Community Grants

What are Community Grants?

The City of Casey provides Community Grants of up to $5,000 to assist local groups and organisations to provide projects, programs and events that benefit the local community.

Information sessions

To attend one of the information sessions below, please book your place.

RSVP to an information session

Purpose of this grant

Community Grants are to support activities that:

• are innovative and of a high quality
• promote a sense of community, resilience and social inclusion across Casey
• increase opportunities for community participation and education
• promote sustainable living practices
• help residents to be healthy, active and engaged in community life
• are locally led and have community support
• celebrate diversity and cultural heritage
• enable the community to share in the benefits of digital technology
• support Council plans and strategic objectives

Who can apply for this grant

To apply for this grant, your group must:

• be a registered (incorporated) not-for-profit club or community groups or have an auspice arrangement with an incorporated group who agree to receive and manage the funds
• be based (meet or hold activities) in Casey or provide services to the Casey community
• have public liability insurance of a minimum $10 million
• be able to demonstrate significant support in the community for your organisation
• develop a project plan, highlighting the benefits of what you are proposing
• create an itemised budget, detailing how you will spend the funds
• submit your application and documentation online

Who cannot apply for this grant

• Individuals and sole traders
• Government agencies at local, state or federal level
• Businesses
• Political parties or groups
• Schools and Council managed kindergartens

What we can fund

Examples of what you could use funding from this grant for include:

• Community and cultural events based in Casey that are open to all residents and celebrate diversity and inclusion
• Community programs for Casey residents which enhance community connection, social inclusion and resilience
• Programs and activities for Casey residents that encourage physical activity and active living
• Innovative programs responding to health and wellbeing issues facing the Casey community (including gender inequality, family violence, mental health and wellbeing)
• Programs that help Casey residents and community groups contribute to sustainability through reducing waste, recovering or re-using resources or educating the community on sustainable living practices.
• Initiatives that help meet the digital needs of communities such as programs that enhance the digital skills and capabilities of residents.

What we cannot fund

We cannot accept applications for:

• more than one application from your group
• events held outside the City of Casey
• capital works including any buildings, permanent structures or assets considered to be fixed to a property. 
• ongoing operational costs such as utilities (electricity, gas and water), staff wages, or insurance
• funding that we have approved under another grant for the same program or
  event in the same financial year
• anything that is already being funded elsewhere in government, such as kindergartens
• programs that only advocate religion or faith
• celebrations for individuals
• fundraising, other grants programs, prizes, awards or donations
• activities that are due to happen (or have already happened) before we receive your application
• activities that happen outside the current financial year

Any equipment you request must be essential to the program or event you are proposing in your application. Council has an Equipment and Training Grant to help community groups buy other equipment. For more information, email: [email protected]

Categories for funding

Your group can apply under one of these categories.

• Arts and culture: promote, develop and encourage arts, cultural activities, and skill sharing in the community.
• Diversity and harmony: celebrate diversity and promote acceptance and inclusion in the community.
• Health, wellbeing and equity: provide and encourage opportunities to socialise and improve physical and mental health through recreational and leisure activities. Provide initiatives that address issues including digital equity, gender inequality, family violence, healthy eating and food security.
• Environmental sustainability: foster environmentally sustainable practices and work towards a more climate resilient municipality.

How successful grants are decided?

Your application will be assessed on how well it meets one or more of the following criteria:

• How well the program/event fits with the purpose of the grants (stated at the start of this document).
• How needed the program/event is within the community and the benefits to residents.
• How involved the community is in all aspects of the program/event (e.g. leaders, partners, participants and spectators).
• The ability of your group or organisation to deliver the project described in the application.

If your application is successful

Auspice organisations

If your group is not incorporated yet, you will need an organisation that is incorporated to receive and hold the funding for you. This organisation is called an ‘auspice’ and it is responsible for ensuring that funds are spent in accordance with the application and any special conditions Council may require. Before you apply you will need to find an organisation that is prepared to do that for you as we will ask for their details. If your application is successful, you will need to sign a simple agreement with the auspice organisation to confirm the responsibilities of each organisation. As soon as you provide a copy of this to Council’s Grants Officers, we will send the payment to the auspice organisation for your organisation to use.

Events

Please note, if you are successful in your grant application, approval is for funding only. You will still need to confirm any facility, venue, or sport grounds bookings with the relevant booking staff.

As part of the City of Casey Events requirements you may need to complete an Event Approval Application if your event involves:

• temporary structures (including a stage, amusement rides, portable toilets, fencing, marquees etc.)
• road closures or use of public car parks or metered sites
• fireworks, firecrackers of pyrotechnics
• alcohol (serving, sale and consumption)
• filming the event in a public space or playing music/singing in a public space.

We will need to receive this form before we can pay your grant funds. 

Please note, as an event organiser it is your responsibility to adhere to any current COVID-19 restrictions set out by State Government. For the latest updates please visit the State Government website.

Contact Council

Grants Officers are available to answer questions about how to apply, the grant criteria and can provide support to applicants who require additional assistance with their application. They can be contacted on 9705 5200 or email [email protected]

Please contact us as early as possible if you do require additional assistance to ensure you get your application in on time. Late applications will not be accepted.

Tell us how your grant was used

After you have completed your project, you must tell us how you spent the grant money and what the outcomes of the project were. This is known as an acquittal process. You must complete the acquittal process online within 60 days of spending the money or by the 30 June 2023 whichever is earliest.