- Status:
- Closed
- Who can apply:
- Government, not-for-profit groups
The Victorian Support for Carers Program 2027–2031 funds organisations to deliver tailored supports to Victorians with an unpaid care role.
Funded activities will support carers with opportunities and resources that support their health and wellbeing.
Types of activities that are eligible for funding include:
- Individual or group counselling
- Cultural, recreational or community activities
- Respite support
- Emergency respite
- Wellbeing support
- System navigation and referrals
- Capacity building
Applications are now closed. Recipients will be announced shortly.
The below covers key information from the application guidelines.
Full guidelines can be downloaded from this page.
Guidelines
Eligibility overview
To be eligible for funding, your application must:
- support unpaid carers or people with a care role, as defined in these guidelines – see Definition of unpaid carer and person with a care role
- be submitted by an eligible organisation – see Organisation eligibility
- request funding for eligible activities – see Eligible activities and costs
- include evidence of valid public liability insurance – see Insurance requirements
- include all mandatory documents – see Mandatory attachments.
Definition of unpaid carer or person with a care role
An unpaid carer or person with a care role is anyone who gives essential and unpaid care, support and help to someone. This care may be anywhere from a couple of hours a day to around-the-clock help.
Every unpaid carer is different. A person with a care role could be a partner, family member, friend, neighbour or community member.
They may care for a child or adult with:
- disability
- mental illness
- drug or alcohol dependency
- life-limiting illness
- chronic illness
- aged care needs.
An unpaid carer may still get:
- a carer payment, allowance or pension
- other Australian government and state funding support.
These carers are still considered to be unpaid carers.
Not in scope for program support
People taking regular care of children, if the children do not have extra support needs due to:
- disability
- neurodivergence
- medical conditions
- mental ill health.
People who are:
- foster carers
- registered kinship carers (except for First Nations organisations)
- permanent carers.
Registered kinship carers are in scope for First Nations organisations only to recognise Aboriginal caring practices.
In some cases, kinship and foster carers may also have extra unpaid care responsibilities. They may be eligible for support in their unpaid caring capacity.
Organisation eligibility
To be eligible to apply for funding, your organisation must be an incorporated not-for-profit community organisation (or other form of legal entity) and have:
- a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
- no overdue final reports from previous state government funded grants.
Eligible organisation types include:
- An organisation incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic), Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or similar state legislation
- A company incorporated under the Corporations Act and registered as a not-for-profit through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
- An incorporated Aboriginal entity. This includes Aboriginal-led not-for-profit organisations, Aboriginal community-controlled Gathering Places and organisations, Traditional Owner groups and land trusts.
- Community health services registered as a state government entity or statutory authority.
- Local government entities.
Your organisation’s past performance with Victorian government grants and service delivery will be considered. Your organisation may be ineligible if you have not met performance targets or have overdue final reports.
Organisations that do not meet these criteria are not eligible to apply for funding. Consider partnering with an eligible organisation under an auspice arrangement. Information on auspice arrangements is in Auspice arrangements.
How to check your Australian Business Number (ABN)
- To check your ABN, visit the ABN Lookup website.
How to check your organisation type
- For incorporated associations, co-operatives or organisations incorporated through other means: Go to Consumer Affairs Victoria's Licensing and registration web page.
- For a Company Limited by Guarantee: Go to ASIC Connect's Search company and other registers web page.
- For registered charities: Go to Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission's Search for a charity web page.
- For Aboriginal corporations: Go to Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations' Public register web page.
How to check for overdue reports
To check if your organisation is up to date on reporting requirements, view your current grants on the DFFH Grants Gateway website. If a report is red, it is overdue.
You can also email DFFH to check if your organisation is up to date – VictorianCarerStrategy@dffh.vic.gov.au.
You must complete overdue reports before you submit your application for this grant program.
To check your organisation’s performance against service agreements with the Victorian Government, you can:
- check your performance in the relevant reporting system
- reach out to your relevant departmental contact.
Auspice arrangements
If your organisation is not incorporated or does not have an ABN, you may consider partnering with another organisation that:
- meets these eligibility criteria, and
- will accept legal responsibility for the grant.
This is known as an auspice arrangement. If your application is successful, your organisation will provide the activity. The auspice organisation will be responsible for:
- signing the grant funding agreement and service agreement with the department
- making sure the legal and financial requirements of the funding and service agreements are met
- receiving and distributing funds under the funding and service agreements
- making sure all project activities are completed
- submitting reports and financial acquittals on behalf of your organisation.
