COVID-19 Community Relief and Recovery Grants Program

Communities

For example, projects that improve health and wellbeing through community engagement, collaboration, innovation, and social connection; projects that take a preventative evidence based approach to family violence and homelessness; projects that prepare people for paid and or voluntary work; and projects that seek to develop the community’s readiness to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Activities might include professionally facilitated webinars, workshops or training programs, awareness-raising campaigns, collaborations between community groups and local businesses, or Do it Yourself (DIY) activity kits that families can use at home.

Organisations/groups

For example, projects that strengthen organisations’ operations, upgrading of equipment to deliver services in new ways including online, training/workshops for staff and volunteers to equip them with the information and skills needed to assess client needs and to address long term social and economic recovery.

Selection criteria (must meet 3 out of 5 of the following)

Capacity building is having the necessary resources, equipment, or opportunities to:

• Learn: providing training to staff and volunteers, or educating and increasing awareness in the community.
• Work: enabling people to get involved in paid or voluntary work.
• Engage: connecting organisations, groups, businesses or individuals within an industry, sector or geographical area.
• Advocate: involving groups and individuals in making decisions that affect them.
• Plan: ensuring your project has specific, measurable goals and a clear work plan and budget.

For example, upgrading of equipment to deliver services in new ways, including online; projects which optimise opportunities for communities to participate, celebrate, preserve and promote local culture and identity; skills development training/workshops; creative projects that foster the arts; projects that increase community access to artists’ work; activities that improve artists’ connection with local business and communities; and supporting local artists to deliver events or performances that can generate income.

Selection criteria (must meet 3 out of 5 of the following)

Capacity building is having the necessary resources, equipment, or opportunities to:

• Learn: providing training to artists and volunteers, or educating and increasing skills and expertise in creative industries.
• Work: enabling artists and others to get involved in paid or voluntary work.
• Engage: connecting organisations, groups, businesses or individuals within the creative industries.
• Advocate: involving creative groups and artists in making decisions that affect them.
• Plan: ensuring your project has specific, measurable goals and a clear work plan and budget.

For example, projects that improve access to information regarding emergency relief services; Improve access and connection to psychosocial support services, health care and first aid, and family violence services with a focus on vulnerable communities; expand and improve the distribution of food, water and material aid; improve access to emergency accommodation (including animal care); providing training opportunities for staff and volunteers to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to assess the immediate needs.

Selection criteria (must meet 3 out of 5)

• Learn: providing training to staff and volunteers, or educating and increasing awareness and knowledge in the community.
• Work: enabling people to get involved in paid or voluntary work.
• Access: improving access to goods and services.
• Advocate: involving groups and individuals in making decisions that affect them.
• Plan: ensuring your project has specific, measurable goals and a clear work plan and budget.

Applicants can apply through the Council’s online SmartyGrants portal.

Before applying, individual applicants/representatives of the organisations must read and understand the program guidelines and are strongly encouraged to discuss their project idea with a Council officer before applying.

An eligible applicant can submit one application only. An individual artist must be auspiced by an incorporated organisation. An auspicing organisation is permitted to sponsor more than one application. This is to ensure fair access across groups and organisations in Yarra Ranges.

The program will open on 1 August 2020. Applications can be submitted at any time. Applications will be assessed at the end of each month. Applicants will be notified of outcomes approximately three weeks after the end of each month. The final date for submission of applications will be 30 November 2020.

Make sure you apply a minimum of 8 weeks before your activity or event takes place as there is no retrospective funding awarded. The approved project must be completed before the end of June 2021.

The following important requirements demonstrate the foundations for projects to be successful. 

• Projects must be located in Yarra Ranges and deliver all outcomes in Yarra Ranges.
• Applicants must commit to obtaining all necessary permits related to the funded activity, particularly for events.
• Projects must have suitable public liability insurance that covers the duration of the project. If the organisation/individual does not have public liability insurance at the time of application, a funding condition is that they must provide evidence of obtaining it before the grant is paid.
• Current Working with Children Checks and Child Safe Standards compliance is required of funding recipients (where appropriate).
• Applicants must consent to provide evidence of how funds were spent, progress reports if required and outline project activities, outcomes, impacts, and benefits through an acquittal process.
• Equipment and Materials - Applications that are for the sole purpose of purchasing equipment or materials, e.g. art supplies, IT equipment, etc. may receive up to $2,500.
• Dedicated fundraising events - Can apply for up to $2500 and need to demonstrate how the fundraising effort will create a social connection in the community.
• Applicants must submit all supporting material when applying. Given the competitive nature of grants, no late submission of supporting documents will be accepted.

