This consultation is closed.

Thank you for your feedback on the draft Grants Administration Guide. We're currently reviewing feedback from grant applicants to ensure the Guide will adequately support you in supporting our community. We will use this to finalise the Guide later this year.

Did you know that we provided approximately $2.3 million to the community through 11 different grants streams in 2021/22?

The Yarra Community Grants Program is a major way Council supports the community to deliver initiatives that build community connection, enhance arts and culture, and promote sustainability.

The grants program helps community groups transform their ideas and enthusiasm into tangible projects and programs.

The grants also help Council advance the objectives of the Yarra Social Justice Charter through conscious efforts to promote and expand access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQA+ and multicultural communities, as well as young people.

In August 2022, we conducted an independent audit of our grants program to ensure it continues to meet the needs of our community.

One of the outcomes of this review was to draft a Grants Administration Guide that will create a central philosophy to guide our grants program. The draft Guide also provides additional structure and guidelines on the administration of our grants.

Read the draft Grants Administration Guide open in new window

Examples of our grants include:

This year our annual grants program will deliver 110 important projects and projects in the local community. A total of $965,376 was awarded to successful applicants.

The grants were approved at the Council Meeting on 15 November 2022.

This grant stream provides three years of funding to not-for-profit organisations that run programs which benefit people from disadvantaged backgrounds, increase community participation and support the health, wellbeing and connectedness of Yarra residents.

The total pool of funding available was $300,000 per year over three years.

75 applications were approved in the latest round of Small Project Grants. These are quick response grants for community groups and artists running projects in Yarra.

We’ve invested $75,000 into community programs, events and artistic projects through the Small Project Grant Program this year.

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Drafting of the Grants Administration Guide

    August 2022 to February 2023

    We designed the draft Grants Administration Guide through extensive internal consultation and a review of best practice models.

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Exhibition of the draft Grants Administration Guide

    20 March to 10 April 2023

    Now is your chance to comment on the draft Guide and let us know your experience with the grants program overall.

  • Timeline item 3 - active

    Reviewing your feedback and presenting final Guide

    Late 2023

    After the consultation, we’ll review your feedback and use it to finalise the Grants Administration Guide which will be presented to Council later this year.

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Proposed review of the Community Grants Program

    Early 2024

    We’re aiming to conduct a broader review of our Community Grants Program next year to ensure they continue to meet the needs of our community. We’ll use feedback from this consultation to help support that review.