News

• Albemarle’s Round 1 Community Grants 2023 will support 28 local groups and projects
• Grant program focus - Education; Environment and Sustainability; Health and Culture
• Grants will be followed up by a second round later this year

Albemarle, Australia’s biggest and most advanced lithium producer, will assist a range of 28 community organisations and projects under Round 1 of its 2023 Community Investment Program.

The grants are designed to support a large number and broad cross-section of groups and initiatives important to local South West residents.

Round 1 grants will be followed by a second round of grants later this year, focusing on support spanning the areas of Education; Environment and Sustainability; Health and Culture.

Albemarle Australia Country Manager Beverley East said the response to a call for applications had been the best Albemarle had ever received with 41 applications.

Applications proposed activities and projects spanning educational services, Indigenous programs, art festivals, the purchase of targeted equipment for recreation and people with disabilities, seed planting and other environmental initiatives and more.

“Local not-for-profit community groups and organisations are very active in the South West and we are happy that we could support 28 in our Round 1 grants this year – the largest number Albemarle has supported in a single year so far,” Ms East said.

“The program reflects the dedication and passion of these groups, enriching the cultural fabric of the South West region and we look forward to supporting even more initiatives over coming grant rounds and years.”

Albemarle’s Kemerton Lithium Plant Site Director Dan O’Shea said the Kemerton committee that assessed grant applications deliberately casted a wide net of support for endeavours large and small, but all with the goal of enhancing the community at large.

“Some of our grants will be used to support a youth program in Australind, to assist with multicultural playgroups in and around Bunbury, to send primary students to see a puppet musical, to buy new rash vests for senior members of a surf club, to purchase laser cutting equipment so older people can teach younger people new skills, and to upgrade equipment needed to record oral histories of Harvey residents,” Mr O’Shea said.

“These organisations and projects help to make a real difference to the lives of people throughout the region and everyone at Kemerton and across the whole of Albemarle Australia is excited to be part of that support."

Ms East said an essential part of Albemarle’s values and brand was a commitment to enabling ‘all the elements for a better world’ and support of local community initiatives was a major part of that.

Round 2 applications for Albemarle’s Community Investment Program is expected to be offered around September this year. To learn more about Albemarle’s contribution to the community visit www.albemarle.au/community

See below for full list of grant recipients: