Grants totalling more than $300,000 have been approved by the Central Lakes Trust for 12 social agencies and five community projects.
The trust awarded the money to support organisations' running costs and community projects each month.
Trust chief executive Paul Allison said the groups provided services such as budgeting advice, family support, elderly care, victim support, food banks and mental illness support and abuse prevention.
Funds will go towards the Salvation Army's community garden project in Alexandra, and an art storage facility for the Alexandra Museum to protect collections and increase conservation standards.
Sport Central, the regional office of Sport Otago, will use its grant to support community physical activity programmes and develop new programmes.
Central Otago Friendship Network will use its grant to continue its community-based friendship programme working with people with disabilities and illness, while the Central Rock Climbing Club will use the money to buy new bolt equipment to develop new climbing areas in the region.
Grants were awarded to: Salvation Army, Alexandra ($30,000); Supporting Families in Mental Illness, Central Otago ($30,000); Salvation Army, Wakatipu ($10,250); Wakatipu Abuse Prevention Network ($50,000); Families First Trust ($50,000); Sport Central ($27,500); Central Otago Friendship Network (almost $9000); Age Concern, Southland ($15,000); Anglican Family Care ($15,000); and Central Otago services Compassionate Friends, Victim Support and Budgeting Service ($10,000 each). Community project grants were given to: Alexandra District Museum ($28,000), Central Rock Climbing Club ($2000), Cromwell RSA ($3000), Michael Hill International Violin Programme ($7000) and Wakatipu Community Presbyterian Church ($10,000).
The New Zealand Mountain Film Festival Charitable Trust was awarded $5000.
