MORE than $90,000 will be handed over to the community at Bayside City Council’s 2009/2010 Community Grants Program presentation night this Thursday.

Bayside City Council Mayor Councillor James Long said the Community Grants Scheme provided financial assistance to help not-for-profit groups provide quality services and programs for the benefit of the local community.

“We want to support the valuable work that community organisations deliver. Community groups and the volunteers that support them are an integral part of bringing our City together,” Cr Long said. “This event is an opportunity to recognise and thank the groups and volunteers for their valuable contribution.

“We received 86 applications for assistance totalling more than $200,000 from many worthwhile community groups, so choosing the recipients was a very difficult task.”

Organisations include the Rotary Club of Beaumaris, which will receive $5,000 to run a Bayside Men’s Health Forum, as well as Youth Connect, which will receive $5,000 to run a leadership and mentoring program for young people in Bayside called ‘Bayside Tomorrow's Leaders for Sustainability’.

Grants exceeding $90,000 were awarded to 53 not-for-profit organisations that provide a range of community services and programs that are primarily supported by volunteers; including health and wellbeing programs, welfare, arts and culture, sports and recreation.

The recipients will use the funds to purchase equipment, develop and deliver programs and services in Bayside and coordinate participation in community events.

The presentations will be held at Council’s Corporate Centre in Sandringham from 7pm. Please contact Council’s Coordinator Community Partnerships Paula Clancy on (03) 9599 4696 for further information.