Recovery support for community groups and local government

We’re here to help. A range of financial and counselling support is available for communities and local government.  

For community groups

Nature-led recovery grants 

Our Nature-led recovery grants are now open.  

Visit our Environment and biodiversity page to read the guidelines, see if you're eligible and apply.  

Local Economic Recovery (LER) Local Community Project Grants 

The Local Community Project Grants will fund local projects vital for community recovery in bushfire-affected regions.  

Visit the Local economic recovery page for more information on the program. 

Round 2 successful applicants

Local community projects funded in East Gippsland to support sustainable bushfire recovery include:

• $1.92 million to upgrade the Swifts Creek Recreation Reserve.
• $1.89 million to redevelop the Mallacoota Golf Course.
• $1.5 million to upgrade the surface of the iconic East Gippsland Rail Trail.
• $1.07 million to upgrade facilities at the Bruthen Recreation Reserve.
• $818,000 to upgrade the Mallacoota Hall.
• $362,000 for the development of a cultural journey walk in Orbost.
• $432,549 to a mobile Play2Learn program that will engage vulnerable families in informal play spaces and community events.
• $402,125 to upgrade the Lakes Entrance Recreation Reserve.
• $336,000 to upgrade the Marlo Community Hall.
• $296,000 to rebuild the Mallacoota Pony Club facilities.
• $87,260 to support community participation and recovery through improved community facilities and support initiatives in Goongerah.
• $40,250 for the construction of an accessible canoe launch on the Snowy River in Buchan.

Local community projects funded in Victoria’s North East to support sustainable bushfire recovery include:

• $1.5 million towards the construction of the second stage of the Mitta Valley Mountain Bike Park.
• $850,000 for improvements to the Tawonga Community Memorial Hall.
• $536,875 to upgrade the Harrietville Community Hall.
• $500,000 to support the growth of a not-for-profit social enterprise that links volunteers to property owners to improve local food security via market gardens.
• $470,000 to upgrade facilities at the Myrtleford Recreation Reserve.
• $354,351 for the refurbishment of the Corryong and District Memorial Hall.
• $250,921 to upgrade the facilities at the Tallangatta Memorial Hall.
• $247,800 for the restoration of fire affected drainage lines and gullies in the Upper Murray.
• $244,600 to replace the main green at the Corryong Bowls Club with synthetic grass.
• $170,000 to revitalise the Cudgewa School Park.
• $150,000 to replace the much-loved waterslide on the Ovens River in Bright.
• $41,000 to a natural disaster recovery and climate change adaptation program to foster rural resilience in emerging leaders in the agriculture sector.

Bushfire Recovery Grants for Community Facilities 

The Bushfire Recovery Grants for Community Facilities will support community groups to build, upgrade or repair important local facilities that everyone can use. 

Examples of projects that could be funded through the community facilities grants include repair of playgrounds, skate parks, pavilions or other outdoor facilities, repair of community halls or buildings, including kitchen or bathroom upgrades, and energy efficiency and general repairs for facilities that have been damaged or destroyed. 

Grants of up to $50,000 are on offer. 

Grant funding cannot be used for offsetting salaries, operating costs for existing staff, feasibility studies, business plans and third-party sponsorship. 

To view grant guidelines, visit Bushfire Recovery Grants for Community Facilities.

For local government

Bushfire Recovery Grants for Local Government Authorities and Community Service Organisations 

Grants of up to $500,000 are available to help councils, charities and community organisations:

• support recovery, redevelopment and resilience after the 2019–20 Victorian bushfires
• build capacity and preparedness for the future

Examples of projects supported under the initiative could include:

• economic development initiatives
• local business skill and capacity building
• employment of a community recovery officer to boost service delivery on the ground
• delivery of recovery services for groups with different needs such as the elderly or multicultural communities

Activities that build resilience for future disasters will also be supported. 

Who's eligible?

• charities
• not-for-profits and other local community service providers across Victoria
• 18 local government authorities
• 4 alpine resorts

For more information, visit our Grants page. 

The support is available in the local government areas of:

• Ararat
• Alpine
• Ballarat
• East Gippsland
• Glenelg
• Golden Plains
• Greater Bendigo
• Indigo
• Mansfield
• Moyne
• Northern Grampians
• Pyrenees
• Southern Grampians
• Strathbogie
• Towong
• Wangaratta
• Wellington and Wodonga
• alpine areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling