Deadline: 14-Apr-25
The Community Development Fund is designed to support the implementation of opportunities identified by communities in their Local Development Strategy.
It aims to maintain the momentum for the economic transition built up through the Local Development Strategy program and continue the development of new industries and opportunities.
The Fund will:
- assist the community to transition to new and sustainable industries
- create economic growth and future jobs
- support development of community capability and resilience.
Funding Streams
- The fund is being delivered as a contestable fund, where projects are assessed against merit criteria to identify those projects that can be supported.
- The fund will use two funding streams.
- Stream 1
- Funds are available for project management support and to upskill community members to build business expertise and community capability.
- Each town or community is eligible to apply for up to $500,000 to fund.
- Stream 2
- Funds are available to progress opportunities for diversification identified through the Local Development Strategy program.
- Each of the 11 towns or communities may be eligible to access up to $2 million in funding comprising:
- up to $500,000 (excluding GST) of guaranteed funding (provided the applications meet departmental requirements, eligibility and assessment criteria)
- up to $1.5 million (excluding GST) of competitive funding once the community’s guaranteed funding is exhausted.
- Stream 1
Eligible Activities
- Stream 1
- project management support including:
- co-ordinating the implementation and delivery of each Innovation Working Group established through the Local Development Strategy program
- implementing enabling activities identified in the Local Development Strategy
- providing administration support to each Innovation Working Group and the Local Development Strategy Leadership Group
- convening community meetings supporting the Local Development Strategy
- leading and delivering a communications strategy for the Local Development Strategy.
- upskilling community members, including:
- the identification of workforce and business support needs
- building business expertise, capability and resilience
- community workforce capability and training
- grant-writing assistance
- succession planning and investor/investee advice
- leadership development
- business development support.
- project management support including:
- Stream 2
- The types of activities include:
- initial funding to support innovation opportunities identified through the Local Development Strategy, and developed by the Innovation Working Groups, including:
- applied research and development
- project activity support
- pilot projects/feasibility studies/ business cases/funding submissions
- marketing
- logistics and supply chain development.
- infrastructure improvements identified in the Local Development Strategy, for example:
- technology, plant and equipment, and communications
- new or upgraded infrastructure including utility or service connections
- initial funding to support innovation opportunities identified through the Local Development Strategy, and developed by the Innovation Working Groups, including:
- The types of activities include:
Ineligible Activities
- Stream 1
- Activities that will generally not be funded through Stream 1 include:
- funding for project management support resources which could reasonably be expected to be the responsibility of the Local Development Strategy host agency
- requests for retrospective funding where activities have been completed or have commenced prior to receiving funding approval
- purchase of property or vehicles
- activities establishing expectations of ongoing funding from the Victorian Government
- activities undertaken by the private sector as a result of a Victorian Government contract.
- Activities that will generally not be funded through Stream 1 include:
- Stream 2
- Activities that will generally not be funded include:
- activities primarily to meet regulatory requirements
- requests for retrospective funding where projects have been completed or have commenced prior to receiving funding approval
- purchase of property or vehicles
- use of funding for political campaigning or advocacy activities for political parties
- activities undertaken by the private sector as a result of a Victorian Government contract
- activities normally funded through Commonwealth, State or local government sources
- activities requiring operational funding from the Victorian Government once completed.
- Activities that will generally not be funded include:
Who is eligible?
- Funding Streams 1 and 2
- Applications for both funding streams will be considered from a community or industry group including:
- an incorporated community organisation
- local government authority
- a business and industry cluster or network
- non-profit organisation
- chamber of commerce, business association, education and research organisations.
- Applications for both funding streams will be considered from a community or industry group including:
- Funding Stream 2 only
- Applications for Funding Stream 2 will also be considered from:
- Private sector businesses
- Additionally, where applications under Stream 2 are for infrastructure projects that will create investment and jobs, applications may be considered from:
- utility and services providers
- water corporations
- local government authorities
- incorporated not-for-profit organisations that operate as a business.
For more information, visit Government of Victoria.