If you want to propose an auspice arrangement, your application must include:
- a letter of support from the auspice organisation
- a memorandum of understanding outlining roles and responsibilities of the 2 organisations.
Applications for auspice arrangements that do not attach this evidence will be ineligible.
Consortium applications
A consortium application is when 2 or more organisations partner to provide support for carers.
Through consortiums, organisations can combine their strengths, knowledge and experiences. This helps people with a care role get tailored, high-quality support. Consortium applications that improve system connections and broaden access to support are encouraged.
You can apply individually, as a consortium or both.
If you do apply individually and as a consortium, make sure:
- your 2 applications do not overlap or duplicate services
- you are not the lead organisation for the consortium.
The lead organisation for the consortium must:
- meet the eligibility criteria
- submit one application on behalf of the consortium.
The same funding cap applies to consortium applications as individual applications.
If you apply for a consortium arrangement, your application must:
- Include evidence that confirms the consortium arrangement. This may be a memorandum of understanding, letter of support, letter of intent or similar.
- Set out the roles and responsibilities of each organisation in the mandatory Service Delivery Plan.
- Outline each organisation’s relevant capabilities and experience.
- Outline how funds will be allocated between consortium organisations in the mandatory detailed budget.
If successful, the lead organisation will enter into a service agreement with the department. Each organisation in the consortium will also sign the service agreement. For more information, see Obligations of funded organisations.
Note: All organisations in the consortium must meet the requirements of the service agreement.
Eligible activities and costs
Funding is for providing support services to people with a care role in Victoria. Funding is for service delivery from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2031.
Organisations can offer support in a range of innovative, diverse and flexible ways. Support should be tailored to meet the particular needs of each person with a care role.
The program is designed to provide mainly face-to-face individual or small group services and support. Online activities and remote support can be a small part of your service delivery model.
Organisations that are not registered for GST can use funds to cover the cost of GST from goods and services purchased with the department’s funds. For more information, including what this means for your application, see the DFFH Grants Gateway's Help guides and documents web page.
People who can get support
Services and activities can include support for:
- a person with a care role
- a person with care needs
- other people involved in supporting the care relationship, including family and community members
- everyone in a care relationship.
Modes of service delivery
Services should be mostly individual, small group and face-to-face support. Services should respond to the needs of the person or people getting support. The service delivery model should also respond to the views and experiences of people with a care role.
Services should take place somewhere that ensures safety, inclusion and accessibility for all people getting support.
Organisations should provide at least 75% of funded services as tailored individual, small group, or intensive support, in a face-to-face format where possible. This covers all service delivery stages, including intake, debrief and carer feedback.
You can deliver up to 25% of your service model through large group online activities and less intensive or indirect types of support (such as newsletters or general information sessions).
Service delivery can include:
- intake and service planning
- direct practice or face-to-face support
- phone-based and online support, if face-to-face support is not accessible or possible
- transport to take part in activities
- financial support if needed, including one-off payments or vouchers for essential items or services to support the carer’s health or wellbeing, or the care relationship.
Examples of some possible activities are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1: Examples of eligible support activities Activity type Example Intake and service planning This could include:
- intake and assessment of carer’s needs
- connection and referral to other services
- care coordination, such as building or updating plans, organising appointments or providing other support as needed.
Individual or group counselling Counselling may focus on:
- mental health
- financial wellbeing
- any other issue the people getting support need help with.
Cultural, recreational or community activities This could include regular or occasional activities, such as:
- helping people connect with family, peers, communities or Country
- cultural or arts events (including events on Country)
- day trips, outings, camps or weekend retreats
- First Nations healing workshops, storytelling, yarning circles, smoking ceremonies, music and dance
- relationship building, building trust and community engagement
- engaging staff with cultural expertise.
Respite support Helps carers take a break or take part in activities that interest them.
A provider may support a person getting care:
- with an activity in the home
- to attend an outing or a local event.
The person’s carer may then:
- take part in a separate activity, such as an exercise class
- go to appointments or get other services
- engage in a hobby
- take time out for themselves.
