Tag: Community Grants

Round 14 of Recfishwest’s Community Grants program opening from 1 August

We have already seen numerous organisations across WA make the most of their 2022/2023 Community Grant funding this year – and the opportunity for the next potential recipients to apply for grants is arriving soon.  

Our Community Grants Program applications for 2023/2024 officially open for eight weeks from 1 August until midnight, 25 September – so now is the time to get your thinking caps on to plan how a grant could help your fishing-based projects such as competitions, fishing infrastructure, materials, education, fishing safety, habitat protection or other means in your local area!  

Whether fishing clubs or local businesses – many community groups can achieve great things when they are backed in with the resources and financial assistance to improve fishing experiences in their regions. 

That is why Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 220 projects across Western Australia since 2011.  

Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, the Community Grants program saw 15 different organisations across WA achieve their project goals this past year, from the Apex Club of Kununurra up north down to the Albany Boating and Fishing Club in our State’s south.  

With eight weeks to go until the Community Grants program closes, start brainstorming on what projects you think could do with a supportive boost!  

Click here to read the Community Grants guidelines form. 

Click here to view the Community Grants application form.  

Want to see proof of how Recfishwest’s Community Grants improved fishing across WA over the past year? Check out some of the previous Round 13 recipients and their project highlights below!  

Life’s Short, Stay Moist – Women in Spearfishing Series and charter trip 

Recfishwest was proud to supply a Community Grant to the Life’s Short, Stay Moist women’s spearfishing club, which financially supported the promotion of their Women in Spearfishing Series and enabled them to get out on a charter vessel for a successful spearfishing expedition!

 

Shark Bay Community Resource Centre – Fishing Fiesta

Hundreds of visitors across WA and Australia ventured to Denham for the week-long Shark Bay Fiesta to celebrate all things fishing in the region. The Community Grant supplied by Recfishwest to the Shark Bay Community Resource Centre helped support this great annual event, along with their family-friendly SunSmart fishing clinic that saw 38 kids enjoy wetting a line. More info here.

 

Fremantle Sailing Club’s First-Aid Training Course

13 members of the Fremantle Sailing Club’s angling, power and dive sections took part to update or gain a first aid certificate conducted by St John’s WA, which enabled them to take out the club’s vessel and to furnish them with proper first aid training for future club events. More info here.

 

Albany Boating & Fishing Club’s Southern Ocean Spectacular

The Albany Boating & Fishing Club held their annual Southern Ocean Spectacular fishing competition in May, with our Community Grant funding aiding in turning this great event into a catch and release competition while helping the club implement the Track My Fish app.

 

Youth Futures Community School Fishing Clinics

Young people who are doing it tough enjoyed the mental, well-being and physical net benefits fishing has to offer, with funding from our Community Grants program helping the Youth Futures Community School run multiple metro fishing clinics. The clinics received such positive feedback from students and teachers that the school is hoping to make the fishing clinics a permanent activity in future. More info here.

 

Djiljid Dreaming film

As part of NAIDOC week, Recfishwest was proud to support the short film Diljdjid Dreaming, which was funded through our Community Grants program and celebrated how the water of the Swan and Canning rivers connects the ‘Paperbark People’ of the South-West. Watch this short film here.

 

Fishing clinics program brings net benefits for socially at-risk young people

Young people who are doing it tough are enjoying the mental, well-being and physical net benefits fishing has to offer thanks to a partnership between “at risk” youth program Youth Futures and Recfishwest.  

Funded through our Community Grants Program – students from the Youth Futures Community School in Midland are being given the chance to enjoy fishing through Recfishwest’s SunSmart fishing clinics proudly supported by Healthway and Shimano Australia, which are being run on several locations on the Swan River.  

And the ‘Next Cast’ project is proving to be a huge success with the school’s students truly bitten by the fishing bug.  

“I’ve been inundated with questions from the students asking where and when the next fishing clinic is taking place because they had so much fun,” said Youth Futures Education Assistant Jonathan Higham.  

“We’ve been seeing first-hand the immediate and prolonged benefits that these fishing clinics have been having on our students. Engaging activities out in the fresh air close to nature such as fishing also helps boost the students’ engagement in class. They’ve told us they all really look forward to coming to school when the fishing clinics were coming up.” 

Youth Futures have reported the fishing clinics as a huge success for improving the mental and physical wellbeing of their students, with higher engagement in classes following the fishing trips.

Next Cast aims to give alternative learning opportunities to young people who are socially disconnected because of their circumstances and are at risk of falling through the cracks of the education system. 

Most importantly it gives them the opportunity to enjoy the social and physical benefits fishing provides, as well as promoting peer support and positive social interaction. 

“Different students had different levels of experience,” said Jonathan. “Some of them had never fished before while others were quite skilled and experienced. It resulted in the more experienced helping out the inexperienced, which adds to the social element of it all.” 

Recfishwest Fishing Clinics Coordinator Sedin Hasanovic, who has been running the clinics with fellow instructor, Kim Burton said, “Time and time again, we see young people come alive with a rod in their hand at these fishing clinics and the Youth Futures students are no exception. Fishing is such a highly engaging activity and as well as showing them how to fish, our clinics teach participants about fishing sustainably, looking after the environment and being SunSmart.  

“It’s been fantastic to see these young people from some tough backgrounds getting into fishing so much – hopefully it can give them some relief from some of the challenges they have to face and maybe sew the seeds for a lifelong passion for fishing just like we have.”  

