What’s in the 2026-27 Victorian state Budget for your organisation?

While the Budget remains fiscally restrained overall, it creates funding opportunities and partnership potential for not-for-profits and community organisations across Victoria.

Homelessness and Housing

• $26 million for rough sleeping outreach services
• More than $15 million for five supportive housing sites in Seddon, Melbourne, St Kilda, Shepparton and Mildura
• $6.1 million investment in the Tenancy Plus for the social housing renters at risk of homelessness
• A new $860 million investment in the Social Housing Growth Fund

Health

• $75 million for the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund
• $15 million for the Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund
• $35 million for the Medical Equipment Replacement Program
• $20 million for the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program
• $10 million for the Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Capital Renewal Fund
• $7.5 million for the Minor Capital Works Renewal Program for public sector residential aged care

Mental Health

• $9.7 million to continue community-based outreach and free mental health services for young people and families
• $6.5 million for suicide prevention programs, including the Hospital Outreach Post Suicidal Engagement (HOPE) program
• $1.32 million for Mind Australia’s LGBTIQA+ aftercare program
• More than $2 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide postvention and social and emotional wellbeing initiatives

Children and Families

• $362 million to help protect and support vulnerable children and young people
• $71 million to support children in the child protection and out-of-home care system
• Funding for the St Kilda Gatehouse Young Women’s Program and Child Protection Family Law Program
• More than $160 million for intensive family support services to help at-risk children remain safely at home
• $126 million to modernise digital systems supporting children, young people and families
• More than $26 million for the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority to strengthen child safety in childcare settings
• $9.8 million for Building Blocks Improvement and Inclusion Grants to improve early learning facilities across the state
• $2.7 million to boost access to free financial counselling
• $2.3 million to expand Bring Your Bills Day

Domestic Violence Prevention and Support

• $100 million to continue family violence prevention initiatives
• More than $23 million to continue the work of the Central Information Point, which shares information between agencies about perpetrators
• $2.2 million for Sexual Assault Services Victoria to support recovery and victim survivor rights

Education

• $498 million to continue building and expanding kindergartens and government-run childcare centres
• $24 million for outside-of-school-hours care at specialist schools
• $59.4 million for cost-of-living programs in Victorian government schools
• Continued support for Affordable School Uniforms, School Breakfast Clubs and the Glasses for Kids program
• $9.1 million to support students from migrant and refugee backgrounds to stay engaged in education through initiatives including homework clubs

Arts, Culture and Sport

• $27 million to attract new international productions, digital games and visual effects through the Victorian Screen Incentive stream of the Victorian Investment Fund
• $25 million to help more Victorians participate in community sport
• Additional Get Active Kids Vouchers to assist with memberships, registration fees, uniforms and sporting equipment
• $5 million to extend the Go Fishing Victoria program

Energy and enviroment

• $10 million to help community housing renters improve energy efficiency and switch to electric appliances
• $1.1 million for the Energy Assistance Program to provide free energy savings advice and support
• $15 million to help food and beverage processors and farmers reduce operating costs through energy-efficient technology
• $2 million to assist community organisations to promote awareness and educate Victorians on climate action.
• $1.3 million to support faster environmental approvals for renewable energy projects.

Aged Care and Seniors

• $35.7 million investment in Victoria’s public aged care system
• $17 million to continue the Residential in Reach program
• $5.1 million over four years for the Guardianship in Hospitals program
• $5.3 million for the Multicultural Seniors Support Program
  

Women and Gender Equality

• $990 million to improve women’s workforce participation and career opportunities
• $1.7 billion to support victim survivors of family violence and vulnerable families
• $181 million focused on First Peoples women and self-determination initiatives

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities

• $5.3 million for the Multicultural Seniors Support Program
• $3.4 million for community-led projects to fight racism, including antisemitism and Islamophobia
• $3.4 million to support people fleeing war with access to housing, health, education and social supports

How to find funding from the Budget announcements?

As Budget funding announcements are translated into grant programs, stay ahead of the pack and find out when relevant funding rounds open.

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Setting up alerts can help ensure you don’t miss relevant opportunities as they are released, some programs might begin accepting applications shortly after Budget announcements.

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