Deadline: 30-Jun-26
The Victoria State Government is now inviting applications for its Community Development Fund to support the early implementation of the Local Development Strategy (LDS) program.
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.
Principles
- Allocation of the $22 million available will be through two funding streams and will be guided by the following principles:
- each town or community with a Local Development Strategy will receive a dedicated base level of funding for project management support and other activities
- the remainder of the funds will be allocated to particular innovation opportunities identified in Local Development Strategy business cases
- funding will be prioritised for the initiation of economic development and diversification projects
- communities will determine what innovation opportunities should be pursued in their community’s location, taking into account the overall program objectives.
Funding Information
- Funding Stream One: Each town or community is eligible for up to $500,000 to fund.
- Funding Stream Two
- Of the $2 million:
- $500,000 (excluding GST) is dedicated funding to begin implementing one or more innovation opportunity business cases in each eligible town or community (provided the application meets all the necessary conditions)
- The remaining $1.5 million (excluding GST) may be available to each town or community to fund actions identified in innovation opportunity business cases through a contestable process.
- Of the $2 million:
Eligibility Criteria
- Funding Stream One
- Applications for this stream of funding will be considered from a business, community or industry group including:
- Local Development Strategy host agency
- a community organisation that oversees the implementation of the Local Development Strategy
- local government authority
- a business and industry cluster or network
- chamber of commerce or business association.
- Applications for activities to upskill community members received from organisations other than the community organisation that oversees the implementation of the Local Development Strategy will need the endorsement of that community organisation.
- If the Local Development Strategy host agency or the community organisation that oversees the implementation of the Local Development Strategy does not apply for Stream 1 funding, it is expected that the community organisation will endorse any application for project management support.
- Applications for this stream of funding will be considered from a business, community or industry group including:
- Funding Stream Two
- Applications for Funding Stream 2 will be considered from:
- Private sector businesses
- Business, community and industry groups including:
- Local Development Strategy host agencies
- the community organisation that oversees the implementation of the Local Development Strategy
- local government authorities
- business and industry clusters and networks
- chambers of commerce and business associations
- educational and research organisations
- Applications that involve the provision of enabling infrastructure necessary to activate projects delivering investment and jobs may be considered from:
- utility and services providers
- water corporations
- local government authorities
- incorporated not-for-profit organisations that operate as a business.
- Applications for Funding Stream 2 will be considered from:
For more information, visit https://djpr.vic.gov.au/forestry/grants/community-development-fund