Community Grants

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What is a community grant?

A community grant is funding to support local groups and organisations for projects, programs and events that benefit the local community.

The City of Casey gives community grants of up to $5,000. These grants are for activities that are held in the City of Casey or for Casey residents.

Who can apply for this community grant?

To apply for this grant, your group must:

• be a registered (incorporated) not-for-profit club or community group. If your group is not incorporated, you will need an Auspice organisation (see the Auspice section below).
• meet or hold activities in the City of Casey or provide services to the Casey community.
• have public liability insurance of $20 million or more.

Who can’t apply for this community grant?

The following groups can not apply:

• Individuals and sole traders (including those with an auspice)
• Government agencies at local, state or federal level
• Businesses
• Political parties or groups
• Schools and Council managed kindergartens
• Groups that have already put in an application for this grant

What can we fund with this community grant?

Grant categories

Your activity must support Council plans and goals and fit one of these categories:

Arts and culture

• Support and encourage creative and cultural activities in our community.

Diversity and harmony

• Celebrate diversity and make everyone feel accepted and included in the community.
• Promote a sense of community across Casey.

Health, wellbeing and equity

• Help residents take part in community activities and life-long learning
• Create chances for people to be active, socialise and improve their physical and mental health.
• Provide access to things like technology, gender equality, family safety, healthy eating and food.

Environmental sustainability

• Encourage practices that protect biodiversity and the environment and help our community adapt to climate change.
• Promote sustainable living practices.

Project examples

• Community events and activities that celebrate different cultures and interests.
  • For example,
    • Annual cultural celebrations (eg. Onam, Pongal, Nawroz)
    • Festivals and performances
    • Cultural workshops and exhibitions
• Community programs that build connections, welcome everyone and build community resilience.
  • For example,
    • Regular social meetups and group activities
    • Supported volunteering programs
    • Mentoring programs, skill-building workshops, educational programs
• Programs and activities that encourage physical activity.
  • For example,
    • Weekly fitness or assisted exercise classes
    • Sports days for kids, families or older adults
    • Walking groups, gardening groups
• Programs responding to health and wellbeing issues like gender inequality, family violence or mental health and wellbeing.
  • For example,
    • Food aid or emergency meals programs
    • Mental health first aid sessions
    • Safety awareness workshops or campaigns
• Activities that help protect the environment, build climate resilience and encourage the community to live more sustainability.
  • For example,
    • Heat wave or severe weather awareness sessions
    • Community garden, composting or food waste projects
    • Energy efficiency workshops or programs
• Programs and events that help the community enjoy the benefits of digital technology, like computers, smart phones and the internet.
  • For example,
    • Digital skills workshops or courses
    • Cyber safety and security awareness sessions
    • Intergenerational learning programs

Projects that involve large or significant public events that benefit Casey residents and attract visitors may be eligible for Council’s multi-year Event Funding. You can learn more about this funding here Event Funding | City of Casey.

Read about projects that received community grant funding in the past here Casey grants recipients | City of Casey.

What we can’t fund with this community grant

We cannot fund:

• events held outside the City of Casey
• activities that have already been funded through a different Casey grant
• programs or events that are the responsibility of another authority or level of government
• projects that only promote religion or faith
• programs or events that are primarily focused on fundraising
• projects that are supported by gaming venues or facilities with electronic gaming machines (EGMs)
• projects that are held in venues where there are EGMs
• a private celebration
• activities that happen outside this grant project timeline (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026)
• capital works including any permanent structures or assets considered to be fixed to a property.

What costs can’t we cover by this community grant?

The grant money cannot pay for:

• costs to operate a business or organisation, for example,
  • utilities (electricity, gas and water, internet)
  • ongoing rent or accommodation costs
  • mobile phones
  • staff wages
  • insurance
• restaurant bills, alcohol and petrol costs  
• fundraising, prizes/trophies, gifts, honorariums, awards or donations
• other grants programs 

Any equipment you request must be essential to the delivery of your project. Council has an Equipment and Training Grant to help community groups buy other equipment.  You can learn more about this grant here Equipment and training grants | City of Casey

What will you need to do to apply?

