2025-26 Community Grants announced
Community organisations across the Adelaide Hills are benefiting from a funding boost through the 2025 Community and Recreation Facility and Community Development Grants, supporting projects that improve local amenities, safety, wellbeing and community connection.
Sixteen organisations received Community and Recreation Facility Grants, including Lions Hearing Dogs, which was awarded $20,000 towards a multipurpose hall at its assistance dog training centre.
Lions Hearing Dogs Chief Executive Officer David Horne said the funding provided both practical support and confidence to proceed.
Our team found the grant application process to be practical and simple and leaned on the Council’s grant team for guidance and support where needed.
The successful outcome of the grant provided us not only with funds to support our redevelopment project, but the confidence to proceed with the project knowing we have the support of our local Council.
Other Community and Recreation Facility Grants recipients include Kersbrook Football Club, SA Pistol and Shooting Club, Paracombe Cricket Club and Upper Sturt Memorial Hall.
Twenty-three organisations also received Community Development Grants for sporting, cultural, environmental and tourism projects. Recipients include RSL Stirling Sub-Branch for audiovisual upgrades, Adelaide and Hills Koala Rescue – 1300KOALAZ for wildlife rescue equipment, Lobethal Community Association for a digital heritage walking tour app and Heathfield Netball Club for a First Nations Round reconciliation dress.
With more than $200,000 awarded in the 2025 round, the grants reflect Council’s ongoing commitment to strengthening local facilities and supporting a vibrant Adelaide Hills community.
For a full list of grant recipients, see links below
Lions Assistance Dogs
For over 40 years, Lions Assistance Dogs (previously known as Australian Lions Hearing Dogs) has been supporting Australians who are deaf or hard of hearing by providing specially trained Hearing Assistance Dogs at no cost to recipients.
As a not-for-profit organisation and the only accredited Hearing Assistance Dog provider in Australia, Lions Assistance Dogs plays a vital role in improving independence, safety, and participation for people with disability. To date, the organisation has delivered more than 730 Hearing Assistance Dogs nationwide, with over 170 Assistance Dogs currently active in communities across Australia.
Each Assistance Dog costs approximately $40,000 to raise and train and is carefully prepared to alert recipients to up to ten common household sounds by locating the sound, alerting with a paw touch, and leading their recipient to its source.
In addition to their Hearing Assistance Dog program, Lions Assistance Dogs expanded its services in 2020 with the launch of the Medical Assistance Dog Program for people living with type 1 diabetes, followed by the Psychiatric Assistance Dog Program in 2024 to support returned servicemen and women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). All programs are delivered with a strong focus on accessibility, inclusion, and long-term community benefit.
Lions Assistance Dogs have benefited from the Adelaide Hills Council Community and Recreation Facility Grant for the purposes of their upcoming redevelopment - which includes a new multi-purpose hall with a 200 person capacity. This project adds significant community infrastructure for the Adelaide Hills region, aligning with Council's strategic priorities to improve accessibility and delivery significant social benefit to the Hills region.
Lions Assistance Dogs have benefited from the Adelaide Hills Council Community and Recreation Facility Grant for the purposes of their upcoming redevelopment, which includes a new multi-purpose hall with a 200-person capacity.
This project adds significant community infrastructure for the Adelaide Hills region, aligning with Council's strategic priorities to improve accessibility and delivery significant social benefit to the Hills region.