Our Town Fund Program Guidelines

On this page

Election notice

1. Fund overview
2. Eligibility
3. Eligible project locations
4. Funding opportunities
5. Examples of Project Budgets
6. Eligible Activities and Expenses
7. Assessment
8. Conditions of funding
9. Privacy statement

• Appendix 1 – Eligible locations
• Appendix 2 – Contact details

1 Fund Overview

1.1 About the Fund

The Victorian Government has established the Our Town Fund (the Fund) with an investment of $6.5 million.

The Our Town Fund is a competitive investment program that will support local projects in communities with a population of up to 12,000 people in the 48 local government areas of regional Victoria and alpine resorts. The Fund will support community infrastructure and facilities projects in regional Victorian towns.

The Fund is administered though Regional Development Victoria (RDV) in the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR).

1.2 Fund Objective

The Our Town Fund responds to the needs of local people and is focused on infrastructure and facilities projects that aim to increase liveability, opportunity and prosperity in regional towns in Victoria with a population up to 12,000.

1.3 Priority projects

Priority will be given to projects that:

• support economic development within regional towns as places where communities can thrive by increasing the participation of residents and visitors in community and economic activity
• address gaps and improve community infrastructure and facilities in Victoria’s regional towns
• build community pride and enhance living, working, socialising and recreation in regional towns
• support the increased participation in community life and community inclusion of all residents, including First Peoples in Victoria, people living with disability, LGBTQIA+, communities and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and isolated communities
• enable community groups and local organisations to provide place-based solutions that create benefits for regional towns and residents.

1.4 Fund Outcomes

The desired outcomes for the Our Town Fund are:

• regional towns have better public places and spaces and improved local infrastructure and facilities to increase social and economic interaction
• regional towns have increased potential to attract more visitation and gain economic benefits
• there is increased social and economic activity in regional towns through projects that engage residents and community groups.

Longer term outcomes for the Our Town Fund are:

• residents have a more positive perception of place
• improve economic, social, environmental, and wellbeing outcomes
• residents have increased participation in community life and higher social inclusion
• improved liveability and visitor engagement outcomes
• new investment and population are attracted to regional towns.

1.5 Fund Timelines

The dates below are indicative dates only and may be subject to change. Applications are open until 2 February 2027. In line with the caretaker conventions, the incoming government will determine whether to proceed with this grant process and award the grants after the caretaker period.

Late applications will not be accepted.

Applications that are still in ‘draft’ and have not been submitted by the closing date will not be assessed.

2 Eligibility

The fund is open to:

• Regional and Rural Local Government Authorities (LGAs)
• Alpine Resorts Victoria (ARV)
• Other applicants who meet the criteria in Section 2.1 and 2.2.

Rural and regional Victoria is defined as the 48 Local Government Authorities set out in Schedule 2 of the Regional Development Victoria Act 2002, including alpine resort areas.

2.1 Eligible Applicants

Applicant organisations must:

• hold an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be an eligible legal entity type as at Section 2.2; and
• operate in a Victorian location¹

¹ The applicant does not need to be based in the same area as the project location; however, they must have an operating presence within Victoria

2.2 Eligible Entity Types

Eligible applicants include:

• A Victorian local government in regional Victoria
• an Incorporated association registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria
• a Crown land Committee of Management ²
• a Victorian Alpine Resort ³
• Australian public companies limited by guarantee whose governing rules demonstrate a not-for-profit purpose
• an indigenous organisation incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
• a co-operative, registered in Victoria under the Co-operatives National Law.

²   Most voluntary committees of management are legally incorporated as organisations through the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978. A small number of committees are unincorporated. Some committees of management of Crown land reserves are organisations incorporated through legislation other than the Crown Land Reserves Act. For further information see the DEECA website Committees of Management page.

³   Six alpine resorts are legally incorporated under the Alpine Resorts (Management) Act 1997 and managed by Alpine Resorts Victoria.