You will be asked to apply online.

In your application, you must describe your project, when and where it will be held and how you will promote it.

You will have to submit a current insurance certificate with the application.

You must answer questions to show that you have considered who will be participating and who will benefit from your project and how you will evaluate it.

You must show that you are able to safely deliver your project. You must also create a realistic budget with detailed line items that are relevant to the project you have described.

How do we decide which applications to fund?

A Panel of Casey residents will review applications. This panel is Council endorsed and have had training through Casey’s Community Selection Panel Members program.

The panel will assess successful applicants based on:

• How much the community needs the project.
• How much the community will benefit from the project.
• How involved the community is in the project. This includes leaders, partners, participants and spectators.
• How well your group or organisation can budget for and deliver the project.

The panel will also consider how funding is distributed across the City of Casey and its diverse communities.

If your application is successful

We will notify you by email

The email will include:

• A letter of offer which will outline the conditions for your grant.
• A fact sheet with important information about the grant payment and acquittal

Before we can pay you, you must:

• pay any outstanding debts you have to Council
• complete any outstanding Casey grant acquittals

The grant payments will be distributed in July 2025.

Making changes after your grant is successful

If a program or event cannot go ahead as planned, or you need to change your project budget, we will ask you to complete an ‘Application Variation Request form’. You must submit this form before the proposed change.

We will decide if we will approve your changes. Our decision will be based on

• how closely the changes align to the grant criteria,
• the reason for the change
• the revised budget.

We will let you know if we approve your variation request.

If your grant is for a community event

You must confirm any facility, venue, or sport grounds bookings with the relevant booking staff.

 You may need to complete a City of Casey Event Approval Application if your community 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.

Casey’s Events Team will need to approve your event approval application BEFORE we can pay your grant funds. You can learn more about hosting public events in the City of Casey here: https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/host-event-casey.

Victorian Child Safe Standards

Council has zero tolerance of child abuse and is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe and child friendly City where all children and young people are valued and protected from abuse harm or neglect. Child Safety is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of Council, its employees, contractors and volunteers.

You must comply with all relevant Child Safety laws including but not limited to the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. This includes:

• Please refer to the Worker Screening Act 2020 to determine the Working with Children Check (WwCC) requirements for your service.
• Please refer to the Child Employment (Amendment) Act 2022 New licensing system to determine if your organisation needs one for the employment of children under the age of 15.
• Please refer to the Victorian Child Safe Standards for guidance on implementation.
• Please refer to the Reportable Conduct Scheme to confirm your organisations requirements.

For plain language guides, fact sheets, videos and other child safety resources. Please visit the Commission for Children and Young People

After your project is complete

After you have completed your project, you will need to tell us:

• how you spent the grant money
• 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 2026 whichever is earliest.

If your application is unsuccessful

An email will be sent to unsuccessful groups explaining why the application was not successful.  Eligible groups are encouraged to apply again in future.

Auspice organisations

If your group is not incorporated, you will need an incorporated organisation to receive and hold the money for you. This organisation is called an ‘Auspice’. The Auspice will be responsible for:

• how the money is being spent
• meeting any extra council requirements

You will need to find an Auspice organisation before you apply for the grant. You will need to give their details when you apply.  If your application is successful, you will need to sign a simple agreement with the auspice organisation to confirm the responsibilities of each organisation.

When you provide a copy of this agreement to the Council’s Grants Officers, we will send the payment to the auspice organisation for your organisation to use.

If you need help or more information

Our Grants Officers are available to answer questions about how to apply and the grant criteria.

You can contact them on 9705 5200 or communitygrants@casey.vic.gov.au

If you need an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 then ask for 9705 5200.

Please contact us as early as possible if you do need help to get your application in on time. We will not accept late applications for any reason, including internet or computer issues.