Community Grants

Donations to the Buderim Foundation are pooled and carefully invested and the income from the investments is used to provide grants to Buderim community organisations. Each year since 2008, despite the difficult global economic climate, the Foundation has been able to increase the amount of money available for grants to community organisations. 

All not-for-profit organisations providing services to the Buderim community (4556 area postcode) are eligible to apply provided they meet certain criteria. Grants are awarded to projects that relate to seven areas of interest:

• Protecting and preserving our natural environment
• Assisting people in need to live healthy and fulfilling lives
• Adding richness and diversity to local artistic and cultural endeavours
• Increasing learning opportunities across all age groups
• Celebrating and showcasing our heritage and local history 
• Encouraging and supporting those with sporting and other recreation interests
• Strengthening the social fabric of the community.

Applications generally open in June each year and close in July.

Applications for the 2013 grant round will open mid year. 

The Grants Committee reviews all applications against the Foundation’s criteria to determine which projects will lead to the best outcomes for Buderim. The Foundation will not provide grant funding for:

• projects where the organisation does not contribute volunteer time and / or equipment maintenance expenses
• routine general operating expenses, except for seed funding for new organisations for a maximum period of three years
• religious or political activities
• retrospective and deficit funding requests e.g. funding of past activities, loan repayments, operational deficits
• projects whose total income budget does not equal the total expenditure budget
• projects that duplicate an existing service or activity
• projects funded previously and in the course of normal events, are eligible for substantial or full support from government agencies
• fundraising or administration expenses
• groups of individuals or commercial businesses
• individuals. 

To ensure there is no bias in the selection process, all members of the Board and the Grants Committee must declare any conflict of interest before decisions are made. Increased awareness of the Grants Program means applications are increasing each year.

Successful applicants are announced at the annual Good News Night in September. 

Applications must be made via the official Application Form and the Grant Guidelines must be followed.

For more information please read the 2012 Guidelines.
Download 2012 applications forms in Word or PDF formats.