The City of Ballarat is proud to announce that its City Partnerships and Community Impact Grants programs are now open.
These two major annual grant programs play a significant role in making Ballarat a better place to live, but operate with distinct eligibility criteria to serve different purposes.
The Community Impact Grants Program provides smaller-scale funding for projects, events and initiatives that strengthen local connections, foster participation and inclusion, and respond to emerging community needs.
This program helps get grassroots ideas off the ground, often enabling groups to run new programs, trial innovations, or host community events.
It is designed to support local community organisations, not-for-profits and volunteer-led groups, with funding between $500 and $20,000 available.
There will be two rounds of funding available in 2025/26, with the first round of funding applications open now.
Previous examples of successful program partnerships include the Mt Clear Cricket Club being successful in receiving a grant to inspire all-abilities, girls, women and gender diverse people to play cricket. The club received $3,407 and provided great links to the City of Ballarat's Health and Wellbeing Plan.
The City Partnerships Program supports longer-term, strategic partnerships with organisations that deliver outcomes aligned with Council's goals and values.
These partnerships provide multi-year funding to well-established organisations that have a proven record of delivering relevant programs, projects, or activities that have shown considerable benefit to the Ballarat municipality.
City Partnerships are considered for requests exceeding $20,000, with funding agreements to commence delivery in the 2026/27 financial year.
Specifically, the program aims to create partnerships that progress the City of Ballarat's strategic priorities as expressed in the Council Plan 2025-2029.
Once again, there is a community stream and a commercial stream of funding available and either stream can be a multi-year agreement up to three years.
Initial Expressions of Interest are required to be submitted and will remain open until Sunday 14 September. From there, invited applicants will have from 12 January 2026 to 1 March 2026 to complete the full application process.
Previous examples of successful program partnerships include Ballarat Carols by Candelight receiving a three-year partnership which expires 30 June 2026. The partnership provides $30,000 each year to assist in the delivery of the Carols by Candlelight event.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said both programs had previously proved enormously beneficial to Ballarat.
"We are incredibly proud to work so closely with the community in these partnerships and we have seen some terrific examples of what can be achieved when we work together," she said.
"These grants represent more than just funding - they are a show of confidence in the people and groups who help make Ballarat a great place to live. I urge anyone with a good idea and a passion for community to get involved."
