Community grants

Applications open 7 July 2026 and close 11 August 2026

The Artist Project Grants provides one-off funding for six (6) local artists, creatives or small organisations to create and share new work that contributes to Frankston City’s vibrancy, culture and community. Open to applicants at any stage of their creative career, the grants support projects delivered in Frankston City by 30 June 2027, including creative and professional development opportunities that align with Council’s priorities.

At least one grant will be prioritised, where possible, for projects led by, created with, or developed for artists from culturally, linguistically, and/or physically diverse communities.

Timeframes

Please read the (PDF, 379KB)Artist Project Grant Guidelines(PDF, 4MB) for more information.

Apply now

Applications open 7 July 2026 – until funds are fully expended or 6 May 2027 - 2 funding categories - assessed on a monthly basis

The Child and Youth Inclusion (CAYI) Subsidy assists young residents facing financial and personal barriers to participate in education and recreation activities.

Each young person can receive each subsidy once per financial year, if eligible & successful.  

There are separate applications for each type of subsidy.

IMPORTANT: Subsidy eligibility and what can and cannot be funded (who can receive the subsidy and what items/activities) has changed since last financial year, please ensure to read the guidelines or contact the Community Grants team on (03) 9784 1035 or email CommunityGrants@frankston.vic.gov.au before applying.

Each eligible young resident of Frankston City can receive the subsidies once per financial year covering:

• Education Subsidy - up to $600
• Recreation Subsidy - up to 85% of fees - $250 max

Category 1: Education – up to $600 (excl. GST)

To support young people (up to 24 years old) going into high school, currently attending high school (or equivalent), or higher education with required materials, equipment or course fees.

Restricted to two suppliers per application.

Category 2: Recreation – $250 (excl. GST) or up to 85% of fees (whichever is lower)

To support children (5 – 18 years old) seeking to participate in a group recreational activity.

Restricted to one activity provider per application.

Timeframes

Applications are reviewed and assessed on a monthly basis, see specific dates below.

Note that this grant will close regardless of the dates outlined below, once funds are exhausted or by 6 May 2027.

* Council has the right to change the dates below as needed; applicants will be notified of change.

Please read our Child and Youth Inclusion Grant Guidelines(PDF, 5MB) for more information.

Apply for Education Subsidy

Apply for Recreation Subsidy

Applications open 1 September 2026 until 20 October 2026 - $1,000 per recipient (paid in 2 stages)

Do you have a project idea that could help protect or enhance Frankston’s natural environment or combat climate change? The Environmental Sustainability Grant provides one-off funding to support  landowners’ environmental works that support the strategic vision for Frankston City’s future.

There are separate applications for each category of this grant.

One standout Landowner Works project recently helped expand a high conservation value area, rich in indigenous ground cover and diverse native species. With these improvements, the land is now supporting further indigenous plantings – including local Hakea species, which provide a food source for yellow-tailed black cockatoos. It’s a great example of how even small grants can lead to lasting environmental benefits.

If you’re passionate about sustainability and want to take action in your own backyard, now is the time.

Eligibility

For an application to be eligible for the Landowner Works category, the applicant must be:

• Rural landowners with a minimum of 2/3 Acre 2697.9sqm
• Property must be located within the local Government area of Frankston City.
• Zoned Low density, Rural conservation or green wedge or located within a recognised Biodiversity corridor or Environmental Significance Overlay.
• Commit to maintaining the vegetation for at least 5 years.

Timelines

Please read the Environmental Sustainability Grant Guidelines - Landowner Works(PDF, 5MB) for more information.

Apply Now 

Applications open 7 July 2026 and close 1 August 2026

The Annual Community Grant offers one-off funding to assist not-for-profit community organisations to deliver services, programs or projects that address local community needs aligned with Council’s wellbeing priorities.

Supports services, programs and projects that contribute to Council’s priorities:

• Healthy, Active and Resilient Communities (up to $7,500)
  •  Activities that focus on providing access to good health, active lifestyles, nutritious food, as well as community resilience to climate change.
• Engaged, Connected and Inclusive Communities (up to $7,500)
  •  Activities that focus on mental wellbeing, social connection and inclusion.
• Safe, Respectful and Equal Communities (up to $7,500)
  •  Activities that focus on contributing to making the community free from violence and discrimination, support positive family relationships and preventing harm from tobacco, illicit drugs and gambling.
• Sister & Friendship Cities (Up to $5,000)
  •  Community-led activities that focus on strengthening and promoting sustainable connections between Frankston City (Australia) and its Sister and Friendship Cities: Susono City (Japan), Wuxi City (China), Suva City (Fiji) and Annapolis City (USA).

Please read the Annual Community Grants Guidelines(PDF, 5MB) for more information.

