Emerge Program

Community Grants and Funding

 

What is Community Funding?

The Community Grants Program provides opportunities for Council to work in partnership with the community for the benefit of Greater Dandenong. Council provides financial assistance to community groups and individuals to undertake projects and activities in the city to help foster this partnership.

If you or your organisation would like advice and assistance regarding any of our community funding programs, please contact our team on 8571 1432 or email commgrants@cgd.vic.gov.au

Language support is available.  Contact the Community Funding Team on 8571 1432 or commgrants@cgd.vic.gov.au

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To stay up to date with the latest news from the Community Grants Program sign up for our monthly enewsletter below.

This enewsletter will keep you up to date on Council's community grants programs, as well as community projects and other funding opportunities and more.

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Community Grants Programs

The City of Greater Dandenong provides financial assistance in the form of grants and donations to community groups and individuals for activities that will benefit local residents.

For an overview of Council’s community funding programs please see the table below. Ensure you read the criteria in the guidelines for each grant carefully before applying.

If you require further assistance please contact Council's Community Funding Team. For program policies please refer to the Policies and Codes of Practice.

ATTENTION: If you have already started an application please  Login here 

Expression of Interest - Community Grants Panels 

Greater Dandenong Council invites applications from interested community members to join and contribute to Council's Community Grants Panels.

Community Grants Panels have been established to make funding recommendations for Council’s Community Support Grants Program and Community Partnership Funding and Sponsorship Program. The Panels:

  • provide objective, independent recommendations to Council based on reviewing and assessing the completed applications against the criteria.
  • ensure that the endorsed Council guidelines and the assessment criteria are applied equitably to all applications.
  • strengthen community participation and transparency in Council decision making.

If you would like to join and contribute to a Community Grants Panel, please complete an Expression of Interest Form 

Further information can be found on the Expression of Interest form or by contacting the Community Funding Team on 8571 1432 or emailing commgrants@cgd.vic.gov.au. 

Program

Category

Funding Available

Frequency

To Apply

Community Response Grants Program

Community Response Grants Program Guidelines

Grants for Individual Applicants

Only one category available for individual applicant:

Category 1: Individual Achievement Grants

Individual Achievement Grants provide opportunity for residents of the City of Greater Dandenong to apply for grants to support them participate in elite opportunities that develop their talents and abilities to achieve their goals and ambitions.

  Up to $500 All year round

Apply here

Grants for Community Organisations

The three categories available include:
  • Community Group Activities Grants
  • Entry Level Grants
  • Responsive Projects Grants

Small grants are available for community groups to help them to achieve their goals and ambitions.

Up to $2,000 for Category 2.

Up to $1,000 for Categories 3 and 4.

 All year round

Apply here

Community Support Grants Program

 

Community Support Grants Program Guidelines - 247KB

Grant Round Information Sheet - 707KB

Community Development

Projects that support community education, life-long learning, community inclusion and social cohesion.

 Up to $10,000 Bi-annual

Apply here

Opens 8 February and closes 5pm on 27 March 2023

Arts, Festivals and Events

Open and accessible festivals, events and art projects that activate public spaces, build community connection and cross-cultural exchange.

 Up to $10,000 Bi-annual

Apply here

Opens 8 February and closes 5pm on 27 March 2023

Individual Applications - Arts, Festival and Events

Arts projects that have high artistic merit and attract new audiences.

 Up to $5,000 Bi-annual

Apply here

Opens 8 February and closes 5pm on 27 March 2023

Community Partnerships and Sponsorships Grant - Organisations only

Community Partnerships Program and Sponsorships Guidelines

Grant Round Information Sheet - 707KB

Building-Capacity Grants

One-off funding of up to three years to support organisations grow and/or become sustainable.

(Small up to $20,000p.a.)

(Medium up to $50,000p.a.)

 Annual application round (pending budget) Closed

Strategic Project Grants

Up to two years funding to support projects that directly contribute to achievement of Council plans, frameworks, strategies and action plans.

(Medium $10,000 to $30,000p.a.)

(Large $30,001 - $80,000p.a.)

