Introduction and program objectives

Objective 1

To identify a lead Indian community organisation that has suitable capability, capacity and wants to develop, build and manage an Indian community-specific community centre to be located in Melbourne’s south-east.

For Objective 1, if a suitable organisation can be identified, they will be offered up to $2.4 million towards the infrastructure costs of their proposed project.

For further details see EOI details and requirements specific to Objective 1.

Objective 2

To support the Revitalising Central Dandenong precinct project in early conceptual work for a planned Indian Community Centre – shaping the future centre’s facilities and helping to identify a lead Indian community organisation as operator.

A community centre is master planned within the Revitalising Central Dandenong precinct which is a Development Victoria major project. Capital Alliance is the lead developer for Sites 11 to 15 in the major project where the community centre will be located.

Organisations interested in Objective 2 are asked to provide their concept proposal, share their proposed requirements for the centre and nominate their interest in becoming the leaseholder or purchasing the centre.

Planning for the centre currently indicates one or two “retail-like” units with a floor area of 300 to 700 m2. The selected organisation will pay for the design and fitout of the facility which will be provided as a cold shell unit by Capital Alliance.

Capital Alliance, the developer and landlord, is looking for an organisation to take on the purchase or long-term peppercorn lease of the new facility once building is complete.

For further details see EOI details and requirements specific to Objective 2.

Two-stage approach

Stage 1

Stage 1 is an open application for all organisations that meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants in this stage need to demonstrate a basic project outline, the readiness and feasibility of their project, and provide documents to support and validate their application. An assessment process will then be undertaken by the Department of Premier and Cabinet (the department) resulting in one recommended applicant or a shortlist of recommended applicants for Objective 1 being invited to proceed to Stage 2.

Stage 2

Stage 2 will be invitation only, for Objective 1 shortlisted applicants who passed the eligibility and merit assessments of Stage 1. Applicants in this stage will need to demonstrate more detailed project readiness and feasibility and provide additional supporting documentation. Applicants will progress through a second assessment process, including an expert review panel, before final recommendations are provided to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

The department and Development Victoria will share access to all Objective 1 and Objective 2 application data.

EOI principles and preferences

The EOI seeks to identify projects which meet the following principles and preferences – but alternative options put forward may also be considered:

• Projects proposing “whole of Indian community” access to the community centre – in favour of preferenced access to a single language, faith or cultural group
• Projects proposing new construction or extension to an existing facility – in favour of renovating but not extending an existing space / facility
• New or initial project concepts - in favour of projects already commenced (unless the commenced project closely fits the other EOI preferences)
• Community led and managed projects - government is not the sole funder and only a minority, starting funder
• The identification of one most-suitable applicant organisation and project to be offered funding – in favour of splitting the available funding between more than one
• The target applicants are Indian community organisations, but flexibility may be offered to a different entity type if a close fit to the EOI and preferences can be achieved.

How 'ready' does your proposed project need to be?

The department understands that community facilities such as community centres are important to organisations and their communities. These facilities also require very significant, ongoing community member commitment, financial and professional contractor resources to plan for, build, maintain and operate the facilities successfully.

The department also understands that Indian community organisations and their communities across the south-east may be at different stages of community scale, demand and need. They may already have existing facilities or may still be working towards achieving their first facility. In 2025, potential projects could be at the discussion, conceptual, planning or even construction or fit out stages

For the purposes of this EOI, the department is seeking a project ready to start physical works within a reasonable time frame – for example, within a year.

Stage 1 of the EOI tests the readiness level of applicants across a mix of factors including public commitments, financial, scale and current stage of development proposals.

Recognising that your organisation and project proposal will likely have a mix of strengths and weaknesses, and that it will be competing with others, we invite you to apply.