New round of grants on offer to support community ideas 

Community groups across Ararat Rural City are being invited to build on their ideas with applications for the next round of Council’s Community Support Grants Program opening on Monday 2 February.

The grants program offers clubs, organisations and volunteer groups the chance to secure funding for projects, programs, activities and events that make a positive difference in their communities.

Grants up to $3,000 are available across the categories of ‘Sport and Recreation’, ‘Cultural and Arts’ and ‘Environment and Sustainability’.  Grants up to $5,000 are available for applications in the ‘festivals and events’ category.

The funding is allocated on a one-to-one matching basis, allowing successful applicants to leverage Council support alongside their own fundraising or in-kind contributions. 

Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison said the program was about supporting community ambition and turning good ideas into real outcomes.

“For a long time, Council’s Community Support Grants have made a big difference in helping communities to improve facilities, run new programs, host events and create more inclusive opportunities,” Dr Harrison said. “Each year we are blown away by the ideas that are put forward and we are keen to see what’s presented to the selection committee this year.”

In 2025, Council awarded more than $72,700 to support a diverse range of community-led initiatives including an in-school program by the Grampians Cricket Association, the Moyston Easter Market and a new piano for the Lake Bolac Music Club.

Mayor Cr Bob Sanders said the grants reflected Council’s confidence in local groups to deliver meaningful outcomes.

“These grants are about backing our community and giving people the chance to expand what they already do so well,” Cr Sanders said. “We see time and again that when our community is supported, the benefits flow well beyond a single project.”

Applications for the current round of Community Support Grants close at 5pm on Monday 2 March 2026. Application forms can be submitted here, with hard copy forms available from Council’s municipal offices, the Ararat Library and the Mobile Library.