2.3 Ineligible Applicants

The following types of applicants are not eligible to apply:

• unincorporated organisations
• Australian Government or Victorian or other state government agency or body
• a for-profit company
• an individual
• a sole trader
• Trusts or an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• Cemetery Trusts
• an individual partner on behalf of a partnership
• pre-school, primary, secondary schools, TAFE’s and Universities
• an incorporated joint venture; or
• a consortia application with a lead organisation (excluding local government partnerships).

3 Eligible Project Locations

The project must be located in one of the eligible 48 rural and regional Victorian council areas, or Alpine Resorts (refer to Appendix 1 for full list).

The project must be located in an eligible location with a population of up to 12,000 people. Projects in larger towns and the major regional cities or their suburbs are ineligible.

Applicants are encouraged to view the ABS Census Population Data 2021 suburbs and localities data set in relation to the population of a town/location and also contact their RDV (see Appendix 2) if they are unclear on their location eligibility.

Applications with cross-border town implications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This is to ensure that communities can access the Our Town Fund where the benefits may extend beyond Victoria to South Australian or New South Wales locations.

Locational eligibility is assessed by the location of the project and not the location of the applicant.

RDV will make the final decision on what is considered an eligible project location under the Our Town Fund.

4 Funding Opportunities

The Fund is open for applications of grant requests between $5,000 and $200,000 pending applicant type.

Each Local Government Authority or alpine resort can only apply for up to $200,000.  This could be for one project or could be spread across multiple projects/towns.

For applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts, the “Town Funding Cap” principle of $50,000 per town will be applied in relation to multiple applications received from the same regional town. The purpose of the Town Cap is to ensure that the program delivers an equitable and broad geographic spread of funding across regional Victoria.

Where there are multiple applicants with projects from the same town, these applicants are encouraged to work together, including with local government, to put forward one high-quality application for their town which strongly aligns with the program outcomes.

Budgeting your Project and Delivery Timeline

Applicants will be requested to provide a project budget in their application that breaks down the costs of the project (see eligible expenditure Section 6.2) against the total budget, made up of the requested grant amount and the mandated co-contribution (Section 4.1).

Applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts can include In-kind goods and services in their budget to make up the co-contribution amount (See Section 4.1).

Projects must not commence prior to receiving funding approval.

4.1 Co-Contribution Requirements

All applicants are required to make a co-contribution towards the proposed project budget in line with the requirements outlined in the table below.

The co-contribution may come from the applicant organisation or from other non-Victorian government sources.

The proposed project budget must show the following co-contribution percentages:

Applicants must provide supporting documentation that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the department, that the applicant has sufficient funds available for the required co-contribution amount. If the supporting documentation is not provided, the application may be deemed ineligible. See Section 6.5.

The grant amount offered may be reduced from that requested if ineligible expenses are included in the project budget or where co-contribution evidence is not at the required level for the requested grant

Accepted sources of co-contribution may include:

• Victorian local government or alpine resort funding
• contributions from community groups, businesses, or philanthropic organisations
• contributions from utility/service providers, and
• grants from the Australian Government, or other state governments (in the case projects benefiting cross-border communities).

Ineligible sources of co-contributions:

• Other Victorian Government programs or sources
• Value of land put towards a project
• Contributions where no supporting documentation has been provided.

4.2 In-kind Contributions

An in-kind contribution is a contribution of a good or service (not money) to the project that can be given a value in the project’s budget (for example a local tradesperson provides non-paid, skilled labour to the project.)

Please note, Local Government applicants are not eligible to claim In-kind contributions.

Applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts can provide in-kind contributions in their project budget; however, this is capped at half of the applicant’s total co-contribution towards the project cost.

Applications that include In-kind contributions in their budget must provide a completed Our Town In-Kind Information Sheet and Log (DOCX 167.42 KB) with their application.

5 Examples of Project Budgets

All Applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts

For these applicants, the co-contribution must be at least 20% of the total proposed project budget. For example:

If the total project cost is $62,500, the applicant can apply for a maximum grant of $50,000 and would need to contribute a further $12,500 to meet the balance of the total cost and may choose to nominate half of the $12,500 contribution as In-kind goods and services.

