Grants program

Community Small Grants

One-off grants up to $2,000.

Available to: Not-for-profit organisations and community groups seeking funding for projects, programs, celebrations, equipment and/or new group start-up support (see separate application for new group start-up grants).

Grants are awarded monthly and applications are assessed within four weeks until funding exhausted. Each applicant can receive a maximum of one small grant per financial year.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply view our Community Small Grants Guidelines(PDF, 378KB).

Apply now

Community Small Grant - New Group Start-up

Funding is available to assist new not-for-profit community groups to become established and incorporated.

Eligible costs include:

• Incorporation and insurance fees
• Stationery, materials or equipment
• Member recruitment activities
• Hire of meeting spaces

Groups can be unincorporated at the time of application but must become incorporated and provide a bank account in the group's name for the grant payment and provide evidence of incorporation in their final acquittal report. Each applicant can receive one small grant per financial year.

Apply now

One-off grants up to $10,000.

Available to: Not-for-profit organisations, community groups, for-profit small businesses and artists looking for projects, programs, small events and minor capital works funding.

Each applicant is eligible to receive a maximum of one bi-annual grant per financial year.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply view our Community Bi-annual Grant Guidelines(PDF, 381KB).

Round 1

Opens 4 February 2026 and closes 1 March 2026.
Applications for Round 1 will be considered at a Council meeting on 22 June 2026, and applicants will be notified via email, soon after.

Apply now

Round 2

Opens 22 June 2026 and closes 17 July 2026.
Applications for Round 2 will be considered at a Council meeting on 14 December 2026, and applicants will be notified via email, soon after.

These grants provide up to three years of funding in various categories.

Available to: Not-for-profit organisations and community groups.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply view our Operational and Partnership Grant Guidelines(PDF, 730KB).

Multicultural & Seniors

Consideration for 2026-27 - Year 3 funding
Opens 16 February 2026 and closes 29 March 2026.
Applications will be considered at a Council meeting on 22 June 2026, and applicants will be notified via email soon after.
If your group is already in receipt of an Operational & Partnership Multicultural & Seniors grant, you do not need to re-apply this year.

Apply now

Welfare Services

Applications closed.

Neighbourhood Houses & Community Centres 

Applications closed.

Community Interest Organisations 

Applications closed.

Grants of up to $25,000 annually for up to three years.

For eligibility and how to apply read our Community Event Grant Guidelines(PDF, 392KB).

Available to: Not-for-profit organisations and community groups to support community festivals and events. Applicants are eligible to apply once per financial year.

Applications closed, re-opens 2027.

One-off grants of up to $600.

Applications for Individual Development Grants closed due to funds exhausted this month.

Applications will re-open 1 March 2026 at 9am.

Available to: Individual Kingston residents to compete, perform or represent at a state, national or international level in their chosen discipline.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply view our Individual Development Grant Guidelines(PDF, 405KB).

Applications are assessed every two to four weeks until funding is exhausted.

Apply now

What is changing?

• All applications will be asked to show how they support the Council and Wellbeing Plan 2025–29.
• The way grants are assessed has been simplified, so it’s clearer how decisions are made.
• Some grant categories have been renamed to make them easier to understand:
  • The Operational & Partnership – Specialist Community & Welfare Services Grants will now be called Welfare Services Grants.
    • Welfare Services Grants will now include new categories for Emergency Relief and Welfare Support.
  • Community Festivals, Events & Creative Activities will now be called Community Events Grants.
  • Start-up Support grants will now be called New Group Start-up Support.
• Community groups can now apply for any amount up to $10,000 in Community Bi-annual Grants (no lower limit).
• There is an updated formula for Neighbourhood Houses and Community Centres.
• The qualitative component of the Multicultural & Seniors category funding formula will no longer require review by the Kingston Grants Program Assessment Panel.
• Eligibility for Community Interest Organisations is clearer outlining who can apply.
• New local business community impact grants are now available through the Community bi-annual grants.

