Community Food Relief Program – Local Grants

Applications must be submitted via the DFFH Grants Gateway(opens in a new window).

Key information for completing a grant application

Key dates

Applications open: 3 July 2025

Applications close: 4:00pm 19 August 2025

Key tasks

• Make sure your organisation and proposed activity meets the eligibility criteria
• attend an information session (optional but recommended).
• read the program guidelines
• download the project plan template and review the how to apply factsheet.

Prepare and submit application

• Register or log in to the DFFH Grants Gateway.
• Complete the online application form
  • draft forms will be saved and can be returned to through-out the application period
• answer all questions and attach mandatory documents.
• Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

For more details download the grant guidelines:

Applications should provide a level of detail in line with the complexity of the project and level of funding being sought from the program.

To be eligible for the 2025-26 Community Food Relief Program – Local Grants, your application must:

• respond to at least one of the program objectives
• be submitted by an eligible organisation
• seek funding for eligible activities
• include the mandatory attachments.

Each organisation may only submit one application.

• If organisations submit more than one application, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) will only progress the application that best fits the funding objectives. All other submitted applications will not progress to assessment.
• Where multiple organisations propose to work in partnership, we only need one application from that partnership. The lead organisation must submit this.

For more details download the grant guidelines:

Projects funded through the 2025-26 Community Food Relief Program – Local Grants must benefit Victorian communities and/or people accessing services in Victoria.

Eligible activities will increase the effectiveness, capacity, sustainability and availability of community food relief, and may include:

• buying, hiring or installing equipment and appliances
• improving infrastructure or facilities such as kitchens or food storage
• sourcing program supplies such as nutritious and culturally appropriate food and packaging materials
• building partnerships and networks and undertaking strategic planning to strengthen food relief activities
• training and development activities to enhance skills, knowledge and safety of staff and volunteers involved in providing food relief
• program delivery costs including for extra staff, volunteer recruitment, community education, awareness and promotional activities
• reimbursing volunteer expenses directly related to the project’s delivery and proportionate to the project cost.

While projects may include multiple types of activities, all projects must involve an element of providing direct food relief to the community.

Where appropriate, organisations can allocate up to 10 per cent of funding to project management and administration to directly support the project. This includes human resources, governance and program oversight costs. For example, the extra hours for a project manager to onboard and directly support staff or volunteers who are delivering the project.

Organisations that are not registered for GST can use grant funds to cover the cost of GST from goods and services purchased with grant funds.

Funds cannot be used for

• Retrospective costs for activities that were started before funding approval.
• Activities and programs extending beyond 30 June 2027.
• Core operational expenses such as rent, insurance, current wages, overheads and consumables.
• Staff catering (food or alcohol), gifts and other benefits.
• Duplicating activities that are already funded through other Local, State, or Commonwealth government programs.

All applications to the Community Food Relief Program – Local Grants will undergo the following review and assessment process:

Eligibility check

• We will review all applications against the eligibility criteria
  • the eligibility check determines whether the application will proceed to further assessment.

Ratings against selection criteria

• We will assess eligible applications against the selection criteria based on responses provided in the application form and mandatory attachments
  • applications should outline the relevant capability and experience of each partner, if applicable
  • the assessment panel will not read supporting documents (other than mandatory or relevant attachments)
  • excessive attachments or long documents will not be read in their entirety.

Funding recommendations

• The final selection of highly rated applications will consider:
  • geographic spread and targeting to areas/communities in need
  • supporting a variety of food relief activities and initiatives
  • demonstrated effectiveness, efficiency or innovation.

Application outcome

• The Minister for Carers and Volunteers will make the final decision based on recommendations from the department’s assessment.
• We will notify all applicants of the outcome by email.

The department may withdraw from the application process for any reason, before signing any agreement with any organisation.

Organisations should not try to influence the outcome 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%)

For more details download the grant guidelines: