By Staff Writer

Regional and rural councils in New South Wales have been encouraged to apply for the the second round of Healthy Communities grants before the Friday 30 October deadline.

NSW Health has made available a second round of grants for local governments and Aboriginal Land Councils promoting healthy living.

Through the Healthy Communities grant scheme, eligible councils will receive up to $20,000 in funding for healthy living projects.

Groups of councils and regional organisations of councils will receive up to $80,000.

Shires Association president Cr Bruce Miller encouraged rural and regional councils to take advantage of the grant scheme.

“Funding for projects in remote areas can be hard to come by, so this program is a great way for rural and regional councils to bring their important community initiatives to life,” Cr Miller said.

To be eligible for the second round of Healthy Communities grants, initiatives must relate to healthy living issues, such as healthy weight, responsible drinking, tobacco control and falls prevention for older people. The projects must also focus on groups that are particularly vulnerable to poor health.

The Healthy Communities grant scheme is coordinated by the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW, with funding from NSW Health.