Apply now

Closed for 2025-2028 funding period. EOI expressions will be available late-2027.

The Community Service Partnership (CSP) Grant offer triennial funding for selected not-for-profit community organisations that provide unique, specialised, continuous and significant service to the community where their activities align with Council priorities and meet community needs.

Organisations or groups applying must demonstrate their ability to meet the criteria and have met funding requirements for previous Council Grants.

2025-2028 Successful recipients list(PDF, 147KB)

Applications open 1 September 2026 until 20 October 2026 - $1,000 per recipient

Do you have a project idea that could help protect or enhance Frankston’s natural environment or combat climate change? The Environmental Sustainability Grant provides one-off funding to support community group projects in environmental and sustainability projects that support the strategic vision for Frankston City’s future, under the Community Group Projects category.

Examples for Community Group Projects

• Workshops that encourage waste diversion, composting, worm farming, water recycling, water efficient garden beds or bush food gardens.
• Small events that connect people and increase their knowledge of the climate emergency and provide skills for effective advocacy and action.
• Open day community events such as tree planting days or bush regeneration activities.
• Workshops that provide information to the community around making their homes or businesses more energy efficient or to transition to 100% renewable electricity.
• Community programs that encourage skills to expand sustainable behaviour such as how to access the various rebates available, bicycle maintenance workshops or clothing exchange activities.

Timeframes

Please read the Environmental Sustainability Grant Guidelines - Community Group Projects(PDF, 5MB) for more information

Apply Now

Applications open 7 July 2026 until funds are fully expended or 6 June 2027 - up to $1,000 - Assessed on a monthly basis

The Urgent Grant provides one-off funding to support not-for-profit community groups responding unforeseen or urgent circumstances that impact service delivery or an immediate community need. Funded activities must arise from unforeseen or urgent situations, be essential, time-critical, and deliver a clear and immediate community benefit.

Your proposal must meet one of the following funding objectives:

• Critical support for essential community services - Support organisations to keep essential community services running when unexpected events disrupt normal operations. Funding may support organisations facing a sudden, urgent issue that puts their service delivery at risk, and needs immediate, short-term action to continue or restore services after an unexpected disruption.
• Community-led responses to emerging crises - Activities that focus on supporting fast, locally driven action in response to a specific new crisis or disruptive event affecting vulnerable or disadvantaged residents.

This objective is not intended for ongoing or long standing service needs.

Timeframes

Applications are reviewed and assessed on a monthly basis, see specific dates below.

Note that this grant will close regardless of the dates outlined below, once funds are exhausted or by 6 June 2027.

* Council has the right to change the dates below as needed; applicants will be notified of change.

Please read our Urgent Grant Guidelines(PDF, 5MB) for more information.

Apply now

Annual Community Grants (information drop-in session)

Annual Community Grants (grants information session)
Wednesday 9 July 2025
3-4pm at 43 Davey St Frankston
Booking essential, contact CommunityGrants@frankston.vic.gov.au or call 9784 1035

If you are unable to attend the sessions above and have a limited technical capacity, we also offer one-on-one support sessions for applicants who need assistance with the SmartyGrants system and application process. If you require support, please contact Community Grants & Networks team on 9784 1035 or communitygrants@frankston.vic.gov.au

If you need the assistance of an interpreter, please phone 13 14 50. 

If you are deaf, hard of hearing and/or have a speech impairment you can contact Council using the National Relay Service (NRS).

You can submit an application via the SmartyGrants portal.

SmartyGrants have a comprehensive help guide for applicants on their website which takes you through the application process step-by-step. Download it as a PDF or work your way through it online.

If you have not used SmartyGrants before, you will need to create an account. To register:

1. Visit the Community Grants page and activate the "Apply" button.
2. You will go to another page where you can either Log in or Start a Submission. Both options will take you to another page.
3. You can then register by activating the "Register" button.

This will depend on the proposed project or program. Please read the grant guidelines for each of the grants carefully.

You can contact the SmartyGrants support team on 03 9320 6888 and quote your application ID.

No. Council is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and is therefore discouraging the use of paper applications. 

If you need assistance with your online application, we offer a range of in-person sessions for those who may not have technical skills to apply online. If you are unable to attend the sessions above and require help, please call Cristina Collins on 03 9784 1035 / 0488 599 717 or email communitygrants@frankston.vic.gov.au.

This will depend on the proposed project or program. Please read the grant guidelines for each of the grants carefully.

In general, a community group or organisation is eligible to apply for the Annual Community Grant if it is not-for-profit. It must also be either incorporation or enacted under legislation provisions for charitable purposes.

Not-for-profit organisations provides services or undertake activities for the community’s benefit and does not operate to make a profit from its members or clients.

