The City of Melbourne is committed to creating connected and inclusive communities at a neighbourhood or suburb level. We provide small grants to community groups and individuals for projects that support diverse communities of a particular neighbourhood to actively participate, connect and experience a sense of belonging. They also help local community develop and deliver their own solutions to local priorities.
To learn more about local issues and priorities, visit our Neighbourhood Portals. Each Neighbourhood Portal includes a list of neighbourhood priorities. These priorities capture the challenges, opportunities, assets and ambitions of each neighbourhood within the City of Melbourne. The priorities have been identified by community, are unique to each neighbourhood, and reflect the diversity of our City.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply for a Connected Neighbourhoods Grant, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Applicants must be one of the following:
- a not-for-profit constituted body;
- a school;
- a community leader; or
- an individual community member supported by their community; or
- a Body Corporate/Owners Corporation
- Applications may be auspiced.
- Applicants must be located within or currently be providing services or benefits within the City of Melbourne. View the City of Melbourne boundary map.
- Applications must have a focus on providing outcomes for City of Melbourne's local communities.
- Funded activities must create opportunities for community members to experience greater connection to their community through opportunities that improve access and participation.
- One application per year, per applicant will be accepted.
What won't be funded
- core operational funding
- applications where more than 25 percent of the funding request is allocated to paying staff. This does not include contractors who are engaged to provide a specific service for the project.
- applications where funding will be used to pay the applicant for good or services they provide as part of their own business or other for-profit entity
- activities with a religious focus. For example activities that include religious service, education, preaching or proselytizing, or those that exclude community members of different faiths from participating
- party political activities, including 'meet the candidate' debate style events
- activities that denigrate or exclude parts of the community or that breach Commonwealth and State anti-vilification laws
- activities based on the consumption of alcohol or gambling
- capital works/purchases
- commercial or for-profit activities and/or organisations
- fundraising activities, competitions, prizes or award events
- interstate and international travel costs including travel costs for facilitators/consultants
- activities that have already commenced or occurred
- activities that are being, or have already been, funded through other City of Melbourne grant or sponsorship programs
- activities run by the City of Melbourne
- organisations with outstanding acquittals or debts owing to the City of Melbourne
Key dates
- Applications must be received a minimum of eight weeks prior to the start of the activity.
- Applications will be open until 7 May 2027 or when the budget for the program is fully allocated.
- Applications will be assessed monthly, if your application is received by the cut off date you will receive an email with the outcome of your application by the end of the following month. Cut off dates for each month are the second Friday of the month, except in May 2027, when it will be the first Friday. Note that applications are not assessed in January. Any applications received after the November cutoff date will be reviewed and reported in February.
- Projects must be delivered within 12 months of receiving the grant.
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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