Hastings District Council has created a $100,000 Rapid Response Fund for community organisations who have helped during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hastings District Council has created a $100,000 Rapid Response Fund for community organisations who have helped during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo / Paul Taylor
A $100,000 Rapid Response Fund has been established to help community groups, organisations and social services who have helped the Hastings community during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The Hastings District Council fund is part of the Hastings Welfare Response Plan created in response to Covid-19.
Organisations which have been undertaking response activities to help the community during the Covid-19 pandemic can apply online.
Also eligible to apply are:
• Organisations which are known to the council and already receive funding through the community grants scheme
• Organisations known to the council which have previously been supported by it.
• Organisations which have not previously been supported by council but are acknowledged for their community support work.
HDC group manager community wellbeing and services, Alison Banks, said there have been several applications already.
The Covid-19 Rapid Response Grants Subcommittee comprised of councillors Malcolm Dixon, Eileen Lawson, Geraldine Travers, Bayden Barber and Maori Standing Committee representative Tania Eden, will receive recommendations from the group manager community wellbeing and services and group manager corporate, and approve grants.
Subcommittee chairman Malcolm Dixon said the fund was "a wonderful idea".
The subcommittee is intending to meet next week so they will have news of fund allocation at the May 5 meeting.
From then on, the group will meet weekly on an ongoing basis, Dixon said.
Dixon said they wanted to make the application process simple so money could quickly reach those who need it.
"The idea is to get it out there to the deserving causes that need it."
Banks said the council contribution would not exceed $100,000 but partnering organisations are considering whether they might contribute to the fund, "which council will welcome".
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said Hastings had seen "incredible" support from community organisations during the lockdown.
"This $100k is to support those organisations which have been at the frontline over the last four weeks day in, day out helping our people get through this challenging and uncertain time.
"It's a small budget that can make a difference and support our organisations to help carry on."
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"This isn't going to be over very quickly, and we need them to be able to keep running and managing their organisations," she said.
