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To apply for a Small Grant, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Check that you are eligible
Read through the eligibility criteria to make sure you meet the criteria on our Small grants eligibility, objectives and conditions page.
Step 2: Consider the objectives and assessment criteria
Small Grants applications are assessed against a series of objectives and criteria.
For more information, see our Small grants eligibility, objectives and conditions page.
Step 3: Discuss your idea
Before you apply for a grant, you must talk through your project idea with a Council officer. They'll help you shape your application to give it the best chance of success.
Depending on which stream your grant falls under, please contact the relevant person below.
| Grant stream | Department | Contact person | Contact number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Community | Recreation | William Bullock | (03) 9278 4783 |
| Active Community | Sport | Chloe Cook | (03) 9278 4734 |
| Life-long Community | Active Ageing | Maree Guthrie | (03) 9278 4955 |
| Creative Community | Arts and Culture | Gabby Fisher | (03) 9278 4770 |
| Healthy Community | Children and Families | Jemma Hansen | 0417 762 160 |
| Healthy Community | Cultural Diversity | Mel Brown | (03) 9278 4998 |
| Healthy Community | Disability, Access and Inclusion | Natalie Bryant | (03) 9278 4526 |
| Healthy Community | Health and Wellbeing | Melissa Grimes | (03) 9278 4427 |
| Healthy Community | Neighbourhood Houses | Katelyn Stanyer | (03) 9278 4822 |
| Healthy Community | Safer Communities | Andrea Learbuch | (03) 9278 4898 |
| Healthy Community | Reconciliation | Liz O’Loughlin | (03) 9278 4693 |
| Healthy Community | Volunteering | Georgia Lukacs-Rotow | (03) 9278 4550 |
| Healthy Community | Youth | Benjamin Breslin | (03) 9278 7822 |
| Sustainable Community | Environment | Amaya De Silva | (03) 9278 4373 |
| Vibrant Retail Precincts | Local Economies | Sonja Tomasovic | (03) 9835 7869 |
Step 4: Get help with your application
If you have any questions or need advice, we are here to help.
We are a quick phone call or email away to answer any questions you have. For general enquiries, contact the Community Development Officer (Grants and Partnerships) officer on (03) 9278 4753 or email [email protected].
We also offer free Community Grant Information Sessions. They provide community groups and organisations with useful information about:
- how to apply
- the selection criteria
- the assessment process
They're also a great opportunity to ask questions.
RSVP to our Small Grant information sessions. Join us on Thursday 27 February or Wednesday 5 March to gain a clear understanding of the available small grants and how to apply. Registration is essential.
For more details, visit our Community grants page.
Step 5: Complete your application
When applications are open, they are submitted online on the SmartyGrants website.
Make sure you complete the budget requirements using the budget form in SmartyGrants, noting that:
- all budget costs must be justified for the project proposal
- all items listed in the budget must include a description of the item
- some applications may receive partial funding.
Supporting documents
Be sure to attach all supporting documentation. Your application cannot be assessed until we receive all these documents:
- Incorporation Annual Statement or an Annual Information Statement. Find out more on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website or the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission website.
- Australian Business Number (ABN)
- your organisation's Annual Report or audited financial statement
- evidence of an adequate public liability insurance policy to cover the staff, members and the general public, as appropriate
- formal quotes for all services and products over $1,000 must include the suppliers ABN and the GST amount
- letters or emails of support (optional).
Helpful resources
We also have some helpful resources available to help with your application:
- Statistics: see our History and demographics page for data on health, education, housing, economy and diversity.
- Accessibility: see our Make your event accessible page.
- Our Small Grants 2025 guidelines have information about the grant streams, criteria and how to apply.
Step 6: Submit your application
Once you have completed the above steps and you are happy with your application, you can finalise your submission through the SmartyGrants website.
Step 7: Application assessment
Applications are assessed against the assessment criteria (see Step 2) by Council Officers and the Community Strengthening Grants Assessment Panel.
The panel's recommendations are then submitted to Council for final endorsement.
Step 8: Results are announced
We will let you know if your application has been successful via email.
Step 9: Grant payments
If you are successful, you will receive your grant funds within 28 days of your approval letter (or as otherwise specified).
Step 10: Evaluation
Successful applicants will be required to provide a written project report annually (or as otherwise specified in the funding agreement) against agreed performance outcomes, as part of the decision-making process for continuing the funding. This is done online through the SmartyGrants website.