Annual Grants

Grant Amount: Up to $1,500

These grants support the day-to-day operational activities of community groups who are working on ongoing projects that help improve health, wellbeing and connection in the community.

Examples include:

• Incorporation fees
• Insurance costs
• Catering (small-scale ongoing catering, such as tea/coffee, not catering for one-off events)
• Room hire fees
• Small equipment purchases up to $1,500 (e.g. small sporting equipment for sporting clubs, kitchen equipment for social groups, gardening tools, musical equipment, laptops to support local groups, books and resources to young children)

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be a not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Meet in Hume and/or show that the grant will substantially benefit residents of Hume City
• Provide quotes for items (e.g. insurance, room hire, electronic and other equipment)
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted previous funding received by Hume City Council, if applicable
• Be incorporated or auspiced (for more about auspicing please refer to our FAQs)

To be eligible, equipment cannot be fixed/ permanent items. Equipment ownership must be retained by the group i.e. if a group purchases a laptop for the treasurer to use, and the treasure retires, the laptop must be returned to the group.  

Grant amount: up to $3,000

These grants support groups and organisations to run programs and activities that encourage community participation and involvement, promote leadership and develop a strong sense of belonging. This includes health and wellbeing projects that improve and encourage active lifestyles.

Examples:

• Community forums and workshops focusing on community issues and priorities (e.g. social justice)
• The delivery of a community art project
• Cultural events and festivals (e.g. NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week, Cultural Diversity Week, International Women’s Day)
• Sustainability projects
• Youth projects, training and excursions

A maximum of half the funding amount ($1,500) can be used for event/project related operational costs such as: room and venue hire fees, insurance costs, catering, equipment related to the project etc.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be a not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Run the proposed activity or project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will substantially benefit residents of Hume City
• Be able to show that the applicant has minimal financial resources or a limited ability to fundraise for the activity or project
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council (if applicable)
• Be incorporated or auspiced (for more about auspicing please refer to our FAQs)  

Grant amount: up to $5,000

Project Grants are designed to encourage new ideas, development of locally-led initiatives or projects and collaborations that provide significant benefit to the Hume community.

Project Grants are funded for a 12-month period.

Applications should align closely with Hume City Council Plans, Strategies and Policies.

Project Grant proposals could include, but are not limited to:

• Piloting a new service or program
• Research to investigate an emerging need
• Enhancing access to programs and information development of a partnership proposal
• A feasibility study to investigate a service or project proposal
• A joint project between two community groups/organisations

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have a proven ability to manage large scale projects
• Give us a detailed Project Plan
• Run the activity or project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will substantially benefit residents of Hume
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council (if applicable)
• Demonstrate in kind or cash contribution that equates to half the value of the grant request. For example, if you ask for $5,000, you must show a contribution of at least $2,500 (cash or in-kind)
• Projects can be for up to six or twelve months   
• Discuss the proposal with a Council Officer whose portfolio most aligns with your project proposal. The Council Officer you have spoken to must be named in your application. Leave plenty of time so that the Officer can make an appointment with you. 

Amount: up to $10,000 per year for up to 3 years ($30,000 total)

Partnership Grants are for projects that clearly address a significant need and embrace the principles of social justice, healthy living, lifelong learning, environmental sustainability, community safety and inclusion.

You can apply for a Partnership Grant if you are an established organisation with a proven record in the provision of quality programs and services. You must provide evidence of the need for the project and demonstrate your capacity to resource and deliver projects.

Applications must align closely with Hume City Council Plans, Strategies and Policies. Proposals will:

• Not duplicate an existing service
• give a detailed program budget and give quotes for any proposed services or equipment purchases
• be innovative and strengthen community wellbeing
• encourage inclusion and accessibility to their service
• be of benefit and give valuable support to the Hume community.

Funding will be for a period of up to three years. To meet the funding criteria for subsequent years, applicants must show how the first year has met the milestones outlined in the project plan and justify the need for future-years funding.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation
• have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• demonstrate an ability to manage large scale projects
• run the activity or project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will substantially benefit residents of Hume
• have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council.
• give a detailed Project Plan
• demonstrate how the project will be made fully sustainable upon cessation of Council funding
• demonstrate in kind or cash contribution that equates to the value of the grant request (for example, if you ask for $10,000, you must show a contribution of at least $10,000 (cash or in-kind))
• discuss the proposal with a Council Officer whose portfolio most aligns with your project proposal. The Council Officer you have spoken to must be named in your application. Leave plenty of time so that the Officer can make an appointment with you.
  To arrange a discussion time with the officer please email us at communitygrants@hume.vic.gov.au 

Grant amount: up to $10,000 (Annual Grant)

The Specialist Partnership Grant (Volunteer Engagement) is a one-off grant only available in 2024. It is for new and innovative services, programs, and projects that support local partnerships to help community organisations and groups to re-engage, encourage and try out volunteering. This grant provides funding to help increase volunteer participation and support community organisations/groups to enable a stronger and resilient community through the inclusion of a broad range of people across three streams.

Re-engage volunteers. This stream is to kickstart your volunteering programs postpandemic. Projects may include ways to develop or enhance existing volunteer programs/committees, and projects that increase volunteering. i.e. training courses for volunteers, background screening checks, paying for appropriate volunteer insurance, or improving volunteer systems/databases.

Broadening the volunteer base. This stream is for organisations who want to recruit more/new volunteers. Projects may include developing plans, resources and supports to reduce barriers to volunteering and use a range of inclusive volunteer engagement practices to attract, recruit and support a diverse range of people. For example, engagement of a facilitator to develop or enhance volunteer marketing/ recruitment plans.

Strengthening collaboration and partnership. Partnerships between organisations/groups to build organisational capacity, community connections and pathways to volunteering. For example, showcasing how active engagement in partnership can assist organisations to attract, engage and support volunteers for a broad range of people.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Applicants must have an established partnership and/or relevant network in place to support immediate commencement of project activities
• Partner organisations should be aware of the application and provide a letter of support indicating their willingness to participate if the application is successful.
• Give a detailed Project Plan
• Include a monitoring and evaluation plan, and strategies on good volunteering practices
• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Be based in Hume and/or show that the grant will substantially benefit residents of Hume City
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council (if applicable)
• Discuss the proposal with a Council Officer whose portfolio most aligns with your project proposal. The Council Officer you have spoken to must be named in your application. Leave plenty of time so that the Officer can make an appointment with you.
  To arrange a discussion time with the officer please email us at communitygrants@hume.vic.gov.au