Community Investment Funding - Grants

The purpose of a Sponsorship is to attract new opportunities or opportunities for expansion of existing prioritised businesses or programs within the Shire that will contribute to the Shire's economic; social/cultural, environmental output.  Sponsorship is seen as a financially supported promotional alliance for mutual benefit rather than a material contribution towards the staging of an event.

For further information on Sponsorships contact  

Program Manager - Jayde Hayes E: economicdevelopmentleadershipteam@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Funding Programs have been aligned to themes within the Community Vision and the strategic directions of the Council Plan 2025-2029, Our Place, Our People and Our Prosperity.

Each financial year Council seeks Expressions of Interest for innovative proposals from eligible applicants that meet the criteria outlined in the table below.  Subject to an assessment of each EOI, applicants may be invited to submit a detailed proposal.  Council reserves the right to conduct an interview as part of the detailed proposal submission.

Priorities and Criteria for Sponsorships

Please complete the Expression of interest form, which will be assessed by the panel before progressing through to an application stage.

https://morpen.smartygrants.com.au/Sponsor2526-EOI

Community Investment Funding (CIF) supports local organisations to deliver essential services, programs to support our community needs. Funding empowers local volunteering and community organisations to make a real difference to outcomes for the community, at the local level. 

Funding for subsidies was adopted by Council 6 May 2025 meeting and the approved recipient organisations and community groups were subsequently adopted by Council at the 1 July meeting 2025.  Subsidies will be made available to organisations adopted by Council through the online SmartyGrants process.

Helpful Assistance including Tools and Links

The Community Investment Funding Grants, Sponsorships and Subsidies Programs provide funding to local organisations and community groupsto support community-led projects and partnerships that deliver tangible benefits across the Mornington Peninsula.

The Grants program through this community investment funding empowers initiatives that promote volunteer participation, build social cohesion, strengthen community capacity and builds resilience to enhance overall community wellbeing. By funding these inclusive services, programs, and events, Council helps create a stronger, more connected Peninsula where everyone can feel a sense of belonging, connection and fosters long-term positive outcomes

Council adopted the current Community Investment Funding Policy(PDF, 514KB) on 06 May 2025.  The Policy identifies the principles for our grants program and the 4-year cycle of investment and renewal aligned to our Council Plan and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.

You can watch the video Applying for a Grant

 Answers to the most common queries and questions - Grants Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)(PDF, 127KB)  

As we have limited funding, the Shire also provides a funding finder search engine, free for our community.  This is a one stop shop for community groups/organisations, businesses and schools to search for other funding that is currently open to support their projects/initiatives.  You just need to register to get grant opportunities sent to you with your preferences.  

• Auspice Agreement Form(PDF, 309KB) - organisations who apply under an auspice arrangement need to complete and submit this form with the online application.
  
  
•  SmartyGrants Help Guide for Applicants(PDF, 5MB) - All applications must be submitted online via SmartyGrants. This guide will assist applicants with the process.
  
  
• Budget Example(PDF, 241KB) - An example of how to complete a budget

Funding Finder

Learn how Funding Finder works for you(PDF, 300KB)

Register on Funding Finder to stay up to date on the latest opportunities.

The Senior’s Festival is a major state-wide festival offering opportunities for older people to participate in a wide range of activities throughout the month of October 2025.

This year’s State-wide theme is ‘Connect. Create. Celebrate.’ 

The aim of the Senior’s Festival is to:

Celebrate the later part of life as a continuing stage of learning, socialising, and engaging in our local communities.

Recognise the valuable contribution made by older people living, working, volunteering, and visiting the Mornington Peninsula

Promote the wide range of accessible opportunities that are available to older people on the Mornington Peninsula

Encourage older people to try something new, discover a new place and make new social connections.

Offer positive perspectives on growing older that can help to combat ageism.

 Seniors Festival Subsidy

Through our Community Investment Funding Subsidies Program the Shire will support those eligible clubs and organisations involved in the 2025 Mornington Peninsula Seniors Festival by offering a Subsidy of $300. The funds are for the purpose of payment for your activity costs (i.e. catering, entertainment, promotions etc). Your event must be published in the Mornington Peninsula Seniors Festival Guide.

 Eligible organisations will be contacted by email with a link to the Subsidy Application Form.

For information contact postiveageing@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Or call 5950 1695

For information about what’s on for this year’s Seniors festival go to Mornington Peninsula Seniors Festival or pick up a guide from your local library or Shire customer service centre 

Apply here

Commemorative Events Subsidies are open to community groups/organisations seeking to deliver a National Commemorative Event for Australia Day Events, Survival Day Events and/or ANZAC Day Services.

Please see below the link to the application form.

Apply Now

Mornington Peninsula Community Charitable Trust (the Trust) was established in April 2008 through a signed Deed of Gift between the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund (LMCF) and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (the Shire). 

Annual interest earned from the corpus is made available by LMCF to the Trust for distribution through recommendations made by The Trust’s Committee of Management.  The Trust complies with Council’s Community Investment Funding Policy 2022 and Program Guidelines were adopted by Council in 2024.

This year the annual corpus is $12,600.00.  Eligible organisations are required to have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

Please see attached the Trust’s Program Guidelines, noting the priorities of the LMCF are listed however applications for viable projects/programs can be outside these priority areas where they benefit Mornington Peninsula Shire communities.

 Mornington-Peninsula-Community-Charitable-Trust-Program-Guidelines.pdf(PDF, 6MB)

For more information you can contact the Program Manager at CommunityInvestFunding@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Funding awarded and CLOSED for 2024/2025.  Funding information for the 2025/2026 program will be available in November 2025.

Funding Awarded 12/04/2025 - Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad Inc $7,600.00 grant approved for refurbishment of SPRS Vessel.

Funding Awarded 14/04/2025 - Vinnies Kitchen $5,000.00 grant approved for Food Security for Homeless Program

2024-2025-CIF-Grants-Awarded.EOFY.pdf(PDF, 1008KB)

2023-2024-Awarded-Grants.pdf(PDF, 693KB)

The Shire sponsors a number of community groups and organisations to support the delivery of events and festivals.

Recipients of sponsorships were invited to apply when subsidies open on 13 July of each year.

View funded Sponsorship Programs 

Sponsorships-Awarded-2023-2024.pdf(PDF, 510KB)

2024-2025-CIF-Sponsorships-Awarded.EOFY.pdf(PDF, 619KB)

The Shire subsidises a number of community groups and organisations to support the delivery of essential services, community programs, life-saving, community transport, legal services and other initiatives.

Recipients of subsidies were invited to apply when subsidies open on 13 July of each year.

Council's Community Investment Funding supports the following community groups and organisations to deliver services.

Click links below:

Subsidies-Awarded-2023-2024.pdf(PDF, 446KB)

2024-2025-CIF-Subsidies-Awarded-EOFY.pdf(PDF, 448KB)

CIF-funding-awarded-2019-30-June-2023.pdf(PDF, 1MB)