Rural Council Applicants

For a Rural Council, the co-contribution must be at least 25% of the total proposed project budget. For example:

If a Rural Council’s total project cost is $266,666, it can apply for the maximum grant of $200,000 but would have to contribute a further $66,666 in cash from other sources. No In-kind is allowed.

Regional City Council Applicants

For a Regional City Council, the co-contribution must be at least 50% of the total proposed project budget, as an example:

If a Regional City Council’s total project cost of $200,000, it can apply for the maximum grant of $200,000 but would have to contribute a further $200,000 in cash from other sources. No In-kind is allowed.

5.1 Project Budgets and GST

Organisations NOT Registered for GST

For organisations not registered for GST, the cost of GST can be included in the project budget.

For example, if the cost or a quote for electrical works is $6,600 which includes $600 of GST, then you may cost the item at the GST inclusive price of $6,600.

Organisations Registered for GST

For organisations that are registered for GST, the cost of the GST must be excluded from the project budget. This means if project expenses are costed at $6,600 including $600 of GST, then the costs must reflect the excluded GST amount of $6,000.

For example, if the cost or a quote for plastering is $5,500 including $500 of GST, then you must cost the item based on the GST Exclusive price of $5,000.

For organisations registered for GST, the Grant shall be increased by an amount equal to any GST payable.

5.2 Project Management Fees and Contingencies

To support effective delivery of projects, applicants may include project management fees/costs in their project budgets. Project management up to 5% of the total project budget will be accepted (capped at a maximum of $10,000 of an overall project budget).

Further, it is recommended that applicants factor a 5% contingency allowance into their cost estimation.

6 Eligible Activities and Expenses

Applicants will be asked to describe a proposed project that shows a direct benefit to the regional Victorian town and its community through alignment with the Our Town Fund objectives, priorities and outcomes at Section 3.2.

6.1 Eligible Activities

The grant amount and co-contribution may be spent on eligible activities and expenditure as listed below.

The department will make the final decision on what is considered to be an eligible activity and what is eligible expenditure under the Our Town Fund.

Eligible infrastructure and facilities activities including but not limited to:

• refurbishment and upgrades to community facilities and buildings including halls, libraries, community centres and hubs that will support local people and groups to connect better
• projects that improve shared multi-use spaces at sporting facilities/precincts which are publicly accessible and used by the broader community (e.g. event spaces, meeting and community rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, outdoor areas, public amenities etc).
• improvements of public spaces, activity centres and street beautification that encourage use including public art, street furniture, drinking fountains and greenery, park upgrades and dog parks
• updates to local tourism attractions such as splash parks, hiking trails, paths and playgrounds to encourage visitation
• the improvement or creation of space to support community art, creativity and cultural spaces
• development or improvement of community gathering spaces, such as community gardens, amphitheatres or BBQ facilities
• enhancements to safety, accessibility and connections into and within shopping strips and activity centres to enable access for all including accessible paths and lighting
• refurbishment and upgrades to community facilities and/or public spaces that encourage inclusion of groups such as First Peoples in Victoria, people living with disability, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds
• planning projects, including community infrastructure feasibility plans leading to activation of community projects
• recovery projects to help communities recover from economic shocks such as bushfire, storms or industry closures and job losses.
• Applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts are eligible for In-kind contributions (see Section 2.2 for further information)
• GST can be included as an eligible cost for applicants not registered for GST.
• Applicants may allocate 5% of the total proposed project budget to project management costs/fees (capped at $10,000) This must be identified in the proposed budget to be included in the final project acquittal.
• Trade services costs related to the project are required to be undertaken by a qualified trades person/business which complies with all relevant permits, laws, and regulations as applicable.
• Applicants can apply for funding if the project builds on a previously government-funded stage. The new funds must only cover new activities and cannot duplicate previous expenses.

