Community Grants

About our Community Grants Program

The next round opens Monday 3 August 2026.

Mount Alexander Shire Council allocates funds each year to support community projects, groups and activities that align with the pillars and strategic objectives in the Council Plan 2025-2029.

Two funding rounds of $50,000 are open each year (February and August).

The Community Grants program includes two separate funding streams:

• Project Grants Stream up to $3,000 - Supports new and innovative community projects, programs, and activities.
• Equipment Grants Stream up to $2,000 - Supports the purchase of essential equipment that enables volunteer community groups to operate safely, sustainably, and inclusively.

Applicants may submit one application per stream per year. Each stream has its own application form.

All applications must be for iniatiatives that are:

• based in Mount Alexander Shire, and
• benefit the Mount Alexander Shire community.

To be kept up to date of when grant rounds open, subscribe to our community grants mailing list.

Face‑to‑face grant drop‑in sessions with the Community Grants and Events teams are available to help you discuss your project eligibility.

Read the Community Grant Guidelines(PDF, 389KB).

Who can apply

To be eligible to apply for a community grant you must be:

• A not-for-profit organisation, incorporated association, registered charity or have an auspice arrangement.
• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or provide a Statement by a Supplier form from the Australian Taxation Office
• Applications with an auspice, must have a signed auspice agreement. An auspice agreement template is available on Council’s website. Auspice organisations must have an ABN.

Important dates

2026 Round Two application deadlines:

• Applications open: 9.00am, Monday 3 August 2026
• Applications close: 4.00pm, Monday 24 August 2026

Drop-in Sessions: Tuesday 11 August

• Newstead Mechanics Hall: 10:30pm – 12:00pm
• Castlemaine Town Hall Foyer: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

These sessions provide the space for community members to chat one-on-one with a grants officer about their Community Grant or Event Grant proposal. We encourage interested community members to look at the Community Grants webpage, the Event Grants webpage and the appropriate guidelines beforehand. 

What will not be funded

• Groups applying for the same item or project that has been previously funded by a Community Grant.
• Projects that are seeking to make a profit.
• Projects that direct most funds to the applicant.
• Ongoing and/or operational costs (e.g., rent, utilities, insurance, wage/salary, administration, project coordination, acquitting your grant).
• A project or purchase that has already commenced or been completed, with funding sought retrospectively
• Applications that are late or incomplete.
• Applications seeking funding to cover recurring projects or activities.
• The costs associated with establishing and running events held in Mount Alexander Shire. These may be explored via the Events Grants.
• Groups, projects or activities that are:
• religious or political in nature or support a religious or political cause.
• of a discriminatory nature in terms of race, disability, age, sex, gender or sexuality.
• requesting donations or fundraising on behalf of a third party.
• the responsibility of the State or Federal Government, exemptions will be considered for projects that fall outside of core business funded activities that provide benefit to the local community. This includes local CFA and SES branches, Dhelkaya Health Community Health (CHIRP), local state schools.
• Maintenance or Capital Works to buildings, with the exception of environmental sustainability initiatives and accessibility improvements.
• Capital Works is defined as ‘building and engineering work that create an asset as well as constructing or installing facilities & fixtures associated with and forming an integral part’.
• Projects that have the purpose of improving Council owned land or buildings.
• Activities or works on land which is managed by State of Federal Government.
• On the ground environmental works on Council land or private land.

How we assess grant applications

Eligible applications are assessed by a cross-organisational panel against the following weighting and criteria listed below.

Applications will be ranked from highest to lowest score and those with the highest scores will be awarded funds until the total pool of $50,000 is exhausted.

Assessment Criteria

25% alignment with the strategic objectives of the Council Plan objectives

50% community need and benefit

25% demonstrated ability to plan and deliver the project

How will you know the outcome of your application?

Successful applicants will be notified by email and sent an online funding agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the funding being provided by Council. Funding agreements must be confirmed and returned by the due date. An invoice for the grant amount must also be provided with the funding agreement to receive funding.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.

How to apply

1. Review the Community Grants Program Guidelines(PDF, 389KB)
2. Contact Council’s Community Grants team to discuss your project idea. Email the Community Grants team at grants@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5471 1700 to request a call back.
3. We use an online platform called SmartyGrants where you can complete and submit your application. SmartyGrants will prompt you to the current round or to register before beginning your application.
4. Once your application is complete, you will receive an automated email acknowledging successful submission. Check the round closing date so you don’t miss the deadline to submit
5. Apply online via https://mountalexander.smartygrants.com.au

All applications need to be completed using SmartyGrants.

if you require assistance, please email grants@mountalexander.vic.gov.au, or phone 03 5471 1700 and request a call back from the Community Grants team.

Project completion reports

After your project has been a roaring success, you must complete an online acquittal.

1. Go to: www.mountalexander.smartygrants.com.au and log in with the username and password you used to submit the application.
2. Click on “My submissions”.
3. Click on “Project Completion Report” directly under the submitted application to complete the report.

If you did not apply online, please email grants@mountalexnder.vic.gov.au.

Past and present recipients 

Frequently asked questions