Thirteen community groups in the Northern Territory have received $25,000 through Ventia's latest round of community grants for essential local projects.

Established in 2011, the program provides funding assistance of up to $2,000 per applicant per round to support activities and projects that provide lasting community benefits in areas such as community, education and training, health, Indigenous, safety and youth.

Ventia's Executive Leadership Team were in Darwin to congratulate the community groups and hear about their projects at an event at the Darwin International Tennis Centre.

^{The Rotary Club of Litchfield and Palmerston were some of the happy recipients of Ventia's community grant. Pictured here with Ventia Group Executive - Digital Services, Karen O'Driscoll (second from left).}

Racquets & Red Dust

Beth Caird, Tennis NT's Inclusion and Diversity Manager, hosted the event and spoke about how the grant will fund their next Racquets & Red Dust Tennis Program.

The program has supported over 1,500 First Nations children, in 20 different communities from Tiwi Islands to Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Country.

'The workshops provide a pathway for kids to play at the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival each year," she said.

^{Children from the Top End Learning Centre will continue to reap the benefits of their gardening program following support from Ventia's Community Grants Program.}

Supplies for gardening program

Another grateful grant recipient, Top End Learning Centre's Director Betty McKinlay was excited to see how the children would react to the new supplies for their gardening program.

"Spring has sprung so it is time for us to top up our raised gardens with soil and plant vegetables, fruit trees and herbs. It is such a valuable learning experience for children learning to grow food from scratch and we could not have done it without the support of Ventia."
 

Helping communities across Australia

Ventia's Managing Director and CEO, Dean Banks said supporting community groups is at the heart of Ventia's purpose of 'making infrastructure work for communities.'

"We are honoured to work in some amazing areas around Australia and take our responsibility to create a better future for communities very seriously," he said.

Since the launch of the program more than a decade ago, more than $533,000 has been distributed to 323 community groups, schools, aged care providers, sporting clubs and other small organisations in the regions where we have key operations.

^{Ventia's Managing Director and CEO, Dean Banks talked about how important it is for Ventia to support community groups as a key part of Ventia's purpose.}

Upcoming grants in 2023

The next round of community grants opens in June 2023. Eligible groups may apply for funding of up to $2,000. For more information visit: https://www.ventia.com/page/community-grants 

Northern Territory community groups receiving funding through Ventia's 2022 Community Grants Program:

• Arafura Wind Ensemble
• CareFlight
• Darwin Chorale
• Dymocks Children's Charities
• Fannie Bay Equestrian Club
• Katherine Women's Information and Legal Service
• Nightcliff Amateur Swimming Club
• Rotary Club of Litchfield and Palmerston
• Tennis NT
• Top End Early Learning Centre
• Palmerston and Regional Basketball Association
• Palmerston Rovers Football Club
• Wildcare Incorporated

^{Top image: Ventia's Executive Leadership Team with community grant recipients and organisers at the event in Darwin, Northern Territory.}