The Peel Development Commission today welcomed the launch of a new round of the Royalties for Regions Regional Grants Scheme.

Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls announced the second round of the grants program in Bunbury today.

Under the scheme, $45 million will be shared between the nine Regional Development Commissions.

Peel Development Commission Chairman Kim Horne said the Commission would receive $5 million in the new allocation of the grants scheme.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the people living in the region to identify projects and apply for funding to make them happen,” he said.

“We had a huge response to the first round of grants and we know many people have been waiting to hear when the next round would open.”

Included among the 26 successful grants from Round 1 of the scheme were $11,250 for an outdoor toddler patio for the Waroona Playgroup and $450,000 towards the upgrade of the Rushton Park Sporting Facilities in Mandurah.

Acting chief executive of the Commission, Colleen Yates added that Round 1 made a real difference in the region with one of the direct benefits being the generation of around 60 jobs.

“The grants have also given some organisations the opportunity to leverage other funding that otherwise would not have been possible,” Ms Yates said.

Minister Grylls said the Regional Grants Scheme was a key Royalties for Regions initiative that put particular emphasis on local decision-making.

“The Regional Development Commissions have an important and expanding role in the regions and are in a good position to determine which projects should be funded,” he said.

“The scheme gives regional community and all organisations with regional interests the chance to apply for funding directly through the development commissions, knowing that their applications will be assessed in the region.

“It is putting money back in to communities and giving them the chance to determine for themselves how that money is best spent.”

The latest round of contestable grants is part of a total pool of $73 million allocated to regional communities through the Regional Development Commission structure in the 2009-10 budget.

Of this total pool, $28 million has been made available for projects identified by the Regional Development Council in conjunction with the nine Commissions. The Regional Development Council is the peak advisory body to the Western Australian Government on regional development issues.

For more information about the grants contact the commission or go to the Royalties for Regions website: www.RoyaltiesforRegions.wa.gov.au

Applications for the grants will close on 10 February 2010.  Visit the Peel Region Grants Scheme page for information on how to apply for funding.