By Jenel Hunt
Applications close at the end of March for a piece of a $100,000 grant pie being offered by ACCIONA Energia, the company building the gigantic MacIntyre Wind Farm southwest of Warwick and northwest of Stanthorpe.
The grants are open to community and charity groups seeking funds for new projects.
Company spokesperson William Churchill said the MacIntyre Wind Farm Community Grants program was established in 2019 as part of ACCIONA Energia’s commitment to reinvesting in the local community.
“Globally, our chairman is quite a philanthropist and has a big emphasis on giving back to the community. Since 2019 the MacIntyre Wind Farm has donated over $260,000 to local community groups and organisations,” he said.
One of the 25 recipients of the $100,000 money pool last year was the Rural Doctors Foundation, which received $10,000 to purchase PPE equipment to protect healthcare workers from the spread of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.
Rural Doctors Foundation CEO Fran Avon said the grant made it possible to provide Medihoods to the hospitals in Warwick and Millmerran.
“These devices are especially important in smaller rural healthcare facilities where the absence of a doctor or nurse due to illness could mean the closure of a hospital service,” she said.
Mr Churchhill said a not-for-profit organisation could submit an application under these areas: education, healthcare, cultural development, providing basic energy or water service and promoting sustainability, environment or conservation.
“We’re grateful to be part of the community of this region and are committed to sharing the benefits of sustainable energy generation with deserving local organisations,” he said.
“It’s part of our commitment to reinvesting in the local community.”
