WNSWLHD Building Healthy Communities Challenge applications open

BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES CHALLENGE - APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! For towns in Western NSW Local Health District with a population of less than 5000 people can apply for the Building Healthy Communities Challenge – where you could win up to $12,000 worth of financial support for your town! Established this year by the District’s Health Promotion team to help smaller communities take control of improving their overall health, by providing up to $12,000 in funding and intensive support to deliver a community-led health initiative. Ideas must address one of the following health factors: - Increases the Healthy Built Environment of the area - Increases community physical activity - Increases healthy eating within the community - Supports cessation of smoking and/or vaping Any ideas must also lead to an increase in community connection. WNSWLHD Health Promotion Officer Kelly Cook said an independent panel will assess applications and select two towns to compete in the friendly competition. “The two chosen towns from the independent panel will each receive $8,000 in funding assistance and intensive support from the Health Promotion team to establish and implement their initiative, and we will also provide additional resources and assistance with promotion too,” Kelly said. Applications for the Building Healthy Communities Challenge will be open from Monday 2 September 2024 to Friday 11 October 2024. Applications will then be reviewed, and successful towns notified before the challenge period between 4 November 2024 and 4 April 2025. Interested parties can contact WNSWLHD Health Promotion Team on WNSWLHD-HealthPromotion@health.nsw.gov.au or simply submit an Expression of Interest to the Health Promotion team by completing a short at https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=v6eHptsC30O8u-eovaYRolOqD89deuFKqFtalaoiiF5UOVkyTDNWMVo2TDNOVjFBSlVCS043UEJJVSQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl, and someone will be in touch to talk through the application package you will be sent for your town. *Please note – only one submission available per town.