• Recipients under the Environmental Sustainability Stream of the 2022 Charles Sturt Community University Partnerships (CUP) Grants program have been announced
• Dunedoo Area Community Group Inc received a $1,000 grant, while Dubbo Environment Group and Transition Dubbo both received a $600 grant

Charles Sturt University has provided a total of $2,200 in funding to three community groups in the Dubbo region under the University’s 2022 Community University Partnerships Grants (CUP) Environmental Sustainability Stream.

Dunedoo Area Community Group Inc received a $1,000 grant, while Dubbo Environment Group and Transition Dubbo each received a $600 boost through the CUP grants program.

Grants can be applied to projects that improve the environmental and social sustainability of regional communities within the Charles Sturt footprint, such as those within the Orana region.

Charles Sturt Sustainability Manager Mr Edward Maher said the environmental sustainability stream of the program supports community initiatives that drive environmental priorities at the local level.    

“Charles Sturt is proud to support projects that drive sustainable practices in regional communities,” Mr Maher said.   

“The CUP grants program is another example of how the University continues to be a leader in higher education global sustainability.”  

The coordinator of the Dunedoo Area Community Group Inc Ms Fiona Luckhurst was delighted to receive the $1,000 in funding.

“This funding will be used to support the Dunedoo Carp Muster project along the Talbragar River near Dunedoo,” Ms Luckhurst said.

“It will be a family event and provide education on the impact this pest species has on the local aquatic environment and native fish populations.”

President of the Dubbo Environment Group Ms Margaret McDonald said the $600 grant would go towards the new Indian Myna Bird Control Program.

“The birds have entered the eastern outskirts of Dubbo and are quite prolific in the village of Wongarbon,” Ms McDonald said.

“Our two groups will coordinate the trap distribution, data collection and community education.”

The convenor of Transition Dubbo Mr Peter Duggan said the $600 boost would provide sustainability benefits for the whole community.

“The grant will fund the establishment of a seed library at the Macquarie Regional Library Dubbo branch,” Mr Duggan said.

“Seeds would be available free to the community to take home and grow edible and native plants in their garden.”

Applications for the 2023 Charles Sturt CUP Grants program open at the beginning of next year.

Grants of up to $1,000 can be put towards equipment and material purchases, workshops, and catering for projects that fall within any of these categories:

• Arts and Culture
• Sports Development
• Education Development
• Health and Wellbeing
• Environmental Sustainability

Applications can be made via the 'Grants' page on the Charles Sturt website.

For more information, please contact community@csu.edu.au.

Charles Sturt continues to be a national and international leader in sustainability. The University ranked in the top five per cent globally for sustainable practices out of more than 1,400 universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022.

ENDS