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Small Grants

Small Grants

The Small Grants Program allows individuals and non-profit community organisations to apply for small responsive grants to help them to achieve their goals and ambitions.

The Small Grants Program assessment process generally takes up to four weeks for a decision on your application. Should additional information be required this time period may extend. Although Council endeavours to make payment as soon as possible, this can take up to 28 working days upon submission of a completed agreement and invoice. Please consider these timelines when planning your events and activities. 

Check out the table below for an overview of the grants and how to apply. Further information on the grants criteria can be found by clicking on the guidelines below.

Important information

Small Grants Program Guidelines - 6.17MB 

Program

Funding Available

Frequency

To Apply

Small Grants Program

The Small Grants Program allows individuals and non-profit community organisations to apply for small responsive grants to support delivery of community activities and projects. A maximum of one grant can be awarded per applicant per financial year. Individuals may only apply for Category 1: the Individual Achievement Grant. Community groups can only apply for either Category 2, 3 or 4.

Up to $500 for Category 1

Up to $1,500 for Categories 2 and 4.

Up to $1,000 for Category 3

All year round

Apply here

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

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

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