Community Bank chairman Lynn Hayward said the program will assist local community groups and organisations by making funding available for projects. 

“The program helps us to reinvest Deloraine and Districts Community Bank profits back into the local community,” Mrs Hayward said. 

“Projects may be large or small and may also be carried out in collaboration with other groups or organisations at any level.”

Organisations in the Meander Valley and surrounding areas will be given priority to receive the grant.

Colony47 received a grant to fund their Bush Tucker Trail. The development is about to start its’ second stage trail coordinator Martin Hay said.

 “It’s a fantastic project body and they’ve got the project this far. It’s a great community initiative,” he said.  

“It meant that we felt very in debt that the local community bank will support the project. It just allowed us to have a lot more of our desired components to be actually fulfilled.” 

Deloraine APEX Club were also successful in last year’s round of grants. The organisation used the money to rebuild the kitchen at the Red Hills Football Club. 

Club president, Dean Marshman said he would definitely recommend the grant to those interested.

“It means we can hold community events out there and people can use the kitchen to fundraise for their own events or function and for our tractor pull,” he said.

 “All the money goes back into the community, so it’s fantastic.”

Arts Deloraine, Aged Care Deloraine, Rotary Club of Westbury and Deloraine Amateur Basketball Association also received funding from the 2016 funding, to assist with a range of community projects, including iPod Programs and gaining access to a photocopier. 

”We were very grateful that Bendigo Bank helped us out with it, because we couldn’t have done it on our own,” Mr Marshman said.

 Applications for the grant are available online and will be open for submission until April 21.