Objectives of the program
- Increase community access to civic spaces for cultural and social activities.
- Promote connection, belonging and inclusion by enabling events that reflect the community’s diversity.
Purpose
- To reduce financial barriers for community organisations to hire or use council-owned venues, with a particular focus on organisations based in City of Melbourne or providing services within the City of Melbourne.
- To facilitate community-led events that foster social connection, community cohesion, wellbeing, and multicultural and intercultural dialogue and celebration.
- To ensure equitable access to high-quality spaces for groups that may otherwise be excluded.
- To leverage public assets for community benefit rather than leaving them underutilized.
Applications to this program must align to the following Council Plan Strategic priority and outcome:
- Healthy, safe, clean and connected communities: Our diverse communities can actively participate, connect and experience a sense of belonging in Melbourne.
In addition, preference will be given to events that are led by locally based organisations for events that primarily engage with City of Melbourne residents and that foster social connection, community cohesion, wellbeing and multicultural and intercultural dialogue and celebration.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for CUTHS, applications must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit constituted body (or be auspiced by one, applications from individuals or for profit organisations cannot be auspiced.)
- Applicant organisations must be located within the City of Melbourne or provide services or benefits to the local community or Melbourne as a capital city.
- Events must be open to the general public to attend.
CUTHS will not be considered for:
- religious events that include religious service, preaching or proselytizing, or those that exclude community members of different faiths from participating. This does not include community celebrations of cultural festivals
- political lobbying or advocacy activities
- events that denigrate or exclude parts of the community or that breach Commonwealth and State anti-vilification laws
- activities that have an adverse effect on public health, safety, the environment or heritage
- commercial activities and/or organisations
- Commonwealth or State Government Departments
- activities that have already commenced or occurred
- projects that are being, or have already been, funded through other City of Melbourne grant or sponsorship programs
- activities run by the City of Melbourne or in partnership with the City of Melbourne
- organisations with outstanding acquittals or debts owing to the City of Melbourne
- an applicant that conducts, or has conducted, themselves in a way that the CoM considers to be injurious or prejudicial to the character or interests of the City of Melbourne
- incomplete applications
For full a list of the detailed eligibility criteria, things that won't be funded, assessment criteria and conditions of funding refer to the Program Guidelines
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