Overview
About the program
The new Community-led Recovery Support Grants program will deliver funding to eligible local councils, to support community groups involved in the planning and delivery of recovery initiatives and activities that benefit the broader community.
The program objectives are:
- Providing financial assistance to progress community recovery and resilience priorities in June 2021 Flood and Storm impacted communities
- Strengthen the capacity and capability of communities to plan for and lead their own recovery, as well as build community resilience to future disasters
- Encourage community connectedness and cohesion through genuine community engagement and participation
Applications close at 5pm on Monday 30 May 2022.
Funding available
The total funding available under the grants program is $1.64 million with up to $320,000 available to individual Local Government Areas (LGAs), depending on the number of active recovery groups they are seeking to support.
Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV) will work in collaboration with eligible LGAs to ensure equitable community recovery outcomes across impacted areas and the community groups working in recovery. ERV will work with individual LGAs ahead of their application to jointly understand and agree on potential allocations to support community groups working on recovery. This common understanding and agreement will be informed by the following considerations:
- What population reach or impact the community group is expected to have.
- How inclusive the group’s community engagement is expected to be.
- How long will the community group function and continue to support community.
- What level of existing support the community group may have internally or through council or other supports.
Key dates
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Grant applications open
9 May 2022
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Informal liason with individual LGAs on appropriate levels of funding
9 - 29 May 2022
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ERV consults with LGAs to agree on appropriate levels of support and reach agreement on the final LGA Grant Delivery Plan for funding implementation
9 - 29 May 2022
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LGA submits application based on agreed support and Grant Delivery Plan
30 May 2022
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Grant applications close
30 May 2022
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Ministerial approval of successful applications as recommended by ERV
11 July 2022
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Development and execution of the Funding Agreements
25 July 2022
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Release of grant funds to LGAs
15 August 2022
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LGAs commence implementation and allocation of grant funds as outlined in their Grants Delivery Plan.
15 August 2022
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Activities finished - Community recovery groups must complete and fully expend allocated LGA funds by this date at the latest.
30 June 2023
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LGAs must provide the Final Report and financial acquittal to ERV.
1 August 2023
Guidelines
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Eligible Councils
ERV invites applications from the following council areas impacted by the June 2021 Flood and Storm:
- Baw Baw Shire Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- Hepburn Shire Council
- Latrobe City Council
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Moorabool Shire Council
- South Gippsland Shire Council
- Wellington Shire Council
- Yarra Ranges Shire Council
Eligible LGAs can collaborate to submit a combined application. A lead council needs to be identified to manage the funds if the application is successful.
Eligible projects
The Community-led Recovery Support grants program will allow councils to provide direct support to community groups that are leading community recovery initiatives and activities.
Working with ERV, councils will submit a Grant Delivery Plan as part of the application process, outlining the proposal for delivery and implementation of support across their delivery areas. Examples of these include:
- Funding for community projects that advance community recovery, resilience and social connectedness.
- Small-scale operational costs and costs associated with setting up and/or operating community recovery groups.
- Professional support services to assist community groups in planning and delivering on community recovery and resilience initiatives.
- Costs associated with volunteers using their personal resources or equipment for community recovery and clean up initiatives
Alternative initiatives not listed above may still be eligible, provided they are aligned with the program objectives and meet Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements guidelines governing the use and acquittal of funds.
Important information for LGAs
Contact ERV to discuss your proposal
ERV will work in partnership with LGAs on their proposal as part of the application process. During the drafting of the application, ERV staff will be available to provide support and guidance to LGAs to ensure the proposal is well aligned with this program.
Overdue reports
An application to the Community-led Recovery Support grants program can be submitted, however applicants with previously awarded ERV funding must be up to date with all current reports and milestones under existing funding agreements to apply. If you are behind in reporting related to other ERV grant funding, please email the ERV Central Grants Team via grants@brv.vic.gov.au or call 1800 560 760 to discuss remedial actions.
