Annual Grants

Grant Amount: Up to $1,500

These grants support the day-to-day operational activities of community groups who help improve health, wellbeing and connection in the community.

Examples include:

• Incorporation fees
• Insurance costs
• Catering (small-scale ongoing catering, such as tea/coffee, not catering for one-off events)
• Room hire fees
• Small equipment purchases up to $1,500 (e.g. small sporting equipment for sporting clubs, kitchen equipment for social groups, gardening tools, musical equipment, laptops to support local groups, books and resources)
• Volunteer registration costs

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be a not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Meet in Hume City and/or show that the grant will benefit residents
• Provide quotes insurance, room hire, bus hire and equipment
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted previous funding received by Hume City Council
• Be incorporated or auspiced (for more about auspicing please refer to our FAQs)

Equipment cannot be fixed/permanent items. Equipment ownership must be retained by the group i.e. if a group purchases a laptop for the treasurer to use, and the treasure retires, the laptop must be returned to the group.   

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Grant amount: up to $3,000

These grants support groups and organisations to run ongoing activities that encourage community participation and involvement, promote leadership and develop a strong sense of belonging. This includes health and wellbeing projects that improve and encourage active lifestyles.

Examples:

• Hiring a facilitator to run community forums and workshops focusing on community issues and priorities (e.g. anti-racism, social connection or loneliness, access to services)
• First aid or mental health first aid training for your community members
• Cultural celebrations (e.g. NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week, Cultural Diversity Week, International Women’s Day, Neighbour Day)
• Environmental sustainability projects
• Youth projects, training and excursions

A maximum of half the funding amount can be used for operational costs such as room and venue hire fees, insurance costs, catering, equipment related to the project etc.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be a not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Run the proposed activity or project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will benefit residents of Hume City
• Be able to show that the applicant has minimal financial resources or a limited ability to fundraise for the activity or project
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council
• Be incorporated or auspiced (for more about auspicing please refer to our FAQs)  

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Grant amount: up to $5,000 (Open twice a year)

Small Project Grants are designed to encourage new ideas, locally-led initiatives or projects and collaborations that provide benefit to the Hume community. Small Project Grants are not for day to day activities and are only funded up to a 12-month period.

Small Projects should have a clear start and end, with a specific result to be delivered within that time.

Rounds are open:

Round 1 - 19 May - 30 June 2025

Round 2 - 2 February - 27 February 2026  

Examples:

• Piloting a new service or program
• Research to investigate an emerging need
• Enhancing access to programs and information development
• A joint project between two community groups/organisations
• Projects that raise awareness of harms caused by gambling, address anti-social behaviour, or activities that address racism

Applications should align closely with Hume City Council Plans, Strategies and Policies.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Discuss the proposal with the relevant Council Officer before applying.
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have a proven project management ability
• Run the project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will benefit residents of Hume City
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council
• Demonstrate in kind or cash contribution that equates to half the value of the grant request. For example, if you ask for $5,000 you must show a contribution of at least $2,500 (cash or in-kind)
• Projects can be either 6 to 12 months 

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Amount: up to $10,000 per year for up to 3 years ($30,000 total)

Large Project Grants are for projects that clearly address a significant need and embrace the principles of social justice, healthy living, lifelong learning, environmental sustainability, community safety and inclusion.

You can apply for a Large Project Grant if you are an established organisation with a proven record in the provision of quality programs and services. You must provide evidence of the need for the project and demonstrate your capacity to resource and deliver projects over multiple years.

Applications must align closely with Hume City Council Plans, Strategies and Policies.

Proposals will:

• Not duplicate an existing service
• Give a detailed program budget and quotes
• Be innovative and strengthen community wellbeing
• Encourage inclusion and accessibility
• Be of significant benefit and give valuable support to the Hume community
• Be able to measure their impact

Funding can be up to three years. To meet the funding criteria for subsequent years, applicants must provide both a mid-year and end of year report.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation.
• Discuss the proposal with the relevant Council Officer before applying. 
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Demonstrate an ability to manage large scale projects
• Run the project from a location within Hume and/or show that it will substantially benefit residents of Hume City
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council.
• Give a detailed Project Plan
• Demonstrate how the project will be made fully sustainable upon cessation of Council funding
• Demonstrate in kind or cash contribution that equates to half the value of the grant request. For example, if you ask for $10,000, you must show a contribution of at least $5,000 (cash or in-kind)  

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Grant amount: up to $10,000

The Volunteer Engagement Project Grant is for new and innovative services, programs, and projects that support local partnerships to help community organisations and groups to reengage, encourage and try volunteering.

This grant provides funding to help increase volunteer participation and support community organisations/groups.

Engage volunteers.

Projects may include ways to increase volunteering. e.g. training courses for volunteers, background screening checks, paying for volunteer insurance, or improving volunteer systems/databases.

Committees of management.

Projects may provide for skill development of existing volunteer Board/Committee members in governance, fundraising and strategic planning to improve long-term viability of your volunteer-led group.

Diversify the volunteer base.

This stream is for organisations who want to recruit more/new volunteers. Projects may include developing plans, resources and supports to reduce barriers to volunteering, and use a range of inclusive volunteer engagement practices to attract, recruit and support a diverse range of people. For example, engagement of a facilitator to develop or enhance volunteer marketing/recruitment plans.

Strengthen collaboration and partnership.

Partnerships between organisations/groups, and services to build organisational capacity, community connections and pathways to volunteering. For example, showcasing how active engagement in partnership can assist organisations to attract, engage and support volunteers for a broad range of people.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated not-for-profit community group or organisation
• Be able to immediately commence project activities
• If you name another group/organisation or service, they must be aware of the application and provide a letter of support indicating their willingness to participate if the application is successful.
• Include a monitoring and evaluation plan, and strategies on best volunteering practices
• Be based in Hume and/or show that the grant will substantially benefit residents of Hume City
• Have no outstanding debts with Hume City Council
• Have satisfactorily acquitted any previous funding received by Hume City Council 

• Discuss the proposal with the relevant Council Officer before applying.

Apply now