Nominations open for Community Choices (March 2022)

Essential Energy

Essential Energy have launched Community Choices 2022 to support community groups with funding of up to $2,500. The intention of the funding is to support a wide range of community-based groups and projects including community halls, that increase social inclusion, assist communities in need and enhance community engagement within the Essential Energy network area.

The program allows communities to nominate, and then vote on, local causes that can do with some extra support for their local projects.

The 2022 Community Choices program has major changes from previous rounds and it will have three categories of funding:

Standard zone funding — five funding allocations in each of the 20 zones ranging from $1,100 to $2,500
Small communities funding — two $500 funding allocations for each of the 20 zones for groups who reside in a community with less than 10,000 people (which means locations within Junee Shire qualify)
Community Hall funding — eight $300 funding allocations for each of the 20 zones for Community Halls. (Note this replaces the Essential Energy Community Halls program)

The regions within the 20 zones of the Essential Energy Network area will receive a portion of the total funding pool, being $9,850, to be allocated to the first five Eligible Participants for each zone ranked in order of valid Votes received from highest to lowest as follows:

First funding allocation: $2,500;
Second funding allocation: $2,000;
Third funding allocation: $1,750;
Fourth funding allocation: $1,500;
Fifth funding allocation: $1,100.

Small Communities — two funding allocations of $500 each to be awarded to the first two Eligible Participants for each zone ranked in order of valid Votes received from highest to lowest in those who have elected to enter the Small Communities category.

Groups ranked as the first five Eligible Participants that are allocated funding within the 20 zones are not eligible to be allocated Small Communities funding, groups can only receive one funding prize (they will be awarded the prize of the greatest dollar value depending on the number of votes received.

Community Halls — There will be 160 prizes of $300 awarded to 160 Community Halls shared across 20 Zones. $300 will be awarded to the first eight Eligible Participants in the Community Halls category for each zone ranked in order of valid Votes received from highest to lowest. Halls must receive Votes to be eligible. In the event there is less than eight eligible participants for a Zone, remaining funding from that Zone will be awarded to the Hall with the next highest votes from another Zone.

Eligible organisations include:

Sporting clubs
Community associations
Community halls
Animal shelters
Country Women’s Associations
Men’s sheds
…and plenty of others!

Previous Local Success with Community Choices

In 2020, Junee had THREE local community groups nominated and Junee Junior Netball were awarded $2,000 funding.

Then last year, we saw FIVE groups nominated and THREE including Junee Junior Netball, Riverina Working Equitation and Gasworks Motorsport received $2,500, $1,500 and $600 respectively.

Changes in how voting will work in Community Choices 2022

In 2022, the program has expanded voting to allow for support of more community groups. You can vote once per group, per hour. You can vote for different organisations from different zones or vote for the same group, but only once, per group, per hour.

Voting will commence 9am on Monday, April 8, 2022 and close at Midnight on Monday, April 18, 2022.

Junee Community Network will post a summary of which local groups have been nominated and how to vote for your favourite organisation(s) over in the Facebook group Junee Community Events and Info when voting opens.

Nominate Your Community Organisation for Community Choices

~~Nominations close Midnight, Sunday, March 20, 2022~~

To help support local communities who have been affected by the recent NSW flood events, Essential Energy have extended the closing date for Community Choices nominations.With so many of the communities where we all live and work impacted by these significant events, Essential Energy want to ensure community groups and charities have an opportunity to nominate, allowing them to give back to our communities who need it the most.

Nominations will now close midnight Sunday April 3, 2022 so don’t miss out on this opportunity to choose a cause that counts.

We strongly recommend that a member of your Committee (ie President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer or even your Grants Officer or Publicity Officer) completes the nomination form.

To nominate, simply:

Complete some information about your group, including your group’s contact information and share in 100 words or less how your group supports your local community — Make sure this information showcases what your group does, as that’s what voters will see when it comes time to voting
Choose which categories apply to your group (Small Communities, or Community Hall). Don’t worry, if you don’t fit into those categories you’ll automatically be entered in the standard zone funding category
Choose an image that includes people and shows the great work your organisation does in the community — DO NOT UPLOAD JUST A LOGO!
Check out the terms and conditions and make sure you tick the box before submitting your nomination
Got questions? Check out the FAQs.

Note: Only one Nomination can be submitted per Group per zone. Qualification and entry into the Small Communities or Community Halls category occurs simultaneously with a Nomination and is not deemed to be a separate nomination.

nominate your community organisation for community choices 2022 »