Applications will be ineligible if funding is intended for: 

• A program, service, or activity that is primarily considered the responsibility of the State or Federal Government and activities currently funded by the state and federal government.
• Activities that take place outside Yarra Ranges.
• A new building, capital works or facility maintenance works. Small works can be considered – up to $2,500 - if the project aligns with the program objectives.
• Activities that duplicate programs already being delivered within the same geographical area.
• Purchasing food and water.
• Ongoing staff salaries or administration costs not specific to the project.
• Projects that involve children and young people to stay overnight.
• Projects that are for core school curriculum activities and school-based projects that do not engage the wider community.
• Activities that take place at inappropriate venues; for example, gambling venues or venues that are sponsored by gambling businesses.
• Projects with the singular purpose of promoting religion or politics.
• Professional services, training, study or academic research here or overseas.
• Retrospective funding of projects. Applicants need to submit their application before the event or activity occurs.
• Subsidising ongoing or regular use of Council’s halls or facilities.
• Awards, purchase of trophies and competitions.

The COVID-19 Community Relief and Recovery Grants Program open on 1 August and will be closing 31 November 2020 but the applications open and close on monthly basis.

Applications will be assessed at the end of each month. Applicants will be notified of outcomes approximately three weeks after the end of each month.

Up to $5,000. 

The following three funding categories are available

1. Build the capacity and resilience of communities and organisations/groups.
2. Build the capacity and resilience of creative organisations, groups and individual artists.
3. Provide emergency support to communities.

The maximum grant amount available in each category is $5,000

Council is committed to promoting child safety and ensuring compliance with the Victorian Child Safe Standards. As a Child Safe organisation, Council requires projects or programs which involve direct or incidental contact with children to have appropriate measures in place.

Applicants will be stepped through what’s required as part of the online application process.

Applicants are expected to provide a budget aligned with outcomes for the project duration. Budgets need to demonstrate considered planning, be realistic and justifiable for the proposed application.

Yes, for all individual expense items which exceed $500.00

Whilst not mandatory, co-contributions (including cash or in-kind) will be considered favourably. Full and confirmed details of any co-contributions must be outlined in your application.

Examples of other contributions may include you as the applicant; individuals contributing skills or time; state government funding; not for profit organisations; or local business sponsorship.

It is Council's expectation that grants are used only for the approved project and not to contribute to the grantee’s general overheads, administration or other indirect costs. However, Council also recognises that some indirect, overhead and administrative costs may be directly attributable to the project or activities being funded. In such cases, consideration will be made to fund these expenses to a reasonable level. 

Decisions will be made on a case by case basis.

For all application enquiries, please call Council directly on 1300 368 333 during business hours. 

Alternatively, you can email grants@yarraranges.vic.gov.au  (Please include your application reference number in the email subject heading)

Support letters are well regarded and helpful. Ensure letters are relevant to the application and support your case for funding.

A community group (or individual artist) that is not incorporated must have their application ‘auspiced’ by an incorporated organisation. The auspicing body is legally responsible for the funds and enters into the Funding Agreement with Council.

Please note that information on the auspicing body will need to be provided in the application, including their ABN, financial report and contact details. Grant applicants can allocate a small auspicing fee as part of the application.

Read more about auspicing arrangements.

View an example of a Memorandum of Understanding between Auspice Organisation and Applicant document.

You will receive an automated email acknowledging your application has been lodged.  All applications undergo a pre-assessment eligibility check by a Council officer before being assessed by two independent Council Officers and the Manager Community Wellbeing. Successful projects are presented monthly to Council for noting. 

No. The application process is competitive, and it is anticipated that requests for funding will exceed the funding available. Successful applications will be those which best meet the grant program objectives and can demonstrate the capacity to deliver the project in response to the selection criteria.

No. Successful applicants are not guaranteed to receive the full amount of funding requested. Council reserves the right to recommend grant amounts which may differ from the amount requested.

The approved project must be completed before the end of June 2021. 

No. Due to the high volume of interest, late applications cannot be accepted.

The closing date is 30 November 2020. 

Incorporated not-for-profit organisations, community groups, social enterprises and individual artists with no outstanding Council debts/acquittals are eligible to apply.  Applicants who are not incorporated will require an auspice. 

No, projects must be located in Yarra Ranges and deliver all outcomes in Yarra Ranges.

It is possible to vary your project, but this must be discussed with the appropriate Council officer as soon as possible.

This should be clearly communicated to your designated Council officer as soon as possible. If you are facing challenges or difficulties in implementing your project, get in touch, and we will support where we can.

Yes, an opportunity for feedback exists and will be offered as part of the unsuccessful notification process.