Free Events and Training for Community Groups in Ballarat
The Community Governance Project funded by the City of Ballarat is working to provide support to community groups in the City of Ballarat, delivered across the four Neighbourhood Houses in Ballarat through a Strategic Partnership.
2025 Workshops
REGISTER NOW for our FREE Workshops for Community Groups in Term 1, 2025.
Check out our Community Group Governance Past Workshops.
TERM 1, 2025 - REGISTER NOW
Workshop #1 – City of Ballarat: Community Impact Grant - Grant Writing Workshop
REGISTER NOW: Session 1 - Tuesday 11 February, 10.00am – 11.30am, Training Room 1, Barkly Square, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat East
REGISTER NOW: Session 2 (online) - Tuesday 25 February, 6.30pm – 8.00pm, Online via Zoom
REGISTER NOW: Session 3 - Saturday 1 March, 10.00am - 11.30am, BENH Community Room, Barkly Square
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 Sophie Atkinson from City of Ballarat and Sandy Darrington from Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre. The workshop is presented at three different times so we hope that representatives from your group can attend one of them.
"Excellent workshop. Provided some key insight into grant writing. I'm new to the community grant writing space and was quite overwhelmed by it. I would like to say thank you for making it less daunting and giving me the opportunity to attend in the evening via Zoom." - Previous workshop participant
Workshop #2 – ATO – Self review return for community groups
REGISTER NOW: Session 1 - Tuesday 18 February, 1.00pm – 2.30pm, Meeting Room 1, Barkly Square
REGISTER NOW: Session 2 - Wednesday 5 March, 10.00am – 11.30am, Meeting Room 1, Barkly Square
REGISTER NOW: Session 3 - Saturday 15 March, 10.00am – 11.30am, Ballarat East Neighbourhood House Community Room, Room #103 at Barkly Square
Is your community group required to complete the new ATO Self review return to maintain your tax-exempt status? If so, then this practical workshop will show you how to go about it. Please bring along your laptop or tablet and mobile phone so that we can get you started. The workshop is offered at three different times, hopefully one will suit you or other members of your community group.
If you are not sure if your community group needs to lodge the new form please see here for more information.
"Very knowledgeable facilitator, very helpful and made it easier to understand this process and the work required to get our ducks in a row." - Previous workshop participant.
Workshop #3 – Conflict Resolution
Session details TBC
Conflict can seem like it brings only roadblocks, but the challenges of conflict can also bring insight, learning and growth if we approach it in the right way.
How do we work through the issues that may emerge to work together in community with people who hold different views, needs and communication practices? How do we address tensions before they get too bad? Or if it went bad, how do we start cleaning up the mess?
In this workshop, we will unpack what conflict is and when it arises and provide some concrete tools and practice skills that come in handy when dealing with conflict.
Please contact us for more information.
Past Workshops
Check out the previous Community Group Governance Workshops that we have run since 2023.
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 is building capacity for local groups through training workshops and resources.
The project involves delivery of training on governance, grant writing, financial management, running effective meetings, managing volunteers and applying for incorporation.
Kay Miller has been appointed two days a week as the Community Governance Officer and would like to talk to local groups and organisations to see what support is required.
The project is focusing 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 Kay by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone 0460 699 669.
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.
