Community Food Relief Program – Coordination Grants

Status:: Closed
Who can apply:: Not-for-profit groups
Funding:: $100,000 - $300,000

The Community Food Relief – Coordination Grants program will support partnership projects focused on strengthening food relief supply and distribution approaches across Victoria, with a particular focus on regional areas. 

Applications are sought from established regional and state-wide food relief providers who provide centralised food rescue, warehousing and logistics to support a network of charity partners. 

The objectives of the Coordination Grants program are to:

Support more Victorian communities currently facing food insecurity to access healthy and culturally appropriate food relief.
Develop or enhance sustainable models for distribution of food relief across Victoria, filling critical gaps and/or improving the quality and variety of food supply.
Strengthen collaboration and partnerships across the food relief sector to improve community food access, reduce duplication and improve system effectiveness and efficiency.

Applications are closed.

Recipients

Funded projects through the Coordination grants include:

Regional Food Security Alliance (RFSA) received $200,000 for a partnership with OzHarvest and SecondBite. The goal is to improve coordination, data sharing, and develop a regional logistics strategy. The funding will also allow the RFSA to trial and put in place systems to improve efficiency.
Geelong Foodshare will use their $250,000 to establish a new distribution process from Geelong across western Victoria, including to Warrnambool, Colac and Golden Plains Shire, with capacity building and advice for the smaller regional food hubs and Horsham.
SecondBite was granted $250,000 to buy a 10-pallet truck. This will boost delivery capacity to regional Victoria, and support its partnership with the RFSA and regional foodshares.
OzHarvest received $200,000 to establish a new warehouse and distribution centre in south-east Melbourne. This will improve food relief supply locally and support more organisations on their waitlist.

Guidelines

Key dates
Applications open: 30 July 2024
Applications close: 4:00pm 27 August 2024
Key tasks
- Make sure your organisation and proposed activity meets the eligibility criteria
- Read the program guidelines, download templates and review the factsheet:
2024-25 Community Food Relief Program - Coordination Grants Guidelines
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Project Plan Template - Community Food Relief Program
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2024-25 Community Food Relief Program - Coordination Grants How to Apply
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Prepare and submit application
- Register or log in to the DFFH Grants Gateway
- Complete the online application form via the DFFH Grants Gateway.
  - Draft forms will be saved and can be returned to through-out the application period.
  - Answer all questions and attach mandatory documents.
- Submit the application by the due date and time.
- Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
Applicant organisations must be an established food relief provider with existing donor relationships, warehousing and logistics capacity and a network of charity partners.
Eligible organisations must have a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and be either:
- a not-for-profit entity – that is:
  - registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission; or
  - registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria (or equivalent body in a neighbouring state) as an incorporated association; or
  - registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic); or
  - demonstrated through your organisation’s constitution or governance documents.
- an Aboriginal entity incorporated under Commonwealth or Victorian legislation, including Victorian Aboriginal not-for-profit organisations, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), Traditional Owner groups and land trusts.
- a social enterprise that is an incorporated entity with a clearly stated purpose or mission related specifically to supporting food relief or food security.
Definition: social enterprises are led by an economic, social, cultural, or environmental mission consistent with a public or community benefit; derive a substantial portion of their income from trade; and reinvest the majority of their profit/surplus in the fulfilment of their mission.
In addition, organisations must have no overdue reports from previous or current Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) grant programs.
Entities that are not eligible include:
- unincorporated associations and groups
- private (for profit) companies
- sole traders and individuals
- charitable trusts
- local government entities.
Auspice arrangements are not appropriate for grants provided through this program.
For more details, download the grant guidelines:

2024-25 Community Food Relief Program - Coordination Grants Guidelines
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Activities funded through the Community Food Relief Program – Coordination Grants must be for the benefit of Victorians and may include:
- Strategic planning, partnership development and similar activities to enhance the capacity or sustainability of current or future food distribution programs.
- Transport, logistics and coordination costs, including reimbursement of volunteer expenses (where directly related to the project and proportionate to the overall cost).
- Program supplies, such as nutritious or culturally appropriate foods, packaging materials and storage.
Where appropriate, up to 10 per cent of funding sought may be allocated to project management to directly support delivery of the project.
Funds cannot be used for:
- Retrospective costs for activities that were delivered or commenced prior to funding approval.
- Activities and programs extending beyond December 2025.
- Core operational expenses such as rent, insurance, current wages, overheads and consumables.
- Staff catering (food or alcohol), gifts and other benefits.
- Activities that are already funded through other Local, State, or Commonwealth Government programs.
All applications to the Community Food Relief Program – Coordination Grants will undergo the following review and assessment process:
Eligibility check
- All applications will be reviewed against the eligibility criteria.
  - The eligibility check determines whether the application will proceed to further assessment.
Ratings against selection criteria
- Eligible applications will be assessed against the selection criteria based on responses provided in the application and content of mandatory attachments.
  - Applications should outline the relevant capability and experience of each partner.
- We may ask for further information or clarification during the assessment period.
Funding recommendations
- The final selection of highly rated applications will consider:
  - Demonstrated effectiveness, efficiency and/or innovation.
  - Geographic spread and targeting to communities in need.
Application outcome
- The Minister for Carers and Volunteers makes the final decision based on recommendations from the department’s assessment.
- All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email.
The department may withdraw from the application process described in this document for any reason, prior to signing any agreement with any organisation.
Organisations are reminded that they should not attempt to exert influence on the outcome of the assessment process by lobbying, directly or indirectly, departmental staff or members of parliament.
- Identified community need (25%)
- Demonstrated effectiveness and efficiency (25%)
- Demonstrated experience and capability (20%)
- Organisational capacity and readiness (20%)
- Sustainability (10%)

Updated 12 March 2025