November 1, 2013

Community groups can apply for grants up to $5000 to deliver electrical safety or energy efficiency projects in regional Queensland.

Applications are now open for the second year of Ergon Energy’s Community Fund with grants between $200 and $5000 available for individual organisations and $50,000 in total to be shared.

Community Partnerships Manager Simone Sakzewski encouraged local not-for-profit groups to develop innovative ideas that could benefit them and inspire their local community to adopt energy efficient and electrically safe behaviours.

Examples of the sort of projects that could attract funding include those that:

  • Reduce energy consumption, particularly during the peak period between 4:00pm and 8:00pm
  • Upgrade equipment to more energy efficient models
  • Educate and encourage people to change the way they use energy
  • Use or promote renewable energy alternatives (solar, wind, hydro and biomass)
  • Keep the community safe around electricity

Last year, 12 organisations across regional Queensland received grants, including:

  • Barambah Environmental Education Centre’s project to educate students, staff, parents and the community on how to develop and implement energy saving strategies and behaviours
  • An electrical power upgrade for the Gladstone Men’s Shed
  • The “Be Cool at School” project, under which schools in the Mackay region have a committed to reducing their total energy consumption by 30 per cent over three to five years
  • Installing Solartube skylights in the Atherton Gymnastics Hall to reduce energy consumption
  • Upgrading equipment in the showgrounds kitchen to improve electrical safety for the Cunnamulla and District Show Society.

Applications for the next funding round will close at 5:00pm on January 29, 2014.

  • For more details visit the Ergon Energy website