It is critical that the South Australian ex-service community is financially supported in order to deliver important events and programs that honour the service of our veterans and their families.
Geoff Brock MP
Minister for Veterans Affairs
Veteran and ex-service organisations will once again have the opportunity to apply for funding to support and strengthen their organisation, with the opening of the 2022-2023 Commemorative Services and Capacity Building grant rounds today.
Established in January 2022, the two grant funds support organisations to assist with the costs of delivering commemorative events and to help improve governance practices and strengthen skills and capacity.
A combined total of $40,000 is available for allocation through the 2022-2023 Commemorative Services and Capacity Building grant round, which will remain open until 31 May 2023, unless funds are exhausted earlier.
Earlier this year, 6 organisations were successful in receiving Commemorative Services grants and a further 3 applicants were awarded grants as part of the inaugural Capacity Building Grant Fund.
Saltwater Veterans, in partnership with Young Veterans Australia, was a successful applicant for funding through the 2021-2022 Capacity Building grant round.
The organisation offers sailing activities to support the health and wellbeing of veterans, promoting physical activity and social connection.
The grant funding was instrumental in enabling the organisation to provide training and skills development to members and develop a core group of sailing instructors and coaches.
Quotes attributable to Minister Brock:
It is critical that the South Australian ex-service community is financially supported in order to deliver important events and programs that honour the service of our veterans and their families.
I’m proud to see that these funds are helping to build capacity and capability in our ex-service organisations and ensure that these important programs and services supporting the veteran community in South Australia can continue and grow stronger.
Quotes attributable to Saltwater Veterans Co-Founder Jen Reynolds
The funding we received through the Capacity Building Grant Fund has enabled us to become more self-sufficient in the running of our sailing programs for veterans and avoid having to outsource to external training providers.
I would encourage any ex-service organisation who wants to extend the capabilities of their organisation and improve their service offering to consider applying for a grant in the current round.
Quotes attributable to Young Veterans Australia Director Mathew Keene
Collaborating with Saltwater Veterans to deliver these important programs aligns with our goals of connecting isolated veterans with people with shared experiences and inspiring them move forward to succeed post-service.
Unfortunately, many of these programs cannot be sustained without adequate funding, so for organisations to have the opportunity to apply for financial support through the state government is critical.
