Annual Grants

Grant Round Opens: Monday 2 June 2025

Grant Information Sessions (Online): Register here
Wednesday 21 May 2025
• 1:00pm – 2:30pm
• 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Steps to Grants Success Workshop: Register Here
Thursday 5 June 2025
• 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Applications Close: Monday 14 July 2025 at 3:00pm

Funding Announcements: November 2025

Grant Celebration & Networking Event: December 2025

Grant Payments: Within 30 days of funding agreement return

Projects Commence: From January 2026

To be eligible, applicants need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

Applicants need to be:

• An incorporated not-for-profit community group*/organisation with an ABN; OR
• An unincorporated not-for-profit community group/organisation auspiced by an incorporated organisation; OR
• An individual/artist, in the Arts & Heritage funding category only (must be auspiced by an incorporated organisation)
•  Organisations, community groups and artists/individuals applying for a grant must demonstrate how their project will directly benefit residents of the Yarra Ranges. Applicants based outside the region can apply if the project outcomes benefit and occur in Yarra Ranges.
• Applicants must commit to obtaining all necessary permits related to the funded activity, particularly for festivals, see section on Planning and other permits at page 18 of the Grants Guide. Council funding cannot be provided unless all necessary permits are in place.
• Applicants must have successfully completed all reporting requirements for previous Yarra Ranges Council grants and have no outstanding debts with Council. If unsure, please contact the Grants Team.
• Applicants must provide evidence of at least $10 Million Public Liability insurance.
• Child Safe Standards compliance is required if projects involve direct or incidental contact with children.
• Applicants agree to acknowledge funding from Yarra Ranges Council in promotion, consistent with Council’s branding guidelines.
• Applicants must consent to providing evidence of how funds were spent and outline project benefits through an acquittal process.
• Purchase of food associated with community relief projects is capped at $500.
• The grant activity must take place during 2026.
• Applicants must submit all supporting material when applying. Late submission of supporting documents will not be accepted.
• Only one application can made in each stream of the Annual Grants. Organisations cannot receive more than two grants in total.
• Applicants must talk through their project ideas with a Council Officer before applying. Please see contact details at the end of this document. 

Funding will not be granted for:

• A program, service or activity that is primarily considered the responsibility of State or Federal Government; for example, the core business of schools, hospitals or other services.
• Activities that take place outside the Yarra Ranges (including touring costs).
• A new building, capital works or facility maintenance works.
• Ongoing staff salaries or administration costs not specific to the project.
• Purchase of equipment only. Funding for equipment will be considered for a small component of the project (up to 15% of the requested grant amount).
• Activities that take place at inappropriate venues; for example, gambling venues.
• Activities that are sponsored by gambling businesses.
• Political organisations will not be funded.
• Applications with the singular purpose of promoting religion.
• Training, study or academic research in Australia or overseas.
• Applications that are solely for attending forums, workshops, conferences or for organising conferences.
• Overnight camps/activities
• Competitions, prizes, award exhibitions or exclusively fundraising events.
• Programs cannot be funded retrospectively (i.e. they cannot have already occurred).
• Major Council Partners are not eligible to apply and have been notified. This does not refer to 2023-27 Partnership Program recipients.
• Jumping castles and inflatables are not permitted.

Note:- Requests for petting zoos and animal attractions including pony rides will only be considered if the animal attractions proposed are integral to the event, and will be subject to specific Terms & Conditions, including that the event organiser must seek additional insurance coverage for these activities.

You can visit the 2026 Annual Grants Guide for further eligibility criteria(PDF, 4MB).

• Read the 2026 Annual Grant Guide for your relevant stream.(PDF, 4MB)

• Check that you meet the eligibility requirements.

• Speak with a relevant Council Officer.

• Allow adequate time to obtain quotes for expenses over $750 and obtain letters of support.

• Ensure you have appropriate type and level of insurance ($10M Public Liability) for this grant application.

• Check you have acquitted all completed projects funded by Yarra Ranges Council.

• Secure an auspice well in advance (for individual/artist or a not-for-profit unincorporated community group).

• Allow two weeks if you are requiring a quote for use of Council's venues and open spaces.