6.2 Eligible Expenses

• Applicants other than Local Government Authorities and alpine resorts are eligible for In-kind contributions (see Section 2.2 for further information)
• GST can be included as an eligible cost for applicants not registered for GST.
• Applicants may allocate 5% of the total proposed project budget to project management costs/fees (capped at $10,000) This must be identified in the proposed budget to be included in the final project acquittal.
• Trade services costs related to the project are required to be undertaken by a qualified trades person/business which complies with all relevant permits, laws, and regulations as applicable.
• Applicants can apply for funding if the project builds on a previously government-funded stage. The new funds must only cover new activities and cannot duplicate previous expenses.

6.3 Ineligible Activities and Expenses

The department will make the final decision on what is considered to be an ineligible activity and what is ineligible expenditure. Grant amounts may be reduced if ineligible expenses are included as part of a project budget

The grant amount and co-contribution may not be spent on the following ineligible activities and expenditure:

• sporting facilities and sporting infrastructure projects such as sports courts, sports grounds, swimming pools, cricket pitches/training nets, equestrian facilities, sports scoreboards/electronic screens, sports lighting, players/umpire rooms, fencing for sport courts and grounds etc.
• expenditure that has been incurred on the project prior to the signing of a grant agreement by all parties
• requests for retrospective funding where projects are already being delivered or have already been completed prior to receiving funding approval
• activities that are already supported by other Victorian Government funding (other than additional stages or separate discrete components of a larger overall project, as mentioned in section 5.1)
• single purchase of appliances such as fridges, ovens, and other kitchen equipment (unless part of a broader refurbishment or upgrade project)
• routine replacement, minor upgrades or purchase of mobile plant and equipment (e.g., trailers, lawnmowers and vehicles, computers, and hardware)
• single purchase of furnishings for general use such as tables and chairs (unless part of a broader upgrade or renovation project)
• the purchase of land and/or buildings
• operational expenditure, subscription/membership fees, communications, entertainment, and office equipment
• basic and routine professional services including legal and accounting fees
• building routine websites, sales and promotional activities, marketing, or communications campaigns
• clothing, catering, food, beverages, travel, and accommodation
• sporting equipment and sports uniforms
• projects requiring ongoing funding from the Victorian Government when completed
• GST is an ineligible expense for organisations registered for GST.

6.4 Preparing an application

Applicants should undertake the following steps to apply:

• carefully read these Program Guidelines (and ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for the Our Town Fund)
• contact your relevant RDV office to discuss their project before applying (see contact details at Appendix 2 (recommended)).
• compile necessary supporting documents to apply as detailed in the ‘Documentation and Information Requirements’ below
• submit an application online via the ‘Apply now’ button on the Our Town Fund page.
• ensure an email confirmation of application submission is received by checking your nominated email account and check spam/junk mail if confirmation email cannot be seen in your inbox

For guidance on what information you should include in your application form, please visit the Our Town Fund page or contact your local RDV office.

6.5 Supporting Documentation

The table below outlines the mandatory and optional supporting documentation for each application. Please submit all mandatory documentation with your application. The quality of the documentation will be assessed in conjunction with applicant responses to the assessment criteria.

Please note:

• not all types of support documents will be appropriate for each project
• information provided should be concise and directly support the application
• supporting material provided through links to non-public websites, or platforms where materials can be edited after submission will not be assessed
• the department may contact an applicant to obtain further information where minor clarification is required
• an application may be deemed ineligible due to insufficient supporting documentation.

7 Assessment

The following assessment process will be undertaken:

• all applications will be reviewed against the eligibility criteria of the Fund.
• applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be assessed through a multi-stage assessment process, including against the assessment criteria in Section 7.1
• funding recommendations will be made to the relevant Minister for final decision
• applicants will receive an email advising of the outcome of an application.

7.1 Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed on how well they address the assessment criteria below. All supporting documentation provided as part of the application will be taken into consideration during the assessment process.

