Applications for the 2023-26 Triennial Operational Grants are now closed.
Triennial Operational Grants support operating and program costs associated with the delivery of services, celebrations and events in Boroondara.
Triennial Operational Grants are part of Council's Community Strengthening Grants program, which funds activities that respond to the social, cultural, recreational and environmental needs of Boroondara residents. The objectives of the Community Strengthening Grants program are to:
- increase participation of residents in their community
- increase inclusion and representation of under-represented groups and issues
- develop innovative approaches to local issues
- assist groups and volunteers to develop skills and build capacity
- encourage the sustainability and better governance of community organisations
- encourage partnerships between local organisations and the development of local community networks.
Grant streams
Applicants can apply for Triennial Operational Grants under the following streams:
- Creative Community (community events) - available to community organisations who deliver community festivals or events
- Creative Community (creative and cultural groups) - available to community organisations who deliver diverse community-based art and cultural programs
- Vibrant Retail Precincts - available to trader associations
- Sustainable Community - available to community organisations
- Healthy Community - available to community organisations.
Application process
Step 1: Check you are eligible
Read through the eligibility criteria on our Triennial Operational Grants eligibility and conditions page to make sure you meet the criteria.
When grants are open, applicants are invited to attend an information session to learn about program requirements.
Step 2: Consider the objectives and assessment criteria
Applications are assessed against a defined set of criteria to a score of 100%. It is important that you are familiar with them before completing your application.
Read the assessment criteria for:
- Creative Community on our Creative Community Grants page
- Vibrant Retail Precincts on our Vibrant Retail Precincts Grants page
- Sustainable Community on our Sustainable Community Grants page
- Healthy Community on our Healthy Community Grants page.
Step 3: Discuss your idea
Before you apply, you must discuss your project idea with a member of our Boroondara team. Your application cannot be assessed without completing this step.
If you have general questions about the Triennial Operational Grants or do not know which stream to apply for, you can discuss your project idea with a Community Development Officer (Grants and Partnerships) by emailing [email protected] or calling (03) 9278 4753.
If you know which grant stream your grant idea would fall under, you can contact one of the Boroondara team members listed below.
Healthy Community contacts
For this grant stream:
- Recreation grant ideas can contact William Bullock on (03) 9278 4783
- Sport grant ideas can contact Dominique Bebbington on (03) 9278 4797
- Seniors grant ideas can contact Maree Guthrie on (03) 9278 4955
- Children and Families grant ideas can contact Suzanne Jervies on (03) 9278 4698
- Cultural Diversity grant ideas can contact Emma Wilkinson team on (03) 9278 4436
- Disability Access and Inclusion grant ideas can contact Cassandra Chatwin-Smith on (03) 9278 4336
- Health and Wellbeing grant ideas can contact Elanna Nolan on (03) 9278 4427
- Neighbourhood House grant ideas can contact Katelyn Stanyer on (03) 9278 4869
- Safer Communities grant ideas can contact Andrea Learbuch on (03) 9278 4715 or Mila Sumner on (03) 9278 4691
- Reconciliation grant ideas can contact Liz O’Loughlin on (03) 9278 4693
- Volunteering grant ideas can contact Georgia Lukacs-Rotow on (03) 9278 4550
- Youth grant ideas can contact Brydie Shackleford by calling (03) 9278 4608.
Sustainable Community contacts
For this grant stream, you can contact Liz Casper from our Environment team by calling (03) 9278 4347.
Vibrant Retail Precincts contacts
For this grant stream, you can contact Sonja Tomasovic from our Local Economies team by calling (03) 9278 4879.
Creative Community contacts
For this grant stream, you can contact Bridget Rasmussen from our Arts and Culture team by calling (03) 9278 4770.
Step 4: Get help with your application
We are a quick phone call or email away to answer any questions you have. You can contact the Community Development Officer (Grants and Partnerships) by emailing [email protected] or calling (03) 9278 4753.
Step 5: Complete your application
When applications are open, they are submitted online through the SmartyGrants website-external site.
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.
Be sure to attach all supporting documentation. Your application cannot be assessed until we receive all these documents:
- Incorporation Annual Statement (find out more on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website)-external site or Annual Information Statement (find out more on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission website)-external site
- Australian Business Number (ABN)
- your organisation's Annual Report or audited financial statement
- evidence of public liability insurance policy to cover the staff, members and the general public to $20 million and workers compensation and volunteers insurance
- formal quotes for all services and products over $3,000 must include the suppliers ABN and the GST amount
- letters or emails of support (optional).
We also have some helpful resources available to help with your application:
- statistics: visit our History and demographics page for data on health, education, housing, economy and diversity.
- accessibility: visit our Make your event accessible page.
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-external site.
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-external site.