Thrive Community Grants aim to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people by supporting engagement in community life.
Each year, Thrive Community Grants provide smaller, local charities with one-off grants of up to $50,000 to assist children and young people to connect with friends, family and the community, participate in activities that build resilience, develop new skills, enrich lives, and create a sense of belonging.
Our support is focussed on children and young people in our Priority Groups.
About the grant
Each year, Thrive Community Grants provide smaller, local charities with one-off grants of up to $50,000 to assist children and young people to connect with friends, family and the community, participate in activities that build resilience, develop new skills, enrich lives, and create a sense of belonging. Our support is focussed on children and young people experiencing discrimination and disadvantage (see our Priority Groups).
Applications are open now and will close on Monday 24 June at 4pm (AEST).
Focus areas
Bank of Melbourne Foundation prioritises funding to support children and young people facing the greatest barriers to reaching their potential. Our focus areas are Inclusive Education and Connection and Participation.
We prioritise funding for initiatives that benefit children and young people (0-24 years):
- From Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
- From culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including children of refugee and asylum seeker families
- With disability
- Who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse
- Living in out of home care
- Who are incarcerated or have had contact with the criminal justice system
- Experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage
- Living in rural and remote communities
What we do fund
We invest in charities that support the direct involvement of children and young people to:
- Foster individual learning and interests through education, training or skills development
- Develop independence, engage in society and join the workforce
- Create connections and build relationships with others
- Feel they belong to a wider community, social or cultural group
- Build resilience, self-awareness and confidence
- Have the practical things they need to participate and develop as active members of the community
- Have a positive sense of identity and culture
- Have a say about things that matter to them
What we don't fund
- Charity works outside Australia
- Initiatives outside of VIC
- Sponsorship or fundraising activities
- Residential camps, except where that is the core purpose of the applicant organisation
- Research
- Individuals
- Initiatives for adults
Eligibility
- Organisation is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR-1 status) and registered with Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC)
- Organisation can provide recent, audited financial statements, signed by the auditor
- Organisation has an annual gross revenue of less than $5 million
- Organisation receives less than 60% of its annual revenue from federal, state or local government funding, where income is above $1million per annum
- Proposed initiative is located within VIC
Selection Criteria and Funding Guidelines
For further details about our Thrive Community Grants, including selection criteria, please read our Application Guidelines.