Emergency respite This may be needed if an unexpected urgent issue arises that means the person with care needs and/or the carer needs immediate support. Wellbeing support Support for the carer’s health, wellbeing or safety. It may include:
- help making meals
- help with travel
- holistic and wraparound support
- flexible support to relieve stress in the care relationship
System navigation and referrals Help carers access and navigate services and support they need, such as:
- address issues navigating the system
- remove barriers to accessing support and services
- improve networking and access to information and advice
- work with referral partners to identify carers and get them the right support
- long-term planning to respond to an emerging community need.
Capacity building Includes activities that help people in their care role, such as:
- information sessions and advice from specialists, experts or allied health professionals
- activities that improve carer digital health literacy
- workshops and training.
Ineligible activities and costs
The following will not be funded as part of the program:
- core operational expenses and costs, including building, rental and overheads
- activities already funded by the Victorian Government, including other government-funded service delivery and grant programs
- activities already funded by local government or the Australian Government
- retrospective costs for activities that were started or provided before funding approval
- activities outside of Victoria, unless they take place in a cross-border community – in this case, activities must support carers residing in Victoria.
- using public funds in a way that is not appropriate or consistent with the program’s objectives. This includes (but is not limited to) buying alcohol and gambling.
Funding and service delivery targets
Funded organisations must provide services over all 4 financial years, from 2027–2028 to 2030–2031. Funding will be the same for each of the 4 financial years.
Funding allocation and yearly targets are based on costs of:
- around $120 for every hour of support provided
- up to $2,400 for each carer for each financial year.
Types of services and levels of support will differ depending on each carer’s needs. You can use funding flexibly to meet yearly targets. For example, some carers may get more or less than $2,400 of support within the overall funding allocation.
Funded organisations must report against their targets each financial year.
If it is appropriate and you still meet set targets, you may allocate up to 10% of the total funding amount to:
- reimburse individual volunteers for costs associated with volunteering that directly support delivery of the funded activity.
Guidance on funding amounts
Table 2 has examples of some suitable services and approaches for different funding amounts. This may help you decide how much funding to request. Your application may include other services and support than those listed in the table.
Table 2: Example services for different funding amounts Funding amount Service description $100,000 The smallest amount of funding you can apply for.
If organisations want less than this amount, they may partner with other organisations to form a consortium.
One organisation must act as the lead organisation and apply on behalf of the consortium for at least $100,000 each year.
Up to $200,000 Smaller-scale initiatives focused on one or 2 locations.
May best suit community-based organisations like Gathering Places or neighbourhood houses.
Up to $500,000 More experienced organisations who provide services to several communities or areas. Up to $1 million Services in multiple locations and reaching multiple communities. Up to $2 million Statewide services, with partnerships and consortiums encouraged All applications will be assessed using the assessment process outlined in Table 4.
Note: Organisations must not try to influence the outcome by lobbying department staff either directly or indirectly.
Table 4: Assessment process Step Description Eligibility check The department reviews all applications against the Eligibility criteria.
Applications that meet the eligibility criteria go on to the merit assessment.
Merit assessment The department assesses applications against the criteria for Merit assessment.
Assessors review:
- the application form
- Service Delivery Plan
- budget
- relevant attachments.
Assessors do not read letters of support from members of parliament and other community organisations.
The department completes all assessments internally.
Selection The department makes funding recommendations from a shortlist of highly-rated applications.
Things we consider include:
- making sure services are located across Victoria
- support for First Nations organisations to provide services for First Nations care relationships
- making sure there are a variety of service approaches
- demonstrated quality of service, including efficiency, effectiveness or innovation in improving outcomes for carers
- your organisation’s current and past performance in service agreements and grants with the department
- targeting identified service gaps, including for communities that may face systemic barriers.
Examples of communities facing systemic barriers may include:
- multicultural communities
- people with disability
- victim survivors of family violence
- LGBTQIA+ communities
- veterans
- older or younger groups.
The department provides recommendations to the relevant minister.
Ministerial approval The relevant minister makes the final decision.
All decisions about assessment and approval of applications are final.
Important note: The Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 28 November 2026. The Victorian Government will assume a caretaker role from 6pm on 3 November 2026 until such time that either it becomes clear that the incumbent government will be returned, or when a new government is commissioned.
In line with the caretaker conventions, the incoming government will determine whether to proceed with this funding process and enter into service agreements after the caretaker period.
Applicants should be aware that:
- all information about this funding process represents the position of the current government only and is subject to change
- the incoming government may decide not to proceed with this funding process.
Application outcome The department emails all applicants with the outcome of their application.
You may be approved for a different funding amount than the amount in your application.
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