Application budget - Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Grant payments made by ERV to another Government Related Entity (GRE) such as an LGA are not subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
LGAs must provide figures in their application budget which are GST exclusive, including the total grant amount requested. If successful, LGAs will receive the awarded grant as GST exclusive.
For more information about GST and payments between government related entities, visit the ATO .
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Applications received from councils under the Community-led Recovery Support grants program will be reviewed during a multi-stage assessment and negotiation process.
All applications submitted will be assessed against the following:
- The strength of the application’s responses to the key selection criteria
- Whether all mandatory documents and attachments have been provided.
ERV will conduct a detailed merit assessment of the application and LGA Grant Delivery Plan against the key selection criteria before making a recommendation to the Minister for Emergency Services.
All decisions made by ERV and the Minister for Emergency Services are considered final. This includes decisions in relation to any aspect of the funding application and assessment process, any decision to offer or award a grant under this program or to withdraw the offer or cancel the grant funding agreement.
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All applications will be reviewed and assessed against the key selection criteria.
Applications will receive a weighted score based on how well the responses and detail provided in the attached documents demonstrate the criteria outlined below.
Selection Criteria Description Weighting Purpose
Criteria #1LGAs must provide a detailed description of how the grant will be used to: - deliver direct benefits to a flood and storm-affected community in recovering and building resilience together.
- support one or more of the program objectives.
- support the development and delivery of community recovery priorities identified by community recovery groups, Municipal Recovery Plans or related strategic recovery documents.
20% Community
Participation
Criteria #2LGAs must demonstrate how the grant will be used to: - support broad community involvement in the planning and delivery of community recovery activities.
- build the capacity of the community recovery group to actively lead community recovery.
30% Engagement
with Aboriginal
communities
Criteria #3LGAs must demonstrate how the planned initiatives and activities are supported by and can be delivered in collaboration with the relevant Traditional Aboriginal Owner Group responsible for the Country. 5% Location
Criteria #4LGAs must: - demonstrate that their activities will occur in a flood or storm-affected area in an eligible LGA
- describe how the flood or storm directly impacted that community
Moorabool, South Gippsland, Wellington and Yarra Ranges.N/A Planning, distribution
and delivery
Criteria #5LGAs must provide a clear explanation on how the grant will be distributed including that: - community recovery groups are involved in the planning, preparation and delivery of community recovery initiatives and activities related to the recovery of the broader community
- proposed initiatives and activities, including community engagement, are supported by realistic delivery timeframes and have a clear anticipated completion date
- any initiatives or activities resulting from the grants will be covered by a suitable level of insurance as required for the duration of funding (including that community recovery groups and volunteers are covered by relevant insurances and that contractors have current and adequate insurance, licenses, permits and approvals for all services and/or works)
- any proposed initiatives or activities will identify, plan for and budget appropriately to comply with any applicable legislation (e.g., Aboriginal Heritage Act 2008 (Vic), Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, Native Title Act 1983 etc.), local planning laws and/or cultural and environmental considerations
- community recovery group receiving funding will obtain all permits or approvals required to deliver any project resulting from the funding (with an understanding of the associated timeframes and costs)
- any initiative or activity on public land will have the endorsement of the relevant land manager (e.g., Local Council or the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning)
- any initiatives or activities comply with Federal, State or local laws and requirements (including any COVID-19 restrictions or health directions).
35% Budget
Criteria #6LGAs must provide a clear and detailed budget for each area of delivery, which demonstrates that costs: - are accurate, reasonable and represent value for money
- have potential to benefit the recovery of the local economy and create local employment opportunities
- are supported by attached evidence used to develop the budget (e.g., costings, quotes, projections etc.)
- are supported by any contributions from other funding sources or in-kind support (if applicable).
10% -
Grants Delivery Plan (mandatory)
A detailed breakdown of initiatives and activities that will be undertaken to distribute the funds to community recovery groups, including anticipated timeframes and who is responsible for administering the supports. This must be completed using the ERV Grants Delivery Plan template.
