Trunk Infrastructure Fund
Unlocking rural and regional land to attract investment, create new exports, and boost jobs and economic growth in regional Victoria
Overview
The $15 million Trunk Infrastructure Fund is a key initiative of the Victorian Government’s Economic Growth Statement and will support co-funded projects that are designed to establish or expand industrial sites to drive jobs and economic growth.
Investments in this strategic and enabling infrastructure are critical, as they provide a competitive environment for existing and emerging regional industries to operate in.
This includes identified key industries such as manufacturing and defence, health technologies and medical research, circular economy, digital technology and agribusiness.
Trunk Infrastructure enables new investment to occur, activates greater private sector investment, and creates new jobs and additional exports, helping to drive long-term regional economic growth. Trunk infrastructure includes establishing:
- water supply
- power supply
- sewerage facilities
- road networks
- technologies, such as NBN connections.
The fund will support projects to deliver essential trunk services that will increase the supply of land for use by business and industry, support and activate private sector investment, and create long-term jobs.
Objectives of program
The Fund aims to:
- invest in infrastructure that unlocks land so new investments can proceed without infrastructure limitations
- attract new private sector investment
- facilitate the expansion of existing businesses
- increase the supply of serviced land available for business and industry investment in regional Victoria.
Successful projects will increase production and productivity by enhancing local supply chains - supporting economic growth and prosperity for regional Victoria.
A full list of aims and objectives are outlined in the Program Guidelines.
Funding details
Applicants may apply for grant funding between $500,000 and $2,000,000 (excluding GST). Smaller grant amounts may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Investment model
The fund operates as a co-investment model to help activate projects with private sector investment.
Applicants will need to demonstrate how government funding will be leveraged through applicant co-contribution and, if applicable, through co-investment from other partners.
All applicants must meet the minimum cash co-contribution towards the total project budget for eligible activities and expenses.
Please note – the purchase of land or an in-kind contribution of land will not be considered a co-investment under this fund.
Rural council and alpine resort area projects
Applicants with projects in the 38 rural council areas and alpine resorts will be required to contribute a cash co-contribution of one third, or 33%, of the total project budget.
This means that an applicant looking to receive the minimum grant amount of $500,000 would need to demonstrate a total project budget of $750,000.
Regional city council area projects
Applicants with projects in the 10 regional city council areas will be required to contribute a cash co-contribution of half, or 50%, of the total project budget.
This means that an applicant looking to receive the minimum grant amount of $500,000 would need to demonstrate a total project budget of $1 million.
A full list of co-contribution requirements can be found in the Program Guidelines.
What will be funded
The fund will support trunk infrastructure projects that:
- attract strategic investment into regional Victoria and/or
- assist in the development of strategically important industry sectors.
Projects will assist the development of key sites, such as industrial estates and employment precincts, or help to establish or expand an individual or cluster of businesses in regional Victoria.
Eligible project sites could include:
- greenfield, or undeveloped land
- brownfield, or vacant and/or underutilised land or sites that have previously been used for industrial or commercial purposes
- existing sites that require expansions and upgrades.
A full list of eligible projects, activities and expenses can be found in the Program Guidelines.
Key dates
Expressions of interest opened on Friday 13 February and will remain open until the program funds are allocated, or until RDV closes the fund in the online grants portal.
Application process
Applications for funding can be made via a simple process involving your local RDV office.
Step 1 – Check eligibility and enquire
Familiarise yourself with the Program Guidelines and check that you are eligible and that you can meet the fund’s criteria.
Submit an enquiry through the Trunk enquiry form.
Alternatively, you can contact your local RDV office.
A representative from RDV will contact you to discuss your project with you and provide guidance and feedback, as well as application advice.
Step 2 – Submit an expression of interest
After you have considered all advice and feedback from RDV and you decide to apply, your RDV representative will provide you with a link to submit an expression of interest (EOI) to the fund.
Step 3 – Detailed application
Successful EOI applicants will be invited by an RDV representative to submit a detailed funding application through the online grants portal.
Please note that an invitation to submit a detailed application does not guarantee that funding will be approved.