Applications open for North East Community Fund – Australia

Deadline: 10-Sep-2024

The next round of funding from the North East Community Fund is now open for applications, supporting projects and community initiatives in areas that are most impacted by construction including Balwyn North, Box Hill North, Bulleen, Bundoora, Doncaster, Greensborough, Heidelberg, Kew East, Macleod, Mont Albert North, Rosanna, Templestowe Lower, Viewbank, Watsonia, Yallambie.

Communities in Melbourne’s north east have another opportunity to benefit from a $10 million fund that is helping local groups and organisations during construction of the North East Link.

The North East Community Fund (NECF) will support local areas and community organisations most impacted by construction. The $10 million fund seeks to support local initiatives and projects in Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs – bringing lasting benefit to the area well before these massive projects are completed in 2028.

The fund will support a range of community initiatives that align with the identified community priorities ranging from programs to increase participation, including community art exhibitions, sports club open days, and community centre upgrades.

Funding will be available throughout the construction of North East Link until project completion and the program will prioritise its support to those most impacted by construction. Funding will be awarded so that there is a spread of funding across a range of projects and categories.

The fund is managed by North East Link, part of Major Roads Projects Victoria (MRPV), on behalf of the Victorian Government.

Priorities

• Projects submitted to the North East Community Fund should support the strengthening of community connectedness and cohesiveness, as well as align with at least one of the following priorities:
  • Community connectedness
    • Creating opportunities, activities and environments which bring communities together.
  • Health and wellbeing
    • Supporting programs and opportunities which promote healthy living and wellbeing.
  • Innovation
    • Supporting projects and events which help the community to solve future challenges.
  • Environment and sustainability
    • Enhancing and conserving green spaces and the environment.
  • Accessibility
    • Focus on mobility to make it easier for people to travel and explore their local area.
  • Leadership
    • Supporting and training future leaders to advocate for their community.
  • Education and skills
    • Providing information, skills, and new opportunities to members of the community.
  • Diversity
    • Supporting social inclusion for diverse populations.
  • Beautification
    • Supporting opportunities to improve the aesthetics and facilities of the community.
  • Arts and culture
    • Celebrating culture and building positive community perceptions.
  • Heritage
    • Celebrating history and creating links between the past and present within the community.
  • Social procurement
    • Commitment to generating social value through procurement within the Victorian Social Procurement Framework.

Categories

• Proposed projects should fit into one of the following categories:
  • Connecting communities and neighbourhood grants
    • Up to $10,000 for a one-off initiative that aims to improve community connectedness and participation.
  • Celebrating communities and neighbourhood grants
    • Up to $20,000 for festivals, events, and installations that bring local people together.
  • Transforming communities and neighbourhood grants
    • Up to $75,000 for improvements to local community, sporting and recreation facilities and local environments.
  • Community Partnerships Program
    • Up to $100,000 for large scale partnerships where wide reaching community benefits or a significant lasting outcome can be demonstrated.
    • Funding for the partnerships program will only be considered where there is already external funding confirmed. Funding could be up to $100,000 but must not be more than 50 per cent of the total project cost.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must:
  • be an incorporated not-for-profit organisation or community group or be sponsored (auspiced) by an incorporated not-for profit organisation located in either the City of Banyule, City of Manningham, City of Boroondara, City of Nillumbik, City of Whitehorse, with the initiative or project to take place in a priority suburb
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and provide an incorporation number
  • have a current public liability insurance (minimum of $10 million).
• Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations may include but are not limited to:
  • charities
  • Australian Public Companies, such as companies limited by guarantee and/or limited by shares (non-distribution of profits or dividends)
  • co-operatives
  • trusts that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for- profits Commission (ACNC)
  • not-for-profit associations
  • Registered Australian Bodies
  • Indigenous corporations
  • organisations established under an Act of Parliament.
• Auspice arrangements for grants are designed to assist not-for-profit community groups who are small or may not yet be incorporated, they cannot be used by for-profit organisations to apply for grants that benefit a commercial business.
• The auspice organisation would receive the grant funding and have responsibility for ensuring that the project is completed on time.
• Evidence of the agreement between the two parties to undertake this auspice arrangement must be submitted with the grant application.
• Priority suburbs
  • Areas most impacted by construction will be prioritised, including Balwyn North, Box Hill North, Bulleen, Bundoora, Doncaster, Greensborough, Heidelberg, Kew East, Macleod, Mont Albert North, Rosanna, Templestowe Lower, Viewbank, Watsonia and Yallambie.

Ineligible

• Initiatives will not be eligible to receive funding if they:
  • are intended to fund operational or core business costs including salaries and administration costs
  • have the single purpose of promoting religion or political parties
  • are currently fully funded by local, state, or federal governments
  • are intended to exclusively use the funding to cover planning, design or preliminary construction costs
  • are deemed as core curriculum activities of educational institutions
  • derive income from gambling or are proposing to conduct activities that promote gambling
  • have a debt or outstanding acquittal owing to the State Government authority where the project will be undertaken
  • have already commenced before the grants are paid or have not commenced but have secured all funding.

For more information, visit State Government of Victoria.