FAQs

Each year, Council provides more than $1.6 million in grants to local organisations and groups to help provide services and projects for health and welfare, art and culture, sport and recreation, education, environment and community support. Our grants also support individual development and achievement. Grants are currently provided through several grant streams. These include:

•    Annual Grants

•    Arts Grants

•    Children’s Week Grants

•    Cultural Diversity Meals Grants

•    Individual Development Grants

•    Junior Council Grants

•    Partnership Grants

•    Quick Response Grants 

•    Student Awards Grants

Council also manages grants under the Kingston Charitable Fund, which helps local charitable organisations to provide community programs and services.

We want to make sure that the grants we offer are as fair and impactful as possible for the Kingston community. 

Our review aims to ensure that our grants are:

•    Available in an accessible and equitable way 

•    Well-managed

•    Deliver value to the community.

Our program in its current form has been in place for more than 25 years, so we need to make sure that our grants reflect the changing needs of the Kingston community. In addition, a 2021 audit by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office on the management of grants by local councils identified several recommendations to help improve fraud control with grants. Council is committed to acting on these recommendations in the best interests of Kingston’s ratepayers and community more broadly.

No. It is not anticipated that the total annual budget allocation for grants will be reduced because of the review. Council is committed to providing grants to support the community and considers its grants budget as part of an separate budget process.

No. The review is independent of current applications under assessment, approved grants and funding agreements already in place. It’s business as usual for all existing applications or grants.

We are committed to working directly with the community to shaping the future of Kingston’s grants. We’re doing this through a combination of surveys, interviews and workshops. We’re reaching out to past applicants and recipients, the general community, and parts of our community that need additional assistance to engage. We will also communicate the outcomes of the review.

Yes. It’s important that the review considers the perspectives of people who are involved in assessing grant applications and managing grants on behalf of Council.

This review itself involves a process of looking at Council’s recent grants activities, benchmarking with other local councils, engaging with the community, and considering audit recommendations and grants management best practice. The option (or options) for a future grants program will be prepared by an independent consultant with the community provided an opportunity to have a say. The recommended future grants model will then be finalised for decision at a formal meeting of Council. We are working to reach a decision on a future grants program by August 2023. Once a decision is in place, work will begin on updating Council’s grants policy, guidelines and supporting application materials.

It is anticipated that the outcomes of the review will inform how Council will provide grants from 2024.

Council will communicate widely to the community about changes to community grants using various methods to get the message out. More information about this will be available in coming months.

Stay up-to-date with progress on the review and opportunities to get involved.

•    Visit Council’s website – the latest updates will be available from Council’s grants webpage at: kingston.vic.gov.au/community/grants 

•    Contact Council – email community@kingston.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 653 356.