ACCIONA Sponsorship

• Mortlake South Wind Farm developer ACCIONA is taking applications for community groups seeking small grants or sponsorship. 
• A share of $20,000 will be made available to assist community groups who contribute to the sustainable development for their community. 

ACCIONA is looking for not-for-profit groups who enhance the social well being of their local community, and improve environmental, educational, cultural or economic outcomes. 

ACCIONA Community Relations coordinator Jane McKinnon said ACCIONA will continue the program each year for the life of the win farm. 

ACCIONA established the Mortlake South Wind Farm community sponsorship program in 2010, she said. 

Since then, it has contributed over $150,000 to local community groups throughout Mortlake, Noorat, Kolora and Terang. 

"The sponsorship and small grants program is a long-term commitment by ACCIONA."

Ms. McKinnon said the program is part of ACCIONA's broader shared benefits programs, including the Neighbourhood Benefits Program. 

The Neighbourhood Benefits Program is a proximity payment, based on dwellings located within proximity bands from wind turbine generators," she said.

The payments are not made in cash – they are made via pre-loaded EFTPOS cards, known as Neighbourhood Benefits Cards."

"This program shares the benefits of the wind farm with the people who live closest to the project, and also ensures money is spent within the local community at participating businesses in Mortlake, Noorat and Terang. There are currently 41 participating businesses across the three towns. " 

Landscaping and visual screening is offered to owners of dwellings within 4kms of a wind turbine generator.

ACCIONA will arrange a visual screening assessment from a qualified landscape architect and cover all costs involved with the plan, tree planting and maintenance for 3 years. 

Applications for the Mortlake South Wind Farm sponsorship and small grants program close Friday, March 13. 

Successful applicants will be notified in April. 

For more information on the shared benefits initiatives or to apply for the sponsorship and small grants program, visit www.acciona.com.au/mortlake, call the community hotline on   or email mortlake@acciona.com

This article was published in the Mortlake Dispatch.