Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program 2025
INFORMATION SHEET

The Ararat Wind farm is located on rural land located approximately 180km northwest of Melbourne and between 9km – 17km northeast of Ararat in Victoria.

The Ararat Wind Farm includes 75 GE turbines with a tip height of 135m and a rotor diameter of 103m. Comprising 52km of internal roads and 21.5km of transmission lines, the farm generates enough electricity to power around 120,000 Victorian homes annually. The Ararat Wind Farm helps to protect our finite natural resources, produces clean green electricity and helps to support the regional and local economy. 

The site is co-owned by Partners Group and OPTrust and has been generating renewable energy and reducing greenhouse emissions since 2017.

The Ararat Wind Farm Pty Ltd is  proud  to  once  again  provide  the  sustainable  community   grants   fund   for   2025.   The fund provides financial support to promote social and environmental sustainability initiatives for the benefit of the communities within the municipalities  of  Ararat,  Northern  Grampians  and  the Pyrenees. This fund is part of the Ararat Wind Farm’s community investment program.
Aims of the fund
•	To provide the opportunity for community groups and organisations to develop innovative and sustainable projects
•	To provide the opportunity for improved health and education across the community by developing long term partnerships and cohesive community projects
•	To strengthen community connections and social wellbeing in developing projects focussing on long term sustainability
•	To develop projects that enhance and encourage healthy and active communities
•	To develop projects which enhance cultural diversity, creative community activities and projects.
•	

How to apply
To apply there are 3 easy steps.

1.	Obtain the information fact sheet to find all details on the requirements for your grant application and eligibility for funding via the website at www.ararat.vic.gov.au.(It is important to contact Council to discuss your proposal as they can assist you through the process).

2.	Gather all documentation required and ensure they are scanned ready for attaching to your grant application

3.	Go to www.ararat.vic.gov.au/grants and complete the application form by Sunday
13 April.
For all queries or questions please contact: Phillippa Cairns on 0437 715 673 or email: pcairns@ararat.vic.gov.au

When can I apply for funds?

Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program is opened  to  receive  applications  once  per financial year and open for a period of 3 weeks commencing on Monday, March 24, 2025, and closing on Sunday, 13 April , 2025.

Important dates to remember.

•	March 24, 2025 - grants are open for application from 9am
•	April 13, 2025 - applications close at 5pm.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

How much funding is available?
Funding of up to $7,500 or $15,000 with a co-contribution are on offer through the Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program 2025. Each year the grants program increases the total grant pool in line with CPI with the funding being shared across the three municipalities of Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and Pyrenees Shire Councils.

You can apply two ways for a grant under this program.

1.	Applications up to $7,500.00 are invited, as a one-off grant for projects that do not require matching dollar for dollar funding contributions. In-kind contributions will not be considered under these applications.
A project completion report confirming the final project budget matched to the initial project budget will be required at the completion of the project.

2.	Applications up to $15,000.00 on a 2:1 co-contribution ratio is dependent on the individual request (project) and available funding at the time. Co-contributions can be from the community group or from another confirmed grant. It is expected that a proportion of the funds will come from the group or organisation applying.
In-kind support, as part of the applicant’s contribution will not be considered.
The objective of this larger grant allocation is to help community groups leverage dollar- for-dollar funding with government and non-government funding programs. Grant allocations are often conditional on groups receiving funding from other sources. Funding partnerships should be discussed with the Community and Event Coordinator before submitting applications. For unconfirmed grant monies from external parties being part of full project costs, this program’s contribution, if successful, will be conditional upon confirmation of those funds.

Please note: Two applications from the same organisation within the same year will not be accepted.

Will I need to provide anything else?

Once your application is completed, you will be contacted by Ararat Rural City Council’s Executive Officer for any additional information. Do not include original documents with your application; copies will be sufficient unless otherwise specified.

What happens once my application is submitted?

•	A notification email will be sent acknowledging the receipt of your application within 14 days of final submission.
•	Applications are assessed for their eligibility.
•	Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be notified as soon as practicable.
•	Assessment panel will meet to assess applications against the funds selection criteria.
•	
The Assessment panel is generally made up of six people represented by the following:
1.	One officer from Ararat Rural City Council (compulsory)
2.	One officer from Northern Grampians Shire Council (compulsory)
3.	One officer from Pyrenees Shire Council (compulsory)
4.	One member of the public who resides within the Ararat municipality (if possible)
5.	One member of the public who resides within the Northern Grampians Shire municipality (if possible)
6.	One member of the public who resides within the Pyrenees Shire municipality (if possible)
If you are successful

You will receive a letter and where possible a telephone call, indicating your application has been successful shortly after the Assessment Panel  have  made  their  final  decision.    On acceptance of your grant and agreement to the terms and conditions that are contained within your letter, the grant will be paid directly into your bank account.