Grant Delivery Plan Community-led Recovery Support GrantsFinancial Statement (mandatory)
All applicants must provide a Financial Statement which is either:
- a profit/loss statement for the most recent financial year (FY)
- an organisational bank statement including all incomings and outgoings for at least the last 12 months.
Public Liability Insurance (mandatory)
It is a ERV requirement that all prospective funding recipients must hold Public Liability Insurance (PLI) for the duration of funded initiatives and/or activities. PLI covers members of the public and protect the organisation from liability risks such as injury and property damage.
Provide a current copy of the Certificate of Currency in the name of the LGA (or community group) that will ensure adequate cover for the delivery of project activities.
Other documents (optional)
Any other additional supporting documentation and/or attachments provided that may support the application, can also be attached. For example: quotes or costings (if available); schematics or design plans; pictures and newspaper articles etc.
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Before you apply
View the guidelines
Read the guidelines provided on this page or in the Program Guidelines attachment below. The guidelines outline the criteria for this program. Emergency Recovery Victoria administer these grants.
Program Guidelines - Community-led Recovery Support GrantsSpeak to ERV
ERV can discuss your proposal with you. Contact your Regional Recovery Director if you have questions before you apply.
When you're ready to apply
Complete your application via the Grant Portal between 9am Monday 9 May and 5pm Monday 30 May 2022.
If it's your first time using the grant portal you will need to create a profile and log in.
To resume a draft application, you can visit the Grant Portal directly.
Please note:
- applications must be submitted online via the ERV Grants
- applications received after the closing date will not be considered
- only one application can be submitted per council (whether as part of a solo applicant or a regional partnership application).
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ERV will contact successful LGAs with a letter of offer, a funding agreement and other documents which must be returned to accept the funding.
Victorian Common Funding Agreement
Grant recipients are required to enter into a Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) with ERV to receive funding. The VCFA will outline the terms and conditions of the grant, including the approved use of grant funds, the VCFA term (funding period), and the due dates of all key deliverables, grant payments and reporting requirements.
Organisations that are successful in receiving funding will have 30 days to enter into the VCFA and return all documents. If a grant offer is not accepted during this period, the grant may be withdrawn.Grants Delivery Plan
The Grants Delivery Plan will form part of your funding agreement. Some LGAs may receive part-funding or be approved subject to additional conditions and requirements. Successful LGAs will be given an opportunity to update the Grant Delivery Plan to include any additional details required by ERV or to update activity dates if these have since changed. Once updated, the Agreement will be finalised and grant funds progressed.
Once the LGA has received grant funds from ERV, they may commence delivery and allocation of funds and/or support to local community groups as outlined in the Delivery Plan.
Regular reporting and acquittal
Successful LGAs are required to report on the funded activities and provide regular updates during the funding period and a final report and financial acquittal at the end of the funding period.
LGAs must provide consolidated report details to ERV outlining the progress of all funded projects on behalf of the community groups that receive LGA support.
All reporting requirements will be outlined in the Agreement, and ERV will provide all report templates.
Reporting requirements may differ for each area of delivery, but successful LGAs should anticipate the following reporting requirements for the duration of the Agreement:
- Financial Reports - At the end of each financial year.
- Progress Reports - Every six months.
- Final Report and Financial Acquittal - One month after completion of project activities. As required, reporting will be shared with the Commonwealth under the Disaster Recovery Financial Assitance (DRFA) requirements.
ERV Acknowledgement Guidelines
Recipients of ERV grant funding must agree to follow ERV Acknowledgement Guidelines, which outlines how to acknowledge the government’s funding in speeches, written materials, and other forms of presentations (e.g., using the Victorian Government logo).
The guidelines also outline the requirement that successful grant recipients keep their successful funding confidential until a public announcement has been made by the relevant Minister or their representative.
A breach of these guidelines will be considered a breach of the funding agreement with ERV. The ERV Acknowledgement Guidelines can be found on the Emergency Recovery Victoria website.
Reviewed 04 August 2023