Heritage Announces $300,000 Grants

20160807 Heritage Nanango Community Branch — ‘Thank you Heritage!’ … happy Heritage Nanango Community Grant recipients waved their envelopes on the steps of Ringsfield House at last year’s event (Photo: Clive Lowe Photography)

August 11, 2017

Heritage Nanango Community Branch is putting more than $300,000 back into the community this year.

Heritage Nanango Community Funding (HNCF) announced its 2017 round of funding grants to community organisations on Wednesday.

Twenty local organisations will be receiving funding this year, while $100,000 has also been put aside into a new “Future Fund” to ensure the longevity of benefits to the community.

The Heritage Nanango Community Branch is a joint venture between Heritage Bank and Heritage Nanango Community Funding (HNCF), a not-for-profit organization that represents the local community to provide banking services to the Nanango district.

Profits from the Heritage Nanango Community Branch are shared between Heritage and HNCF.

HNCF’s share of the profits then goes back to the community via grants to deserving local organisations and events.

“Our 2017 Funding Round has once again resulted in substantial funding for organisations and events for Nanango and surrounding districts,” HNCF Chairman Wendy Zerbst said.

“Combined with our latest contribution to the Heritage Lodge housing project, we will have funded more than $300,000 of projects and events this year.

“This would not have been possible without the support of residents and businesses who bank at Heritage Bank Nanango.

“The more people who choose to bank with us, the more HNCF can do to help community organisations with substantial projects like these, which benefit us all.”

Ms Zerbst said this year HNCF had attempted to prioritise sustainable and new initiatives that they hoped would have long term benefits for the wider community.

“This includes remaining committed to Stage Three of the CTC/HNCF joint venture Heritage Lodge Housing Project, as well as a contribution of just over $120,000 for the fourth duplex.

“We are also committed to supporting a pilot program to give sport and recreational opportunities to people with a disability.”

Ms Zerbst said the HNCF Board also intends to set aside a portion of its funds each year for a longer term Future Fund.

“Our aim will be to build this amount up to a substantial balance, which we will then be able to allocate to worthwhile projects,” she said.

“In this way, we hope to safeguard into the future some of the benefits the Nanango community is receiving from its Community Branch.

“Another project we are excited about is the Nanango Little Athletics. We are contributing $15,000 this year to fund the purchase of equipment.

“Along with the grant received recently from the Gambling Fund for storage, we are sure this group can be a huge success.”

Ms Zerbst said HNCF are contributing nearly $25,000 for much-needed repairs to the 100-year-old station master’s house.

“This project was proposed to us by the Nanango Lutheran church in a previous funding round, however work is now required urgently to protect this historic building.

“The Nanango State School will also receive more than $27,000 to equip their hall with AV equipment similar to what we funded for the High School a few years ago.

“These sorts of investments in our local schools are very important to give our children every possible advantage.”

Heritage Bank CEO Mr Peter Lock said the Nanango Community Branch embodied what the concept was all about.

“We set up the Community Branch as a joint venture both to provide banking services to the people of Nanango, and also to give back to the community,” he said.

“Heritage Nanango has been very successful in both those areas, and supports many deserving local organisations that play a key role in making this area such a great place to live.”

The Nanango branch will be celebrating its 16th year of operations in December.

2017 grants have gone to the following organisations:

Bullcamp Rural Fire Brigade: Purchase of a quick response 1000 litre fire trailer

Immanuel Lutheran Church Nanango: Replace roof and awning on 100-year-old stationmaster’s house

Nanango Association for Dance: Queensland Ballet’s Adopt-a-Dancer experience. A professional ballet
dancer will provide workshops and mentoring to dancers and the public