Living Local Regional Fund
The $5 million Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund supports locals and visitors in regional Victoria to experience new and better infrastructure that helps them come together as a community.
Overview

The $5 million Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund provides funding to support regional communities to recover and thrive. The fund has two streams to drive economic and social recovery in the regional areas hardest hit by the pandemic and provides funding for local community-building projects that promote social connections and cohesion, enhance liveability, and revitalise community spaces.
The Our Regions: Living Local Fund is part of the Government’s Our Regions: Living Local Initiative and is geared to ensure local towns will have the infrastructure they need to continue to thrive. Local councils and community organisations can apply for grants up to $200,000 for infrastructure projects. Smaller investments of up to $20,000 will be available for minor upgrades and maintenance to facilities, helping ensure they are accessible for years to come.
The Our Regions: Living Local Fund also offers grants for projects in metropolitan Melbourne communities. For further information, visit the Suburban Development website.
Objectives of Program
The Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund provides funding for local community-building projects that promote social connections, enhance liveability, and revitalise regional shopping strips and activity centres. The fund also provides grants to community organisations to help them in the great work they do to support their local communities.
The Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund comprises two streams:
- Living Local – Regional Grants Program ($4 million)
- Living Local – Regional Community Grants Program ($1 million).
The objectives of the Living Local – Regional Grants Program are to:
- support the development, improvement and promotion of regional communities, shopping strips and activity centres as places of local economic activity and community gathering that work towards environmental sustainability
- deliver permanent co-funded projects or sustainable community events and related activity that reflect the needs of local people and enhance living, working, socialising and recreation in local areas
- enhance community inclusiveness, belonging, and participation, particularly among new residents and new workers and to support young people and mental health
- focus on smaller scale approaches to revitalising regional communities that can be delivered in partnership with local government, businesses, and community sector organisations and groups
- enhance liveability, safety, accessibility and vibrancy of communities, shopping strips and activity centres
- enhance opportunities for small business in community shopping strips to thrive
- progress reconciliation with Traditional Owners through the encouragement of proposals to incorporate local and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories.
The objectives of the Living Local – Regional Community Grants Program are to:
- increase community connection, capacity, access and participation
- develop and enhance a stronger sense of community belonging and connection
- enhance community inclusiveness, belonging and participation, particularly amongst new residents
- enhance local social outcomes.
Funding Details
The Living Local – Regional Grants Program is a competitive grants program open to eligible rural and regional local governments and incorporated (not-for-profit) organisations/associations.
Applicants may seek a minimum of $20,000 and maximum of $200,000 (exclusive of GST).
The Living Local – Regional Community Grants Program is open to applications from not-for-profit and charity organisations that are operating in rural and regional Victoria.
Community organisations can seek from $2,000 up to $20,000 (exclusive of GST) of grant funding for eligible equipment and minor refurbishments.
Download Resources
Resource | Download |
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Living Local - Regional Grants Program Guidelines (192.8 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Community Grants Program Guidelines (215.2 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Community Grants Program Guidelines - Accessible (55.9 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Grants Program Guidelines - Acccessible (60.5 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Grants Project Plan Template (92.8 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Grants Project Progress Report Template (52.5 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Grants Project Final Report Template (58.4 KB ) | Download |
Living Local - Regional Community Grants Project Final Report Template (55.7 KB ) | Download |
Projects funded by this program
Discover which projects we are supporting through the Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund to make communities thrive.
Living Local Regional Grants Program
- Ararat Rural City Council: Power our future!! (Grampians) - $42,000
- Ararat Rural City Council: Ararat Regional Playgrounds All Abilities Redevelopment (Grampians) - $180,000
- Ballarat City Council: Accessibility, Arts and Assistance Dogs in the Ballarat CBD (Grampians) - $26,250
- Baw Baw Shire Council: Digital Tourism and Community Information Kiosks - Neerim South and Yarragon (Gippsland) - $28,475
- Benalla Art Gallery: Between the Details (Hume) - $29,798
- Campaspe Shire Council Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre: Kyvalley Hall All Access Project (Loddon - Mallee) - $26,000
- Corangamite Shire Council: Light Up Camperdown (Barwon South West) - $200,000
- Cyril Callister Foundation: Cyril Callister Foundation Inc - Vegemite Museum. (Grampians) - $37,943
- Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group: Service Hub Network - Building Healthy and Resilient Communities through Service Equity (Stage 2) (Gippsland) - $198,943
- East Gippsland Shire Council: Upgrade Omeo streetscape (Gippsland) - $200,000
- Gippsland MTB Inc: Haunted Hills Bike Park BBQ Area Upgrade (Gippsland) - $20,000
- Girl Guides Victoria: Daylesford Girl Guide Hall Rejuvenation (Metro - Melbourne) - $47,000
- Glenelg Shire Council: Portland Foreshore and Retail Precinct Landscape and Public Furniture Activation (Barwon South West) - $50,000
- Golden Plains Shire Council: Lethbridge Play Space Upgrade (Grampians) - $200,000
- Golden Plains Shire Council: Linton Bowls Carpark Upgrade (Grampians) - $82,500
- Golden Plains Shire Council: Smythesdale Medical Clinic Fit Out (Grampians) - $50,000
- Greater Geelong City Council: Geelong West Neighbourhood House Precinct Renewal (Barwon South West) - $65,000
- Greater Geelong City Council: Central Geelong Window Display Activation (Barwon South West) - $30,000
- Hands of Change Limited (Central Highlands) - $20,000
- Mansfield Armchair Cinemas: Rest Room Upgrade for MAC Community (Hume) - $70,000
- Millewa - Carwarp Landcare Group: Cullulleraine Foreshore nature play (Loddon - Mallee) - $168,125
- Moira Council Care: Cobram Off-Leash Dog Park (Hume) - $62,081
- Moorabool Shire Council: Darley Park Play Space Development (Grampians) - $200,000
- Northern Grampians Shire Council: Grampians Gatherings 2023 (Grampians) - $48,000
- Parklands Albury Wodonga Limited: Murray River Red Gum Trail boardwalks connecting community (Hume) - $50,000
- Regional Community Vet Clinic: Regional Community Relocatable Vet Clinic (Loddon - Mallee) - $50,000
- Sunraysia Residential Services Inc: Benetook Farm Mission (Loddon - Mallee) - $163,636
- Swan Hill Rural City Council: Revitalising Nyah West Shopping Precinct (Loddon - Mallee) - $195,000
- Swifts Creek Recreation Reserve Committee of Management: Swifts Creek Recreation Reserve Public Toilets. (Gippsland) - $194,973
- Tatura Civic Halls Committee Inc.: Tatura Civic Halls Air-Conditioning (Hume) - $20,600
- The Equality Project (Ovens Murray) - $10,602
- Victorian Railways Institute Inc (Central Highlands) - $5,450
- Victorian Railways Institute Inc (Loddon Campaspe) - $18,590
- Victorian YMCA Youth and Community Services Inc (Gippsland) - $15,681
- Wodonga Sports & Leisure Centre: Wodonga Council Underpass Solar Lighting Project. (Hume) - $37,277
- Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club Incorporated: Woolamai Beach community hub upgrades. (Gippsland) - $182,659
- Yallourn Yallourn North Football Netball Club: New Kitchen Appliances including Oven and Fridge (Gippsland) - $20,000
- Yarck Mechanics Institute and Library: Yarck Hall Rejuvination (Hume) - $23,800
Living Local Regional Community Grants
- Baddaginnie Community Inc (Hume) - $20,000
- Badger Creek & District Men's Shed (BC&DMS) (Hume) - $2,607
- Ballan Shire Historical Sociaty Inc. (Grampians) - $4,400
- Ballarat Regional Trades & Labour Council (Grampians) - $20,000
- Birallee Park Neighbourhood House Inc (Hume) - $11,828
- Birregurra Public Hall (Barwon South West) - $20,000
- Bluebird Foundation Inc (Barwon South West) - $7,695
- Buda Historic Home and Garden Inc. (Loddon - Mallee) - $9,964
- Castlemaine State Festival Ltd (Loddon - Mallee) - $17,394
- Coghills Creek Progress Association Inc. (Grampians) - $3,933
- Connect GV (Hume) - $20,000
- Dereel and Surrounding Communities Men's Shed Inc. (Grampians) - $3,916
- Dunolly and District Neighbourhood Centre Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $2,441
- Friends of Canadian Corridor (Grampians) - $6,039
- Girgarre Community Group Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $5,049
- Hamilton Community House Incorp (Barwon South West) - $5,005
- Hands of Change Limited (Grampians) - $20,000
- Heywood Mens Talk Group Inc (Barwon South West) - $5,212
- Indigo U3A Incorporated (Hume) - $16,180
- Julia Street Creative Space Inc (Barwon South West) - $20,000
- Kaniva & District Progress Association (Grampians) - $5,950
- Kilmore District Men's Shed Inc. (Hume) - $2,755
- Lancefield Neighbourhood House Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $3,345
- Latrobe Valley Beekeepers Association Inc (Gippsland) - $20,000
- Life Skills Victoria Inc (Gippsland) - $6,770
- Lyonville Community Planning Group (Grampians) - $7,057
- Macedon Ranges Further Education Centre Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $20,000
- Mansfield Autism Statewide Services (Hume) - $20,000
- Maude and District Landcare Group (Grampians) - $15,352
- Meredith Community Centre INC (Grampians) - $6,001
- North Shepparton Community & Learning Centre Inc (Hume) - $6,686
- Numurkah Community Learning Centre Inc (Hume) - $7,815
- Omeo Region Business & Tourism Association Inc (Gippsland) - $9,590
- Phillip Island Community Art & Craft Gallery Inc (Gippsland) - $2,567
- Pomonal Men's Shed Inc (Grampians) - $3,992
- Scope (Aust) Ltd (Metro - Eastern) - $18,997
- Simpson & District Community Centre Inc (Barwon South West) - $5,809
- St Leonards Mens Shed (Barwon South West) - $5,230
- Talbot Arts & Historical Museum Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $20,000
- Tallygaroopna Mens Shed Inc (Hume) - $4,827
- The Equality Project (Metro - Melbourne) - $10,602
- The South West Alternative Medium Project (SWAMP) (Barwon South West) - $16,750
- Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group Inc. (Hume) - $3,924
- Venus Bay, Tarwin Lower & District Men's Shed Inc (Gippsland) - $7,042
- Walhalla Goldfields Railway Inc (Gippsland) - $9,664
- Watchem Mechanics Institute (Loddon - Mallee) - $7,784
- Winchelsea Community House Inc. (Barwon South West) - $13,985
- Woodend Mens' Shed Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $5,035
- Wycheproof Community Resource Centre Inc (Loddon - Mallee) - $2,287
- Yea Community House (Hume) - $5,712
Contact details
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