All schools in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury are being encouraged to apply for grants of between $1000 and $20,000 to fund small scale projects.
Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, said $200,000 funding was up for grabs through the Local Schools Community Fund.
"The Local School Community Fund (LSCF) will provide up to $200,000 in grant funding in each Federal electorate in the 2019-20 financial year," said Ms Templeman.
"The grant program is open to all schools - public, independent and Catholic - and can be used for projects such as small scale extensions, computer equipment and software, and playground and sporting equipment plus shade structures," she said.
"Schools can use it for master-planning and air-conditioning, or for special facilities for students with a disability.
"Importantly, it can also be allocated to measures to target student wellbeing, and counselling or youth mental health support.
"I don't imagine there is a school anywhere in either the Hawkesbury or Blue Mountains that wouldn't benefit from a funding boost and like most of the funding programs we do, I expect to get more applications than the money will stretch to.
"Schools are suffering from under-investment, and parents groups are carrying a heavy fundraising load, so while this is much less than a Labor Government would have invested in our schools, it's not money that anyone will knock back."
Applications close 5pm on September 30, 2019. They will then be provided to me to the Maquarie MP to assess with the assistance of a local advisory committee. The committee will recommend projects for funding to the Minister for Education for approval.
For more information contact 4573 8222 or susan.templeman.mp@aph.gov.au