An incorporated group is a not-for-profit community group or club that operates as a separate legal entity. As an incorporation, groups have the ability to enter into a number of legal agreements such as:

• the purchase or lease of assets or property
• opening bank accounts
• applying for Public Liability Insurance
• signing contracts
• applying for grants.

As separate entities, incorporations are more likely to be recognised by funding bodies, government organisations and businesses and as such have a greater probability of entering into business agreements and contracts.

Yes, community groups that are not incorporated can enter into an auspice agreement with an incorporated not-for-profit organisation (evidence required).

An Auspicing Agreement is a legal contract where the auspicing body (the incorporation) takes on the legal and financial responsibilities of the individual or community, without carrying out any of the duties of the project. Through an auspicing agreement both parties agree to work together to meet the terms and conditions outlined by the grant provider. The auspicing body acts on the applicant’s behalf to manage and disperse grant funds, sign agreements with grant providers and provide insurance cover. The applicant is responsible for carrying out the activity for which funding is provided, and ensuring they work within the parameters of the funding agreement, however overall accountability falls to the auspicing body.

Organisations in auspice arrangement are not permitted to apply for the Community Service Partnership Grant.

Council wants to ensure that all projects are run safely and that community groups are protected from potential compensation claims if something goes wrong. Your group has a legal responsibility to provide a safe environment for participants and the general public in any activity, event or service.

Public Liability Insurance financially protects your group against claims of third party property damage or injury. Should your group be found negligent or responsible for damages claimed, you are obliged to cover any costs incurred and additional legal fees. Without Public Liability Insurance, this can potentially reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. For this reason, Council will not release funds to any group that does not have Public Liability Insurance. If your group is auspiced, make sure you are covered by your auspicing body’s insurance policy.

Most insurance companies and brokers offer Public Liability Insurance. Details on where to find the best insurance coverage for your community group is available online. Either visit individual insurance providers, or type ‘Public Liability Insurance for Incorporations/Community Groups’ in your search engine.

Funding is allocated on the premise of one application, per organisation, per financial year. However, an organisation may be the successful recipient of a community grant and also be eligible to submit a separate application to the Environmental Sustainability Grants Program for an environmental project for example.

Guidelines and assessment criteria for each funding category must be adhered to. If you are representing more than one group or project, SmartyGrants gives you the ability to submit numerous applications from the same login account.

No.

Council has a responsibility to ensure all funding is awarded to legitimate projects and community groups. Submitting an Annual Report and Financial Statement in your application validates the legal entity of the incorporated applicant or the applicant’s auspicing body.

If the Financial Report is included in the Annual Report, the Annual Report can be attached twice in the application.

If the Financial Report is a separate document, separate reports will need to be attached to the application.

As a funding provider, Council needs to ascertain what impact your project has within the community and how the community will benefit from it. Determining who benefits directly and indirectly is dependent on the nature of your project.

Direct numbers refer to those who will directly benefit from your project. They can be your Committee of Management; your volunteers; the participants you have designed your project for.

Indirect numbers refer to the people who will still benefit from your project but have no direct involvement in it. This group can include the participants as well as the wider community e.g. families of participants; other community groups; and, or local businesses. Indirect numbers are much harder to quantify.

Here’s an example: The Community Strengthening sports club has five committee members, 10 volunteers, 30 members and six coaches. They have applied for a grant to buy a new computer to improve their administrative process as well as for marketing and communication. The direct beneficiaries would be the five committee members since they would be directly using the computer. The indirect beneficiaries would be the volunteers, members, coaches and the wider community which could be approximately 200 plus Frankston residents as they would be also benefitting from the improved administrative service and communication from the club.

An in-kind contribution is where a contribution is made to a project or activity without money being exchanged. This includes:

• voluntary labour
• donations of furniture or materials
• donations of services.

As a general rule, in-kind contributions can be calculated by comparing the service or item donated, to the amount that would have been charged otherwise. Calculating the cost of volunteer labour is based on a nominated figure multiplied by the hours of labour per person.

Being aware of how funds are being spent and making sure the project is on course enables you to account for the funds Council has allocated and report back on the progress of your project or program. It also shows Council that the funds are being used for the purposes outlined in the application.

Applicants need to demonstrate that any risks associated with the project/program have been identified. This provides Council with information relating to your project's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

By undertaking a risk assessment early in the project/program planning phase, you are ensuring its success. Listing steps on how you will handle potential risks provides funding bodies with the knowledge and comfort that identified problems can be effectively managed when and if they do arise.

Here’s an example: The Community Strengthening sports club is hosting a social event for its members. It has identified Accidents or injury of participants as a potential risk. Ways to minimise this risk include ensuring:

• the club has appropriate and current Public Liability Insurance
• the venue is accessible for all members
• it’s a non-alcoholic event.