$159m COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide crisis support
Premier Mark McGowan and Lotterywest have today established a $159 million COVID-19 relief fund to provide support to organisations that are helping people experiencing hardship.
An initial $59 million will be available for crisis and emergency relief support for eligible not‑for-profit and community organisations to assist with costs related to increased demand for food, clothing, shelter and other critical needs.
Funding will also support new equipment and resources to update processes that are required to adapt to rapidly changing needs.
This funding will also provide urgent financial relief for not-for-profit sports, arts and community organisations experiencing hardship as a result of cancelled events. It will compensate for cancellation costs, lost revenue and incurred or committed operational costs associated with the cancelled event. Often these events were crucial to the ongoing operations of important community organisations.
Lotterywest will now allocate all profits previously assigned to the grants budget, anticipated to be about $100 million, directly into the newly created fund to assist the Western Australian community to recover.
Eligible not-for-profit organisations and community groups can apply immediately for grant support by visiting http://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants or by calling 133 777.