7.2 Applicant Checks

Applicants may be subject to due diligence assessments to enable the department to assess financial and other non-financial risks associated with the application. Outcomes from such assessments may be considered in any decision to recommend or award a grant and in contracting with successful applicants. Such checks may include:

• the potential for reputational risk to the State
• the risk profile, financial viability and management capacity of the applicant’s operations
• where the proposal has already been fully funded by the applicant through other means
• the delivery performance of other grants previously contracted with the Victorian Government.

The department may, at any time, remove an applicant from the application and assessment process, if in the department’s opinion, association with the applicant may bring the department, Minister or the State of Victoria into disrepute.

Business regulator check

A business regulator check may be undertaken to verify business details provided with the Australian Business Register, Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner, Consumer Affairs Victoria and/or another applicable regulator.

8 Conditions of Funding

Successful applicants will be invited to enter into a legally binding grant agreement with the State of Victoria as represented by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

An offer of funding is not binding unless and until both the department and the applicant execute the grant agreement.

The project can only commence once a grant agreement has been signed by all parties.

The grant agreement details all funding obligations and conditions such as:

• payments
• funding use
• grant activity deliverables
• monitoring and milestones
• project outcomes
• reporting and acquittals
• audit
• termination and refund conditions.

Once the grant agreement has been executed, the grant recipient (successful applicant) will be required to commence the project within the agreed timeframe. If a recipient does not commence the project by the commencement date, the department may in its absolute discretion terminate the grant agreement.

8.1 Publicity/Acknowledgement of Support

The department requires grant recipients to acknowledge the Victorian Government’s support by using the Victoria State Government logo or government entity logo under the title ‘supported by’ on promotional materials for the grant project.

Acknowledgement of the Victorian Government’s support in promotional material will depend on the grant given and will be specified in the grant agreement, e.g., required representation on channels or collateral such as websites, signage, advertisements, and brochures. Where required, the grant recipient will be supplied a logo suite and associated brand guidelines, as well as a guide on how to acknowledge government support.

The department may include the name of the recipient organisation in its annual report.

Recipients must obtain written confirmation from the department of a successful application before making public announcements about receiving the grant. These requirements will form part of the Grant Agreement with successful applicants.

8.2 Program Surveys

As a condition of funding, grant recipients will be required to participate in evaluation activities. This may include completing surveys throughout the delivery of the funded project and for a nominated period after project completion to measure progress towards achieving outcomes.

Evaluation is critical to the Victorian Government in understanding the impact of the Our Town Fund, supporting continuous improvement in program design and delivery, and for delivering effective outcomes for Victoria.

9 Privacy Statement

Any personal information provided in an application for this program will be collected and used for the purposes of assessing eligibility, program administration, program review and evaluation.

The department completes a range of eligibility assessments that may include data matching to clarify the accuracy and quality of information supplied. This is part of our auditing and monitoring processes and for confirming eligibility across this program.

In assessing an application for the program as well as in any audit or evaluation of a successful grant, it may be necessary to share personal information with State and Commonwealth Government departments and agencies, as well as other external experts. If personal information about a third party is included in the application, the applicant must ensure the third party is aware of and consents to the contents of this privacy statement.

The department collects demographic information for economic reporting purposes. No personal information is used in reporting; all reports are presented with aggregated data.

Any personal information about the applicant or a third party will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed, or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and other applicable laws.

For enquiries about access or correction of personal information, contact RDV office (Appendix 2). Other concerns regarding the privacy of personal information, can be emailed to the Privacy Unit at privacy@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

9.1 Department Probity and Decision Making

The Victorian Government makes every effort to ensure the grant application and assessment process is fair and undertaken in line with the published program guidelines.

Decisions regarding funding by the Minister for Rural and Regional Development are final and no further correspondence shall be entered into regarding such decisions.

These guidelines and the application terms may be changed from time to time, including suspending or cancelling the program.

The department may request an applicant provide further information should it be necessary, to assess an application against the Our Town Fund policy objectives.