Timeframe: All projects are to be completed and acquitted by 30th June 2026. If for unforeseen circumstances there is a problem with completion, notification to the Executive Officer of Ararat Rural City Council is required.

If you are not successful

You will receive notification that your application was not successful.  If you  wish  to  discuss your application further regarding other options for your project, you can contact Ararat Rural City Council's Executive Officer.

Acquittal Process

1.	Successful applicants will be required to enter into a written agreement with the Ararat Wind Farm to receive funding. This Agreement will provide details of when the acquittal process including a full project report to be completed.

2.	Successful applicants will be required to complete and acquit their activity within the date stipulated in the funding agreement. If the activity is not going to be   completed within the prescribed timeframe, an extension must be requested in writing prior to the original expiration date. Payment arrangements will be negotiated depending on the size of the project and level of investment.

3.	Offer of a grant by Council in no way implies any ongoing funding commitment or obligation by Ararat Wind Farm Incorporated.
1.	
4.	Any variations to the original application must be approved in writing to Ararat Wind Farm via Ararat Rural City Council.

5.	The activity must incur the full expenditure as outlined in the application budget  in order to guarantee full funding of the agreed amount. If the project budget falls short of this amount, Ararat Windfarms via Ararat Rural City Council reserves the right to make a pro-rata payment only.

General Information

1.	Ararat Wind Farm must be acknowledged in any promotional material in relation to your project or activity.

2.	Late applications will not be accepted and must be received by April 17 at 5.00pm.

3.	Ararat Wind Farm staff or representatives on the assessment panel are not to be lobbied by applicants.

4.	Applicants will be required to comply with GST legislation.

5.	Applicants will be required to comply with OH & S legislation.

6.	No activity will be funded retrospectively. Any activity or project that has been commenced or is already completed will not be eligible for financial support.

7.	Applications can be saved and edited for final submission from the one desktop device. The application portal only recognises the one IP address and will only save the partially completed submission to the one device.

8.	Applications are to be submitted via the Grants Portal at www.ararat.vic.gov.au/ grant within the time frame listed above.

9.	If terms & conditions are not adhered to, grant funds can be withdrawn at the discretion of the Ararat Wind Farm via Ararat Rural City Council.

Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply, group/organisations must demonstrate that:
•	The group/organisation is based within the municipalities of Ararat, Northern Grampians or Pyrenees.
•	The group/organisation is a not-for-profit entity or local community group.
•	The group/organisation must have the permission of their whole of the Committee or organisation they are representing
•	Be able to demonstrate financial viability and competence
•	Individuals cannot apply for themselves
•	Relevant project/program within the selection criteria
•	Cannot be a Council or a Committee of Council
•	Cannot be a School as they do not meet the eligibility criteria
•	
Examples of applications considered ineligible for funding include: -
•	Requests for retrospective funding (if a project has commenced it is deemed retrospective)
•	Recurrent operating costs
•	Salary subsidies
•	Routine/cyclical maintenance funding
•	Applications to purchase food for catering, and events management, or alcohol
•	Sponsorships

Selection Criteria
As the Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program is a competitive application process, the program will receive more funding applications than it can support.

Applications that best meet the criteria will have the greatest chance of success.

What projects will be supported?

Type of project	Examples of projects	Weighting for assessment	
Sustainable Environmental projects	-	Infrastructure projects that provide sustainable outcomes
-	Environmental projects that promote energy efficiency
-	Environmental projects that have sustainable outcomes	30%	
Educational and Youth 	-	Programs targets at young people
-	Environmental projects benefiting or run by youth.
-	Non-school based activities
-	Camps and youth activity
-	Sporting related activities	20%	
Social, Health and Wellbeing projects	-	Equipment purchase that would assist with the operation of a community group or organisation
-	Community projects that promote health and wellbeing
-	Projects that promote community access and inclusion
-	Projects that promote active ageing activities	20%	
20km Radius of Wind Farm	-	Projects that geographically sit with-in a 20km radius of the Ararat Wind Farm	15%	
Cultural Diversity and Creative Arts projects	-	    Community projects that encourage and promote cultural diversity

-	   Creative arts projects that promote broad community participation and outcomes	15%	

Creative Arts Projects can include but are not limited to: Performance Art (acting/singing/ theatre productions/ art installations containing human performance), Visual Art (cost of displays, art installations, programs where equipment is required to be purchased or hired). 

The Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program is unable to support general running costs associated with events, festivals or programs; however, these projects are  eligible  to  seek funding for materials, equipment or other items.

Please note: It is important to have your project well planned to allow for the time to be completed within the timeframe of the agreement. For large projects, the Assessment Panel may request more than one quote.

Contact details for any information concerning this grant program.

Phillippa Cairns,
Ararat Rural City Council PO Box 246
ARARAT 3377
Email: pcairns@ararat.vic.gov.au