Geelong Community Foundation Grants

The Geelong Community Foundation provides grants to fund the delivery of projects that benefit the broader Geelong Community.

The Foundation has been providing grants to organisations in the Geelong region since 2001 and has provided more than $15.1m in grants to date. Since its establishment the Foundation has provided grants to a range of projects from health and wellbeing and food relief to environment and sustainability grants.

Grant Streams

Following a strategic review of the Foundation’s impact areas and the development of a program logic for grant making the Foundation is pleased to launch our new Grants Streams. While many of the projects the Foundation will fund remain the same, the new grant streams reflect the Foundation’s strategic focus on outcomes.

Food & Emergency Support Grants

The Foundation acknowledges the growing challenge posed by the rising cost of living on individuals and families within the Geelong community (please refer to the Foundation’s Vital Signs Report for more information). Through the Food & Emergency Support Grant Stream, our objective is to offer timely assistance by providing individuals and families with access to essential resources such as food, material aid, and support for those facing homelessness. The Foundation will accept applications in this Grant Stream related to:

Food relief
Material Aid
Homelessness Assistance

Health, Resilience & Connection Grants

The Geelong community experiences notable differences in health and well-being outcomes between suburbs (please refer to the Foundation’s Vital Signs Report for more information). The Health, Resilience, and Connection grant stream is designed to empower individuals and families, fostering not just physical and mental health improvements, but also enhancing family well-being. Our goal is to ensure individuals are not only connected to their community but also equipped with the skills to actively participate in community life, creating an environment where everyone can thrive. The Foundation will accept applications in this Grant Stream related to:

Physical and Mental Health
Family Support (for example family violence prevention, positive parenting, and early years support i.e. playgroups)
Connection and Belonging (including a range of activities where the primary goal is to foster a sense of connection and belonging, this could be achieved through a number of projects including volunteering, sporting, arts and community projects.
Life Skills (including a range of activities that build an individual’s skills to engage in daily life i.e. communication skills, interpersonal skills, financial management skills, independent living skills, self-advocacy skills,)

Education & Employment Grants

The Foundation recognises the significant disparities in educational and employment outcomes that exist across suburbs in the Geelong Community (please refer to the Foundation’s Vital Signs Report for more information). Higher levels of educational attainment and employment correlate with improved health and quality of life and increased civic engagement. The Education and Employment Grant Stream aims to support at-risk students to engage in education, and to provide pathways to meaningful and fulfilling employment within the community.

The Foundation will accept applications in this Grant Stream related to:

Education (including activities that support students to engage in education, support learning outcomes and fosters educational and career aspiration)
Employment (including projects that build job-readiness skills and remove barriers to securing employment)

Please note that the Foundation is unable to provide funding to public schools and hospitals or to projects that are the funding responsibility of the State or Commonwealth Government.

Environment and Sustainability Grants

The Geelong community, like many other areas, faces challenges associated with climate change, including extreme weather events, rising temperatures and sea-level rise. These factors can impact local ecosystems, infrastructure and the overall wellbeing of the community. The Foundation will accept applications in this Grant Stream related to:

Recycling and renewable energy
Land management and regeneration

Grant Rounds

Each year the Geelong Community Foundation administers three grant rounds, these are:

For any grant-related enquiries please contact Amy Waters, Program Manager on 0413 868 721 or amy@geelongfoundation.org