Seven fishing clinics, for young people aged between 12-14 years, took place over the school’s first semester of 2023 at a number of locations in the Swan River, along with metro-based ocean marinas and jetties. 

Another 11 fishing clinics are planned for the second semester of 2023 for the schools’ 15-18-year-olds, with a view to making the Next Cast program a permanent fixture of Youth Futures.  

Based on the great feedback from their first seven fishing clinics in the first semester, Youth Futures have booked another 11 fishing clinics for their older students for the remainder of 2023, with hopes of making fishing trips a permanent social activity in future.

Granting wishes to great local projects  

Since the Community Grants program began in 2011, Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 200 fishing clinics, equipment upgrades, safety training and numerous community-driven fishing projects thanks to funding through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD.  

Find out more about our Community Grants Program here  

Fremantle Sailing Club saving money and potential lives with Recfishwest’s Community Grant

Recfishwest is proud to see one of the 16 recipient organisations receiving a Community Grant in 2023 – the Fremantle Sailing Club (FSC) – is saving money and potential lives by using a Recfishwest Community Grant to help fund a portion of their recent first aid training course.  

And participants got to see firsthand skills they were learning about being put into practice into a ‘a real life’ situation!  

Conducted by St John’s WA earlier in May, 13 members of the FSC angling, power and dive sections took part to update or gain a first aid certificate enabling them to take out the club’s vessel ‘Success’ and to furnish them with first aid training for future club events.  

Recfishwest’s Community Grant funding being put to good use by supporting the Fremantle Sailing Club’s recent first aid training course.

Around 30 minutes into the first aid course, one of the participants in the course started experiencing vertigo, which eventually developed into more serious symptoms, resulting in the decision being made to call an ambulance.  

Thankfully, after some further medical care, the patient recovered without hospitalisation being required, meaning the course could resume. 

FSC West Australian Game Fishing Association representative John Cramer said, “Everyone attending, I’m sure, received and benefited far more than was anticipated as a result of what happened and thanks of course to receiving a grant through Recfishwest.”  

Funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and supported by DPIRD, the Community Grants program helps fishing clubs and other groups achieve their goals in making recreational fishing better in their areas and benefitting local fishers.   

Since the Community Grants program commenced in 2011, Recfishwest has proudly provided more than $500,000 in funding for more than 200 clinics, equipment upgrades, safety training and numerous community-driven fishing projects.  

“The Recfishwest Community Grants Program provides funding for small scale projects which benefit recreational fishing in WA,” said Recfishwest’s Operations Manager Leyland Campbell. “This is a good example of how they can be used to make a real difference to great community clubs like FSC and their capacity to continue to run great family fishing events that are fun and safe with people skilled in first aid if ever the need arises – as was ably demonstrated in this instance.” 

Want to see all recipients of our Community Grants in 2023 and the projects they have planned? Click here.  

Give your community a fishing boost!

Round 10 of the Recfishwest Community Grants is still open for fishers!

We want your applications for projects to improve fishing for your community. Previous successful projects receiving Community Grants funding have included the Kalbarri Kids Whiting Comp,  Steep Point Clean Up Day (pictured above), the West Kimberley Women’s Fishing Clinics and videos to help raise the profile of Fishability.

Check the full list of round nine grants here.

The Mary Island Fishing Club decided to run a West Kimberley Women’s Fishing Clinic and the sessions were a huge success with fishers learning how to back a boat trailer, tie knots, rig their own fishing gear, fillet fish and much more!

You could use the money to hold a fishing clinic, hold a fishing competition, offer a training day for your club members, purchase new information or safety signage, or improve access to fishing locations. There are so many opportunities to improve fishing for your community. Think outside the box and bring new projects to the table.

The grants are available to a maximum of $8,000 for each applicant, although preference will be given to applications under $5,000. Applications which demonstrate the support of local recreational fishers or fishing club will rank highly. This scheme is funded using recreational fishing licence fees through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund. Be a part of making fishing better in WA, help us help you, help fishers!

Recfishwest Community Grant Program Application Form – Round 10

Recfishwest Community Grant Program Guidelines – Round 10

Applications open: Friday, 27 September

Applications close: Midnight Friday, 22 November

Broome North Fishing Club used their Community Grant funding to host a threadfin competition for locals and visiting fishers to the region.
Whiteys Tackle & Camping used their funding to have their very own instore app to help fishers apply for licences, understand the fishing rules, check the weather, navionics chart viewer and much more. This is the first of its kind in Australia!

Round 9 Community Grants Now Open

Round 9 Community Grants are Now Closed

Every year Recfishwest run a community grant program designed to provide funding for small scale projects which benefit recreational fishing in Western Australia.

Incorporated fishing clubs and community groups are encouraged to submit an application for funding.

Applications for Round 9 of the Recfishwest Community grant program open on 15th August and close on 12th October.

Applications for funding must cover at least one of the following priority areas:

  • Extension Materials
  • Education/Engagement Initiatives
  • Habitat Protection/Enhancement
  • Recreational Fishing Safety
  • Community Capacity Building
  • Access
  • Promotion of recreational fishing in Western Australia

More than one application may be submitted from your group provided each project is quite distinct from the others, and you have the capacity to deliver them.

All applicants are encouraged to discuss their projects with Recfishwest prior to submission.

The Recfishwest Board will be responsible for approval of funding applications.

For more information visit our Grants Page.