Tag: grants

How Recfishwest’s community grants can help your fishing-related project

Do you have a fishing-related project or event that could use better financial support or resources?  

With round 15 of Recfishwest’s community grant applications closing on 15 September, now is the time to apply for a financial boost for your local project such as a fishing clinic, event, competition, equipment upgrades, safety training, habitat restoration, education or research project!  

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A COMMUNITY GRANT! 

Over the last 13 years Recfishwest’s community grants program with backing from the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF) and DPIRD has supported more than 270 community-driven fishing projects to assist fishing clubs and other groups in making fishing better in their area.  

Check out just four of the 16 great events and projects supported by our Community Grants Program over the past 12 months to show how this initiative could benefit you, your club or the local community! 

Recipient: Mary Island Fishing Club – 2024 Kids Fishin’ Derby  

The Mary Island Fishing Club’s Kids Fishin’ Derby in May saw more than 100 kids and their families wetting a line off the famous Derby jetty, with Recfishwest helping the club coordinate the bustling kids fishing clinic. With support from our community grant, every participating kid went home with a Recfishwest lure, handline, crab net, sunscreen and plenty more in their goodies bag so they can continue to enjoy the fantastic Kimberley fishing on offer.  

Check out the highlights from this event by clicking on the video below!

 

Recipient: Apex Club of Kununurra – 2024 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash   

The 2023 Apex Kununurra Barra Bash went down as the biggest fishing competition in WA history (as seen in the jam packed image below) – and one of the biggest nation-wide – with a staggering 1,125 competitors hoping to catch the ‘metrey’ barra. With Recfishwest’s support, funds will be used to purchase more fantastic prizes for the upcoming 2024 competition to see it return even bigger and better.   

 

Recipient: Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club (KOAC) – 2023 Kids Whiting Competition  

The Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club annual school whiting competition held on the white sands of the Murchison River during the October school holidays is a cherished community event and dozens of families travel to Kalbarri just for this spectacle. With an important role in boosting tourism and support for regional economies, Recfishwest will again attend the competition in 2024 and we are proud to support the KOAC in promoting everything that is great about fishing. 

 

Recipient: Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club (SFFAC) – MacCallum Smith Trout Pond signage  

If you’re in Pemberton, make sure you retrace the rich history of freshwater fishing and trout stocking in WA by checking out the new sign at the MacCallum Smith Trout Ponds! Recfishwest proudly supported this new sign through our Community Grants program for the Southern Forests Freshwater Angling Club, who did a fantastic job marking the long history of the spiritual home for trout farming and stocking in our South-West, with the Pemberton Trout Festival also now a very popular annual event for the local community.  

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.

 

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.  

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.