Council Interest Free Loans Apply Now

Franklin District Council is currently calling for applications for the Community Partnerships Loan Funding Scheme. The scheme offers interest free loans to community groups and organisations.

Applications are invited from interested groups and organisations that have capital projects for new or existing community facilities valued at $10,000 or more and which provide and develop cultural, social, educational and recreational facilities. The facilities must be on Council reserve land, Crown land vested in Council or land owned by a community organisation within Franklin.

Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball says the scheme is a great initiative and encourages the community to take advantage of it. “I urge your community group to look into the scheme and how it could help your group or club. Its aim is to help build up the district’s community facilities by making funding easier. You can’t get better interest rates than zero percent!”

Last year, Franklin District Council loaned around $200,000 to community groups and organisations throughout Franklin. One such organisation was the Franklin A&P Society, who were loaned $60,000 for re-roofing and re-cladding Sommerville Hall, a 1940’s building on their grounds in Pukekohe.

A&P Society Secretary Jacqui Wadham says, “We’ve been really appreciative of the interest free loan scheme and, in fact, this is the second loan from Council we’ve been awarded. The previous one was for similar work on our buildings. The loans have allowed us to progress with improving and maintaining our facilities, which, as a non-profit organisation, we would have had difficulty trying to secure funding for ourselves.”

The Onewhero Society of Performing Arts (OSPA) is another group who were successfully awarded their second loan last year.

OSPA Executive Officer Richard Gemmell says, “Initially we were loaned $36,000 towards building our theatre. Last year we were awarded another $11,000 to fund stage lighting and curtains. The loan scheme has been an excellent source of funding for us, and is a very well administered process. I encourage other groups to apply.”

If you are interested in more information about the scheme, pick up an information pack from Franklin District Council Service Centres or download the information from www.franklin.govt.nz.

Applications close 21 August 2009.