Free Events and Training for Community Groups in Ballarat
The Ballarat East Neighbourhood House is pleased to be collaborating with the City of Ballarat to deliver workshops to support community groups interested in the 2025-26 City of Ballarat Community Impact Grants.
Workshop #1: City of Ballarat Community Impact Grants - Grant Writing Workshops
Session 1: Wednesday 13 August, 10.00 am - 11.30 am, Ballarat East Neighbourhood House - Community Room 103, Barkly Square, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat East - Register Now
Session 2: Tuesday 19 August, 1.00 pm - 2.30 pm, Ballarat East Neighbourhood House - Community Room 103, Barkly Square, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat East - Register Now
Session 3: Wednesday 20 August, 6.30 pm - 8.00 pm, Online via Zoom - Register Now
The sessions include the same content, so you only need to attend one of the three options.
Are you going to apply for a Community Impact Grant from City of Ballarat in 2025?
If so, come along and hear what's required to give your group the best chance of success.
Presenters include Nicky Davidge from the City of Ballarat and Kay Miller from the Ballarat East Neighbourhood House. The Workshop is presented at three different times so we hope that representatives from your group can attend one of them.
Please contact us for more information.
Supporting Ballarat's Community Groups
Commencing June 2022, through a four-year strategic partnership grant with the City of Ballarat, the four Neighbourhood Houses in Ballarat built capacity for local groups through training workshops and resources. This project finished on 30 June 2025.
The project involved delivery of training on governance, grant writing, financial management, running effective meetings, managing volunteers and applying for incorporation.
Check out our Community Group Governance Past Workshops.
The project focussed on smaller groups across the City of Ballarat who may not have the resources (time or money) to seek the advice they need. A governance health check assessment tool has been developed which can be used to see how your group is functioning particularly in relation to governance. A list of online resources is also available for community groups.
So, if your group of organisation has no more than one paid staff member or an annual operating income under $150,000, or thereabouts (excluding one-off project grants), and you have some questions about how you are operating or would like some training in a particular area please contact us by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Online Training
Not-for-Profit Law
Not-for-profit (NFP) Law is a specialist legal service for community organisations. NFP Law is a program of Justice Connect a social justice organisation and community legal service and is itself a not-for-profit community organisation and registered charity. They provide free or low cost, high quality practical legal help for not-for-profit community organisations and advocate for improved standards and legal frameworks.
See their free and low-cost live and on demand webinars: https://www.nfplaw.org.au/training/webinars
They have a range of great resources available to support not-for-profit groups: https://www.nfplaw.org.au/
Neighbourhood Houses Working Together
On Wednesday 27 October 2021 at the City of Ballarat's Council Meeting a four-year Strategic Partnership proposal from the four Neighbourhood Houses in Ballarat was approved.
This project sees the four Ballarat Houses working closely together to support community groups across our city.
Building Governance Capacity for Ballarat's Community Groups
ALIGNMENT WITH COUNCIL VISION, COUNCIL PLAN, STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
- The purpose of the Strategic Partnerships Program is to provide funding to organisations or businesses to deliver initiatives that meet Council’s strategic objectives outlined in the Council Plan, Health and Wellbeing Plan and other relevant plans and strategies that have been endorsed by Council.
- The delivery of the Strategic Partnerships Program is explicitly included in the annual Council Plan Action Plan under:
a. Goal 2: A healthy, connected and inclusive community
b. Objective 2.1: Provide a socially equitable response to municipal growth and change
c. Strategy: Administer the Community Impact Grant and Strategic Partnership Grant programs
COMMUNITY IMPACT
- Funded Strategic Partnerships must deliver on Council objectives that are broadly based around the following goals, all of which are designed to create positive community outcomes:
a. An environmentally sustainable future
b. A healthy, connected and inclusive community
c. A city that fosters sustainable growth
d. A city that conserves and enhances our natural and built assets
e. A strong and innovative economy and city - The proposals recommended for funding have community impact in creating strong community organisations and networks, aiding the local economy to recover from COVID and promoting active living and visitation to the city.
