Glen Innes Severn Council has approved the establishment of a Mayoral Community Impact Fund, creating a new annual funding program to support community-led initiatives, recognise volunteers, and respond to urgent local needs.
The decision was made at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on Thursday, 19 February 2026, with the new Fund to replace the existing Mayoral Donations program and operate with strengthened governance and accountability arrangements.
Subject to adoption through Council’s annual budget process, the Fund will provide $10,000 per year from the 2026/27 financial year and operate under the Mayor’s delegated authority, with all allocations also endorsed by the General Manager to ensure compliance with Council policy, budget, and probity requirements.
Mayor Margot Davis said the Fund was intended to create long-term community benefit by investing in people and participation.
“The Mayoral Community Impact Fund is intended as a lasting civic legacy that strengthens Glen Innes Highlands not through large capital works, but through people, participation, and possibility,” Mayor Davis said.
“Small, well-timed investments in community activation, volunteer recognition, local innovation, and emerging leadership can have outsized long-term impacts,” she said.
The approved Fund will be delivered through four funding streams:
• Micro-Grants for Community Activation, supporting low-cost, high-impact, community-led initiatives
• Volunteer Recognition and Civic Contribution, recognising unpaid contribution and strengthening civic pride
• Seed Funding for Local Innovation and Pilot Projects, enabling early-stage trials and proof-of-concept activity
• Hardship and Rapid Response Support, providing timely assistance for urgent community needs through recognised agencies
Mayor Davis said these investments help turn ideas into action and strengthen community connections.
“They help communities move from good ideas to action, reinforce social connection, and encourage residents, particularly young people, to see themselves as contributors to their place,” she said.
Council also approved the inclusion of a Schools Mayoral Emerging Leadership Awards stream within the Fund, aimed at recognising leadership in local primary and secondary schools.
The awards will be school-nominated, presented at existing school presentation events, and delivered as non-cash educational supports such as vouchers, books, or IT resources.
Mayor Davis said the program sends a clear message to young people about the value of leadership and contribution.
“The Schools Mayoral Emerging Leadership Awards further embed this legacy by recognising leadership early, reinforcing positive role-modelling, and signalling to young people that contribution, initiative, and community-minded behaviour are valued and visible,” she said.
Council also resolved that formal guidelines be developed for the operation of the Fund and Awards Program, including governance, reporting, and accountability arrangements, with an annual summary report to be provided to Council outlining total allocations and recipient categories.
“Together, these mechanisms provide Council with another practical lever to influence long-term wellbeing and prosperity, complementing infrastructure investment with deliberate investment in the social and civic foundations that make places thrive,” Mayor Davis said.
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