The Vincent Community Board had to cut its cloth to fit its purse yesterday (Tuesday September 5), with requests for community and promotion grants in its latest funding round vastly exceeding the amount available. 

Five community grant applications were received for a total of $188,192.61 from a total of $120,000 to distribute for both the initial round yesterday, and a scheduled second round of funding in the first half of 2024. 

Three promotions grant applications were received for a total of $18,903.20, but only $7,250 remained to be distributed

The board discussed the amount available and staff recommendations, then each application was discussed individually. In presenting their recommendations, community development advisor Rebecca Williams (speaking on community grants) and Alison Mason (promotions) stressed they were taking into account the limited amount of funding available.

“When you engage with council for Long-Term Plan conversations, you might want to recommend the grants fund be increased,” Rebecca said.

The Alexandra District Museum Inc. requested an increased grant of $167,000, with a request from Rebecca that $82,000 be granted, based on last year’s grant. This was approved. 

The Alexandra and Districts Youth Trust requested $13,000 towards rental cost, which Rebecca said was “not unreasonable”. However, she recommended $6,000 be approved, again based on the previous year’s amount. The board approved the recommendation.

The Alexandra and District Pipe Band Inc. requested $3,000 for hall hire funding. The recommended amount of $2,500 was approved.

Dunstan Kāhui Ako requested $2,660 to transport students from Clyde, Omakau and Poolburn to Alexandra for a Festival of the Arts in October/November. Kāhui Ako leader Tracy Richmond earlier put her case during the public forum.

Rebecca recommended the request be declined.

“This application is not dissimilar to many activities that happen in schools,” she said, adding that funding it was likely to lead to many similar applications. 

Board member Jayden Cromb supported funding the application. 

“I think it covers the criteria of cultural and social well-being of the community,” he said.

Board chair Tamah Alley asked if it was possible to section out the transport costs for Poolburn and Omakau Schools only, which Rebecca said would cost $1,710. Despite some hesitation from board members Tony Hammington and Dai Johns, a grant of $1,710 was approved, with the provision it was a one-off and transport to future festivals should be written into the schools’ budgets.

The final community grant request was from Up-Cycles Charitable Trust for $2,532.61 to purchase equipment required to set up a hub in which to give unwanted bicycles a new lease of life before they are donated. A recommendation of granting $2,000 had been made.

Following some discussion, a grant of $1,000 was approved, subject to the initiative achieving charitable trust status. That brought the total of community grants approved yesterday to $93,210, leaving $26,790 in the budget.

The promotions budget was smaller, at $41,750 for the 2023/24 financial year, of which $34,500 was approved for funding at the board’s May 2023 meeting to the Alexandra Cricket Association and the Alexandra Blossom Festival, leaving only $7,250.

Alison said while assessing the applications she had taken into account the limited amount of funding available, and looked at projects with a long lead time.

That being the case, she recommended the board decline a grant of $5,263 to the Alexandra Musical Society for marketing, rights and royalties to stage Mamma Mia later this month.

The Prospector Race Ltd requested $7,250 for marketing and hosting the three-day mountain bike event, of which Alison recommended $5,500 be granted. 

“That’s an event that really fits nicely with Central Otago’s offering as a cycle destination,” she said. Event organisers were also looking to Australia as a wider catchment area for those attending the event. 

Earlier discussions had questioned how long an event should be funded before being left to stand alone, to which Alison had replied that “three years is my line in the sand”. The recommended grant of $5,500 was approved.

The Central Otago A & P Association requested $7,250 to provide free children’s entry and entertainment, of which Alison recommended $1,500 be approved. Jayden Cromb suggested that be increased to $1,750 - the sum total of what was left in the pot.

The application from the Alexandra Musical Society was declined, with feedback for them to apply for funding earlier next time.