• Use the Grant Templates and Examples to help prepare you application.

• Allow plenty of time to complete this application.

Before submitting your application, you are required to discuss your project with one of the relevant Council Officers.

In this section, you will find a table with the Council Officers email address. You can email them directly, or if you prefer to speak with them please call 1300 368 333 and ask for the relevant person.

Applicants are encouraged to view last year’s successful grants to see the range of projects funded. 

View previous Grant Recipients from 2025

Grant projects (from any funding stream) may include an event.  We have a guide to assist with event and festival planning - Planning a Festival or Event

There are many well equipped public spaces and community halls across Yarra Ranges which are great locations for events. If you're planning an event on private land, you may need a Planning Permit. Council funding cannot be provided unless all necessary permits are in place.

You can view a list of our venues, parks and open spaces at:

• Parks & Recreation Yarra Ranges Council
• Community Halls & venues for hire Yarra Ranges Council

Events on Public Land

• Please refer to the Planning a Festival or Event page on Council’s website to establish if you need to register your event. You'll also find the Event Quick Guide, packed with helpful information to support your event planning
•  If you need to register your event this must be done at least 12 weeks prior to the event date. This ensures plenty of time to process your registration and provide any support that may be needed.
•  If your event is on public land, you won’t need a Planning Permit, but you may need a PoPE (Place of Public Entertainment) Permit. When you register your event, we’ll let you know if this is required.

Events on private land 

• If your event is being held on private land a Planning Permit is likely to be required, you will be referred to Council’s Planning team to check if you can hold the event on the proposed site. We suggest you get advice before you make a grant application by calling the Planning Duty Officer on 1300 368 333.

A Planning Permit can take 6 to 12 months to process, so choosing a public place for your event might be a better option. If you decide to apply for a Planning Permit, please allow enough time to work through this before applying for a grant. Click here to find out more

For further information please contact festivals@yarraranges.vic.gov.au or grants@yarraranges.vic.gov.au

Good Governance:

Yarra Ranges Council is dedicated to ensuring the Annual Grants Program is run in a fair and transparent manner. We commit to managing an effective grants program that responds to community opportunities, ideas and needs and is a sound use of public funds. This commitment is expressed through openness to constructive feedback and a desire for continuous improvement. Successful grant recipients must have robust governance structures in place.

Child Safety Standards:

The introduction of Child Safe Standards by the Victorian Government stipulates that all organisations that provide services for children or receive government funding are now covered by mandatory reporting requirements. Grant recipients that have direct and incidental contact with children during the course of their project, will be required to provide additional documentation if their application is successful.

Gender Equity:

Yarra Ranges Council is committed to gender equity and works alongside our grant recipients towards achieving this. Women, men and gender diverse community members can face different expectations and challenges based on social conditioning and subtle biases. Consequently, designing or delivering a project treating all people as the same may not necessarily result in equal inclusion and impact. It is important that grant applicants apply a ‘gender lens’ when drafting their application. This involves considering the different needs and circumstances of people of all genders within the target group. Further information on running gender-wise projects can be found at: fundingcentre. com.au/help/gender-lens. Alternatively, applicants are invited to contact Council’s Gender Equity Officer on 1300 368 333 for ideas on integrating gender-aware practices into your organisation’s work.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability:

Yarra Ranges is renowned for its natural beauty and Council is committed to maintaining the health and significance of the region’s environment. All applications are encouraged to consider activities that improve sustainability and minimise unnecessary environmental impacts. For more information or support on this please contact Council’s Sustainability Officer on 1300 368 333.

Diverse and Inclusive:

Diversity is a strength within Yarra Ranges and something grant projects can promote. Grant submissions from groups and individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, age groups, genders and sexual orientation are strongly encouraged. Including people with diverse needs Council is committed to increasing access and participation by people with disability and their carers. Grant projects can lead the way in this. Consideration of how projects will reach out and include people with a disability is encouraged e.g. promotion, physical access, including performers with disability and on your organising committee.

For practical ideas and considerations please contact Council’s Disability Inclusion Officer or Indigenous Development Officer on 1300 368 333.