Why are these changes taking place?

Council introduced a new Grants program in January 2024. To ensure the program is delivering maximum community benefit, Council evaluated the new program and has made some additional changes based on community and stakeholder feedback.

What are the new Kingston Grants Program streams?

1. Individual Development Grants

2. Community Small Grants

• Community Projects & Programs
• Community Celebrations
• Small Equipment
• Capacity Building
• New Group Start-up Support

3. Community Bi-annual Grants

• Community Projects & Programs
• Small Community Events
• Minor Capital Works
• Arts Projects & Programs

4. Operational and Partnership Grants

• Neighbourhood Houses & Community Centres
• Welfare Services
  - Emergency Relief
  - Welfare Support
• Community Interest Organisations
• Multicultural & Seniors

5. Community Events Grants

When will the changes come into effect?

Changes to Community Events Grants and Operational & Partnership Grants are taking effect from 1 July 2027.
Operational & Partnership Grants - Multicultural & Seniors effective 4 February 2026.
Bi-annual Grants effective 4 February 2026.

Will this affect my current grant?

No. Existing grant funding and applications for funding will not be impacted

Where can I find out more?

Please contact the Kingston Grants Team with any enquiries on 1300 653 356 or community@kingston.vic.gov.au.

My group/organisation/club meets in a venue that has pokies, am I eligible to apply for a grant?

Council won’t fund:

• Organisations that receive a direct income from gambling activities, undertake or promote gambling
• Activities that undertake or promote gambling
• The lease/hire or use of a venue with gaming machines or other forms of gambling, unless the venue offers a unique setting and there is no viable alternative.

My group/organisation/club has a liquor license, am I eligible to apply for a grant?

Yes. However, your funding cannot be spent on alcohol.

We received less funding than last year, are we able to apply for more from another grant stream?

Applicants can apply to multiple grant streams for different activities.

Do not-for-profits need to be incorporated to apply for a grant?

Organisations must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be legally constituted as an incorporated association, company limited by guarantee, or Aboriginal Corporation, or auspiced by another legally constituted organisation (auspice) for the activity proposed in the application.
• Be not-for-profit and managed by a volunteer board/committee of management, or auspiced by a not-for-profit managed by a volunteer board/committee of management.

What is the eligibility criteria for minor capital works?

In addition to other eligibility criteria, applicants to the community bi-annual grants – minor capital works category are required to provide:

• Approval in principle from Council for Council-owned property.
• A letter of approval from the property owner for non-Council property.

You may also be required to provide a co-contribution.

Please see our Community Bi-annual Grant Guidelines(PDF, 381KB) for further information.

I want to apply for funding for a small community event, which grant stream should I use?

If you are requesting $2,000 or less, you can apply to the community small grants.

If you are requesting up to $10,000, you can apply for a community bi-annual grant.

Can I submit multiple applications?

Multiple applications for different grants streams may be submitted from the same applicant to request funding for different activities. If multiple applications are submitted for the same activity, no more than one application can be funded.

What If I submit an incomplete application?

Applicants are required to submit a complete application within the advertised application opening period, including attachments or other supporting information requested by Council.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to supply all necessary information by the closing date, or assessment commencement date, to be eligible for assessment.

Late applications due to exceptional circumstances can be approved/declined for assessment by the Manager Inclusive Communities. Exceptional circumstances do not include illness, leave, or holidays of one community group/family member.

What can and can't be funded under each stream?

Please see relevant grant guidelines for descriptions of what can/cannot be funded under each grant stream.

What if I receive event funding and the venue I planned to use is no longer available? If I book another venue, will Council fund the gap?

It is the applicant’s responsibility to book the venue and ensure the grant application covers all venue hire costs. A change in venue or increase to venue hire costs after the grant is awarded, will not result in an increase in funding.

Do I need to hold my event in Kingston?

Yes.