Other community funding and opportunities

For more opportunities and resources especially for sporting and recreational clubs, associations and groups the south west sport clubs support page

Pacific Blue Great South West Sustainable Community Fund 2024

Open for applications until 5pm on 8 November 2024.

Projects must benefit the community in one or more of the following areas:

  • Health and welfare
  • Education and training
  • Environment
  • Sport and recreation
  • Cultural and arts
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing

Codrington and Yambuk have an allocation of $88,000, Portland has an allocation of $284,000.

Visit the Pacific Blue grants page for more information, guidelines and application.

Fletcher Jones Family Foundations Annual Philanthropic Forum

26 November 2024,    8.30 am (breakfast) 9 am to 11 am (forum)

Location, Warrnambool CBD - venue to be confirmed.

Andrew Fairley AM will be the guest speaker for the forum. Andrew is the Deputy Chair of the Mornington Peninsula Foundation and the Chair of the Fairley Family Foundation, and he practices as a Commercial Lawyer at Hall & Wilcox in Melbourne.

After Andrew's presentation there will be a question and answer session, followed by a panel discussion about leveraging the strong philanthropic foundations in Warrnambool to explore future opportunities.

Register to attend the Fletcher Jones Family Foundations Annual Philanthropic Forum

Strategic Community Investment Fund

The Strategic Community Investment Fund provides grants of up to $25,000 and is designed to financially assist initiatives that can support community clubs affiliated to AFL Victoria in three key strategic areas:

  • Grow and assist volunteer capacity
  • Grow and diversify participation
  • Improve club environments and player experiences

Apply for the Strategic Community Investment Fund on the AFL Victoria website

Applications for the 2024 season are assessed monthly .

Quick response grants (Regional Arts Victoria)

Assists regional artists, arts organisations and communities take up professional, projects or skills development.
Amount $3000 closes, 30 November 2024

Information, guidelines and application can be made on the Regional Arts Victoria website

FRRR Strengthening Rural Communities – Small & Vital

Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and assessed quarterly.  There are three streams of funding and organisations can apply for one of these streams.

Applications ongoing basis and assessed quarterly.

For guidelines, information and applications visit - Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital | FRRR 

Telstra Footy Country Grants

Local footy clubs across the country can now apply for Telstra Footy Country Grants with submissions for the new funding program open from Monday, 5 February, 2024.

Unveiled in September 2023 by the AFL and Telstra, Telstra Footy Country Grants will give local footy clubs an $8 million boost over the next four years, with a pool of $2 million to be distributed each year starting in 2024.

Co-funded by Telstra and the AFL, eligible clubs will be able to apply for grants to invest in everything from new equipment for new teams, themed guernseys to increase cultural awareness and new training programs to help support and upskill volunteers. The grants also aim to grow female participation and increase opportunities for clubs to implement new women’s and girls teams.

Eligible regional and metro clubs can apply for grants of up to $20,000, helping to strengthen, sustain and grow local footy.

For more information, criteria and online application - Telstra Footy Country Grants - Play AFL

Fisheries Authority Small Grants Program

To provide funding of up to $5,000 (GST exclusive) for small recreational fishing projects which benefit public recreational fishing in Victoria.

At the discretion of the Recreational Fishing Grants Working Group, the Small Grants Program will provide funding under the following categories:

  • Recreational fishing access and infrastructure
  • Community fishing events
  • Education projects

The Victorian Fishing Authority website has more information.

Men as Allies: Supporting Women and Girls in Community Sport

Men can play a critical role in supporting and enabling gender equality in community sport, through actions as simple as watching women and girls play sport, calling out inappropriate language, and volunteering in traditionally women's roles.  To learn more about the actions men can take to support women in sport, read the research summary presented to Sport and Recreation Victoria - Change Our Game | Men as Allies: supporting women and girls in community sport

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