Vinnies Victoria Bushfire Community Grants Program

This program aims to fund local projects in bushfire-affected areas, helping multiple people to recover.

One-off grants for projects of up to $20,000 are available for organisations in bushfire-affected areas, providing funding for recovery projects that benefit multiple people.

A total funding pool of $500,000 is available.

Eligible applicants include organisations that must be:
- Be located in Australia.
- Be directly assisting a community that is based in an identified bushfire-affected area in the Victorian region.
- Be capable of providing receipts or alternative evidence to support the expenditure of the funds awarded.
- Have a bank account in the name of the applying community group or organisation.
- Be committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality.

Eligible activities include (but are not limited to):
- Physical repairs to community infrastructure properties.
- Assistance packages to bushfire impacted families.
- Continuation of community services where these have been prevented from operating due to the impact from the bushfires.
- Recreational and respite programs.
- Counselling and educational programs that are linked to experiences of fires.

The main assessment criteria include whether the projects:
- Demonstrate that is a response required due to the impact of the bushfire.
- Demonstrate that it is responding to an identified need within the community.
- Are able to define the community outcomes.
- Do not have already received funding from an alternative organisation delivering the same outcomes unless the applicant can demonstrate it forms part of a wider project application.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Applications requesting coverage of expenses, travel or personal activities where the organisation named in the application is not involved.
- Cash payments to individuals (this includes depositing into individual bank accounts).
- Requests for grants to finance goods and or projects that have already been purchased or completed.
- Organisations funding political activities, sponsorships or fundraising appeals.