Lotterywest names grant recipients

Lotterywest has announced the beneficiaries of $26.3 million in COVID-19 relief grants, with West Australian Ballet receiving one of the largest sums.

The funding, part of the $159 million COVID-19 Relief Fund, has been given to 381 organisations for event cancellation relief and resilient organisations support, which is to ensure not for profits can maintain staff and innovate. 

WA Ballet was the top recipient, receiving $1.2 million, to cover lost ticket income from Genesis, The Sleeping Beauty, STATE, Dracula and the organisation’s workshops.

However, WA Ballet executive director Jessica Machin told Business News the company may not require the full level of funding as it had been able to restage Genesis and Dracula was scheduled to go ahead in September.

Ms Machin said WA Ballet was grateful to receive the money from Lotterywest, and while it was a significant amount, the organisation still had a lot of work to do to fully recover from the full effects of COVID-19.

If the organisation was not able to perform Genesis, The Sleeping Beauty, STATE and Dracula, it would have lost $2.5 million in revenue.

"We are immensely grateful for Lotterywest as no other states have a Lottery [or] funding body that support not-for-profits and community organisations as Lotterywest does," Ms Machin said. 

"West Australian Ballet’s Lotterywest grant was to cover a range of lost income including ticket sales, venue hire, public classes, reduction in corporate sponsorship and workshops for the period between March and September."

St Vincent de Paul Society WA Inc was also given a large sum, receiving $702,899 from the support for resilient organisations fund.

Executive manager social enterprise Carl Prowse said the grant would make up lost income from retail and cancelled events and should allow the organisation to maintain revenue through summer and keep its services running.

Mr Prowse told Business News Lotterywest pulled together the fund quickly, which was what they needed to do, given there was lots of charities doing it tough.

Organisations receiving large sums of money for event cancellation relief included Perth Concert Hall which was awarded $286,470, Cancer Council WA ($228,080), Bunbury Regional Theatre ($206,000) and Artrage ($196,691).

RSPCA  WA was given ($846,240), Good Samaritan Enterprises ($800,000), Black Swan State Theatre Company ($448,139), Wunan Foundation ($330,230) and Performing Lines WA ($309,336) from the resilient organisations fund.

Additionally, Lotterywest is set to provide $10 million to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries for specific COVID-19 relief programs for arts and sporting groups, and $11.2 million has been given to organisations and local authorities distributing crisis and emergency relief.

Development is underway for Lotterywest’s 2020-21 COVID-19 relief fund program for up to $100 million in grant funding.