Purpose of the program
The City of Melbourne is committed to creating healthy, connected and inclusive communities. We provide Operational Support grants for volunteer run community organisations to support health and wellbeing, social connection, access and participation for City of Melbourne residents.
Operational Support grants are provided for two years to support organisations to cover operational costs and costs of ongoing activities. This current round is for the two-year period 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2028.
Costs could include but are not limited to:
- insurance
- venue hire
- incorporation fees
- printing
- bus hire
- supplies for activities
Objectives/Outcomes of Operational Support grants
Operational Support Grants enable the City of Melbourne to strengthen social connection, improve health and wellbeing, build community cohesion, and support equitable access and participation across our neighbourhoods. They aim to:
- increase opportunities for people to connect, participate and feel included
- support communities to identify and respond to local needs and priorities
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for funding through Operational Support Grants, applications must meet the following criteria:
- Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit constituted body. Auspiced applications are not permitted in this program.
- Applicants must be fully volunteer run and not employ staff or regular contractors (more than once per fortnight) to deliver services to members, for example facilitators or trainers.
- Applicants must create opportunities for community members to experience greater connection to their community through opportunities that improve access and participation.
- Applicants must be located within, or demonstrate clear evidence of operating within, the City of Melbourne municipality with benefits for local people.
Funding will not be considered for:
- organisations and activities with a religious focus. For example, organisations whose core activities are faith-based, such as religious service, preaching or proselytizing, or organisations that exclude community members of different faiths of joining.
- organisations whose activities includes political lobbying or advocacy
- organisations that City of Melbourne considers denigrate or exclude parts of the community or have an adverse effect on public health, safety, the environment or heritage
- organisations that conduct, or have conducted, themselves in a way that the City of Melbourne considers to be injurious or prejudicial to the character or interests of the City of Melbourne
- capital works
- commercial activities and/or organisations
- fundraising activities, competitions, prizes or award events
- interstate and international travel costs including travel costs for facilitators/consultants
- activities that are being, or have already been, funded through other City of Melbourne grant or sponsorship programs
- an organisation that is in legal conflict with Council
- organisations with outstanding acquittals or debts owing to the City of Melbourne
- incomplete applications
- late submissions.
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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