Victorian Government staff are required to act in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Service Employees (Section 61) issued under the Public Administration Act 2004(Vic), including processes set out to avoid conflicts of interest. This includes an obligation to avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible and declare and manage any conflicts of interest that cannot be avoided.

9.2 Eftsure Bank Account Verification

Prior to grant payments being issued, the department will use Eftsure software for verification of bank details. Eftsure is an Australian digital software company that deliver real time payment verification assurance to payment issuers.  It is used to help reduce payment fraud and errors by ensuring electronic funds transfers go to the right payees.  For more information on Eftsure and how they securely verify bank details, please visit the Eftsure website.

Successful applicants will be provided further information on how this process works and what is required of them.

9.3 Complaints and Feedback

If an applicant wants to lodge a complaint or provide feedback to the department about the process for a grant application, requests can be made via the DJSIR online complaints form, by sending a written request to your relevant RDV office (Appendix 2). The department aims to respond to complaints and feedback within 28 days or by calling 1800 878 969 .

• Requests can be made in relation to the application process and adherence to these guidelines. Re-assessment of an application or overturning of a funding decision for a merit-based grant, will not be considered through the complaints process.
• Once your complaint has been received by the department, it will be acknowledged within two working days and provided to the review team to be resolved.
• Your complaint will be resolved within 28 business days unless further investigation is required. If further investigation is required, you may be contacted by phone or email asking for additional information.

9.4 Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust or influence has competing professional or personal interests

• Has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who is able to, or may be perceived to, influence the application assessment process, such as a Victorian Government staff member, or
• Has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicant from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently.

Applicants must advise DJSIR of any real or perceived conflict of interest relating to a project for which it has applied for funding.

9.5 Information Only

Any discussions you may have had with your RDV representative are for information only, and do not constitute advice.

Applicants should seek independent advice before making an application or entering into a grant agreement.

9.6 Record keeping for recipients / Accounting and Audit

Grant Recipients must keep proper accounts as required by law and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement.

Recipients may be subject to audit and will be required to retain records following completion of the project and provide access and produce supporting documentation (such as business activity statements, bank statements, financial reports, sales reports and invoices, payroll reports to demonstrate impact and turnover) and assist the department, its representatives, and the Auditor General of Victoria with the conduct of the audit, as required.

Tax implications

Tax implications for grant applicants may differ depending on individual circumstances. DJSIR recommends successful applicants seek independent tax advice or alternatively liaise with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) for advice that is specific to their individual circumstances. The ATO website also provides guidance in relation to specific grants payments which may be used for tax determination purposes.

Appendix 1 – Eligible Locations

Table 1: The project must be located in an eligible location with a population of under 12,000 people in one of the Victorian Local Government Areas or Alpine Resorts below.

Regional City Councils

• Ballarat
• Greater Bendigo
• Greater Geelong
• Greater Shepparton
• Horsham
• Latrobe
• Mildura
• Wangaratta
• Warrnambool
• Wodonga.

Rural Councils and Alpine Resorts

• Alpine
• Ararat
• Bass Coast
• Baw Baw
• Benalla
• Buloke
• Campaspe
• Central Goldfields
• Colac-Otway
• Corangamite
• East Gippsland
• Falls Creek
• Gannawarra
• Glenelg
• Golden Plains
• Hepburn
• Hindmarsh
• Indigo
• Lake Mountain
• Loddon
• Macedon Ranges
• Mansfield
• Mitchell
• Moira
• Moorabool
• Mount Alexander
• Moyne
• Mt Baw Baw
• Mt Buller
• Mt Hotham
• Mt Stirling
• Murrindindi
• Northern Grampians
• Pyrenees
• Queenscliffe
• South Gippsland
• Southern Grampians
• Strathbogie
• Surf Coast
• Swan Hill
• Towong
• Wellington
• West Wimmera
• Yarriambiack.

Appendix 2 – Contact Details

Contact details for Regional Development Victoria

Note: Some regional offices may be closed or operating different opening hours. The preferred method of contact is via telephone or email.