Grants to support the planning and delivery of community-led infrastructure projects that increase community access to places, spaces, and services, where and when they are most needed, and provide facilities that foster and facilitate positive health and wellbeing outcomes.

What's changed?

The Community Infrastructure Grants budget for 2025–26 is $1.5 million. An extra $1 million is now being delivered through the City’s Capital Program to fund sports lighting upgrades on Council owned land.

This means sports lighting projects on Council land are no longer eligible for Community Infrastructure Grants – but if your project is on private or non-Council land, you can still apply.

The maximum amount you may request for a Capital Works Grant is $250,000 and the total project cost cannot exceed $2.5 million.

Applicants cannot apply for additional funding for projects already included in the City’s capital works program.

Key dates

• Applications open: 26 July 2025
• Applications close: 29 September 2025 by 5.00 pm (we do not accept late applications)
• Notification to applicants: 25 February 2026

Grant guidelines

To confirm the eligibility of your organisation and activity, please read the grant guidelines before applying.

• 2025-26 Community Infrastructure Grants Guidelines (WORD - 729 KB)
• 2025-26 Community Infrastructure Grants Guidelines (PDF - 395 KB)

Who can apply?

To apply for this grant, you must be one of the following:

• incorporated not-for-profit organisation
• unincorporated group with an auspice
• registered charitable organisation
• school or learning institution (only for non-curriculum-based activities that primarily benefit the wider community)

and

your project is for:

• community infrastructure on City owned or managed land
• community infrastructure on Crown land
• community infrastructure on land your organisation owns

What can you apply for?

Planning

 Funding for strategic planning or design for future developments such as:

• strategic infrastructure planning – facility development plans
• infrastructure design – concept design through to detailed design ready to tender works

Capital Works

Funding for:

• renewal projects to bring an asset back up to its original standard
• update projects to make the asset better than original standard
• projects that involve building brand-new assets.

How much can you apply for?

There is a total grant pool of $1,500,000 available.

For Planning - applicants may ask for up to $50,000 (up to two thirds of total project cost) .

For Capital Works - applicants may ask for up to $250,000 (up to two thirds of total project cost).

Co-contribution

You must contribute $1 for every $2 we grant and provide any remaining funding required.

If you cannot meet the co-contribution requirement, you may apply for a full or partial exemption.

Please refer to the Co-contribution Exemption Guidelines.

Co-contribution exemption applications close: 5pm, Monday 1 September 2025.

How to apply

• Read the grant guidelines.
• Check you are an eligible applicant.
• Check your activity is eligible.
• Get in touch with us - please discuss your activity with us before applying.
• communitygrants@geelongcity.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5272 5560
• Collate your supporting documents.
• Answer the questions in the application form.
• Don't forget to hit the submit button.

2025-26 Information Session

On Wednesday 6 August, a Community Infrastructure Grants information session was held.

The presentation notes are available below:

• 2025-26 Community Infrastructure Grants - Information Session- handout (PDF - 760 KB)

Related documents

• 2025-26 Community Infrastructure Grants Guidelines (WORD - 729 KB)
• 2025-26 Community Infrastructure Grants Guidelines (PDF - 395 KB)