and cultural program centred on the threatened Glossy Black Cockatoo ($14,000); and
• Festival of Lights – Three years of funding to support an annual lantern parade and community celebration, highlighting the culture and contribution of the Southern Highland’s Nepalese community ($5,000 per year).
The other 12 grant recipients are:
Pop In ($10,000 for funding to extend their support programs for mothers and children, with a focus on domestic violence prevention);
Moss Vale High School P&C ($5,000 for a filtered water station which will also be available to the wider community),
Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary Bundanoon ($7,141 for a trailer to assist with wildlife rescue);
Angels In Our Town ($5,000 towards their annual street parade and concert honoring our local volunteers and first responders);
South West Community Transport Ltd. ($8,000 towards providing transport for older adults to attend creative arts programs and helping to reduce social isolation and support wellbeing);
Moss Vale Public School ($10,000 to support upgrades to the school hall to enhance performances and expand community use);
Canyonleigh Community Organisation ($5,000 for installation of two public defibrillators for emergency response);
River Road Creative Communities ($8,000 for delivering mobile arts workshops that promote mental health and inclusion);
Robertson Environment Protection Society (REPS) ($5,000 for the ‘Young REPS’ program which will work with Robertson Public School on rainforest regeneration and environmental education);
Reading Friends Australia ($2,000 towards supporting 9 local primary schools to improve reading levels in children. The grant will also help to increase awareness and attract volunteers);
Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens ($14,000 for upgrading of AV equipment to grow the SHBG’s role as a community, education and tourism hub);
And finally, the Highlands Music Collective ($5,000 towards supporting youth classical music education and recognition programs).
“It’s a privilege for the SHCF to be able to support these local organisations, projects and initiatives that we know will make a significant difference to the long-term wellbeing of our community,” Ms. Bott added.
For more information or to view pictures of all the grant recipients, visit https://shcf.org.au.
Read More: Southern Highlands, Robertson, Colo Vale, Moss Vale, Bundanoon