SparkTank Event 2024: Sharing $50,000 [Video]

Our highly anticipated SparkTank event took place last night at the Buninyong Town Hall, where $50,000 💰 of community investment funding was awarded to ten local organisations ❤️. The event saw a packed audience of over 140 attendees 🤗 cheer on the community groups who pitched their projects to a panel of local leaders.

Over the past 14 years, our Community Investment Program has returned over $2.25 million of profit to the local community 🙌. The SparkTank initiative was designed to offer additional funding opportunities to local groups, with a focus on strengthening the community’s ability to address pressing issues 🌏.

Our Community Partnership Lead Kelly Bevan, said, “We wanted to cast the net wider to include groups across the greater Ballarat region, some of whom we haven’t supported before. It’s also an exciting new way to engage the community and bring fresh energy to our program”.

SparkTank was hosted by local compère Debbie Rybicki, with a panel of esteemed ‘Sparks’ including George Fong, Ellen Jackson, and our Branch Manager Randall Dreger evaluating the pitches and awarding funds on the night.

The community groups who received a share of the $50,000 funding pool included:

• Babies Above Incorporated – $10,000
• Ballarat Police and Citizens Youth Club Incorporated – $1500
• Heartbeat Victoria Ballarat Branch – $1500
• Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault – $7000
• Bunanyung Landscape Alliance Inc – $4500
• Ballarat Pony Club Inc – $1500
• Buninyong Primary School – $6000
• York St Church of Christ (Reverse Advent Calendar initiative) – $1500
• Leigh Catchment Group Inc – $10,000
• Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre – $6500

The event highlighted the remarkable work being done by local volunteer groups 🙌 and demonstrated the strong community spirit that defines the Buninyong and Ballarat areas. It was a mix of entertainment, inspiration and community engagement. We successfully brought together local organisations, funders and residents for a night of shared enthusiasm and support.

Reverse Advent Calendar representative Heather Luttrell spoke about the importance of her project. “In Ballarat, many individuals face food insecurity and we know that for many families, Christmas is a particularly stressful time. Reverse Advent Calendars isn’t just about giving, it’s about fostering connection and support within our community, and we’re so grateful for this opportunity to pitch our project.”

In addition to the Community Investment funding, the audience was given $20 💰 worth of Community Gold tokens each, which they could use to vote for their favourite community projects throughout the night. This allowed attendees to have a direct say in the distribution of additional funds, further strengthening the connection between local businesses and community causes ❤️❤️❤️.

The total amount of Community Gold awarded on the night was $2740, which will be spent back within participating local businesses and further drive the impact of the event 🌏.

Our Communications Lead Sam Elshaug, said, “A real highlight of the evening was having customers present cheques to the successful community groups. After all, distributing these funds is only possible because people choose to support us, and it seems fitting that they get to experience firsthand what it feels like to give back.”

The success of SparkTank event highlights the power of the reciprocity model at the heart of community banking, where everyone benefits. By supporting Community Bank Buninyong, customers help generate funds that are reinvested back into the community through initiatives like the Community Investment Program.