  Annual application round (pending budget) Closed

Sponsorships

Funding to support organisations and activities that create social and/or environmental benefit, and significantly contribute to the image of the city and/or create economic benefit.

Sponsorships

(Medium up to $15,000p.a.)

(Large $15,001 - $40,000p.a.)

 		 Annual application round (pending budget) Closed
On

Useful Documents and Resources

The following information can help groups to plan for requirements related to their grants application, search their own incorporation or business registrations and support governance processes with groups.

Community Response Grants Program

Membership – Incorporated Associations

This webpage on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website outlines register of members and use of this information. The Community Response Grants Program requests membership lists to verify number of participants in grants applications. The information will not be used for any other purpose.

Community Support Grants Program

The below links provide acceptable guides and examples that can be used to support your grants application.

Governance

Consumer Affairs

Registration Search

Project Planning Tools

These project planning tools are not required for applications but can strengthen your submission, particularly if you are requesting large amounts of funding or have high risk activities involved in your project. If you would also like to start using development tools to improve the capacity of your organisation it is worth having a look at these following links:

  • Risk Assessment  Safe Work Australia This webpage highlights the basics of risk assessments, it also highlights hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control with some examples and activities.
  • Gantt Charts - A tool used to create a visual timeline of project tasks.
  • How to write a logframe: A beginner's guide - This article gives an overview of basic logframes and how this tool assists to identify key aspects of a project.
  • Theory of Change - This highlights what a program or project (change initiative) does and how this achieves goals and desired outcomes.

 

Help Centre Resources

Our Community Organisation Website Resources

Standards

Crowd Source Funding Platforms

Below are some online websites that support organisations to promote projects and funding raising initiatives.

Links to Non-Council Grants Funding

In addition to the City of Greater Dandenong's Councillor Donation Fund and Community Support Grants Program, a number of organisations and government departments offer grant funding. The list below outlines some grant providers to help you get started.


Arts Victoria
http://new.creative.vic.gov.au/
Arts Victoria delivers a range of programs designed to assist the development and presentation of cultural projects, programs and services that will benefit the Victorian arts industry and broader community.


Australia Council for the Arts
www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants 
The Australia Council for the Arts offers funding for a range of arts-related projects including music, performance, festivals, and community cultural development.


Grants @ DPCD
www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/home/grants
Provides a list of grants and funding available from all Victorian State Government departments and agencies.


Grants Link
www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/business-and-industry/gra…
Provides an extensive listing of Commonwealth Government grants and funding programs.


Office of Multiculturalism and Citizenship / Victorian Multicultural Commission (OMAC/VMC)
www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/grants
OMAC / VMC runs a Community Grants Program to provide support to Victoria's culturally and linguistically diverse communities, especially new and emerging communities, to develop and sustain local community organisations and programs.


Our Community
www.ourcommunity.com.au
Our Community is a world-leading social enterprise that provides advice and tools for Australia's 600,000 not-for-profit community groups and state, private and independent schools, as well as practical linkages between the community sector and the general public, business and government. Their website contains an extensive database of grants opportunities, although full information on grants programs is only available to subscribers of their Easygrants newsletter.


Philanthropy Australia
http://www.philanthropy.org.au/seek-funding/
Philanthropy Australia offers a range of services to support those seeking grants from philanthropic sources.


VicHealth
www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
Funds a variety of projects, including those based on community building, the environment, health, sports and arts.


Vicsport
www.vicsport.asn.au
Vicsport has produced an online guide to assist sports clubs and associations by raising their awareness of the many funding and grants programs available throughout the Victorian Community.

Past Grants Recipients

Funding details for our Community Grants Programs are published in Council's Annual Reports. 

Visit the Council Documents page

Contact Details
Community Funding Support Officers
8571 1432
commgrants@cgd.vic.gov.au

City of Greater Dandenong

Dandenong Civic Centre

225 Lonsdale Street

Dandenong

Victoria Australia 3175

Haven't found what you need?

Contact us on 8571 1000 or council@cgd.vic.gov.au

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Greater Dandenong City Council acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land, the Bunurong People, and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their continuing connections to climate, Culture and Country.