Event Funding

Information Sessions

Online

Thursday 30 January 2025 7.00 pm 8.00 pm

Bookings required: Book here for Information Session

In Person 

Wednesday 5 February 2025 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm   

Venue:  Lynbrook Community Centre 2 Harris Street Lynbrook 

Bookings required: Book here for Information Session

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What is Event Funding?

Event Funding provides supports large or significant events that benefit residents and attract visitors. Three-year funding is available to assist with forward planning. The objectives are to: 

• Support the development and delivery of successful and safe community events that engage residents and visitors.
• Provide opportunities for cultural enrichment, social interaction and active participation in a community setting.

Who can apply for event funding?

To apply for this grant, your group must:

• be a registered (incorporated) not-for-profit club or community group
• have public liability insurance of $20 million or more
• must be experienced in delivering events preferably in Casey

Who can’t apply for event funding?

The following groups can not apply:

• Individuals and sole traders (including those with an auspice)
• Government agencies at local, state or federal level
• Businesses
• Political parties or groups
• Schools and Council managed kindergartens

What can we support with Event Funding?

Event Funding Categories

1. Established Casey events

This category provides up to $10,000 a year to support long running or established community events previously held in Casey. To be eligible these events must:

• Have been held in Casey at least 3 times before
• Be held in the City of Casey and open to everyone
• Be community based and primarily in-person (not online)
• Be held annually for the next 3 years (with the first event held after 1 July 2025)
• Provided for free or low-cost

2. Large events

This category provides up to $25,000 a year to support both new and established large community events. To be eligible these events must:

• Attract more than 1,000 people
• Be held in the City of Casey and open to everyone
• Be community based and primarily in-person (not online)
• Be held annually for the next 3 years (with the first event held after 1 July 2025)
• Provided for free or low-cost

Events that do not meet these criteria may be able to apply to the 2025/2026 Community Grants program.

Organisations can submit more than one application in either category provided that the total amount does not exceed the maximum amount available for that category.

What we can’t fund

• events held outside the City of Casey
• events that are not open to the general public
• online events
• events that have already been funded through a different Casey grant
• events that are the responsibility of another authority or level of government
• events that only promote religion or faith
• events that happen outside this grant timeline (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2028)
• events that are supported by gaming venues or facilities with electronic gaming machines (EGMs)
• events that are held in venues where there are EGMs
• membership based events of a club of organisation. These events may be eligible for a City of Casey Community Grantwhich are offered annually.
• small scale events that are new to Casey. These events may be eligible to apply for a City of Casey Community Grantwhich are offered annually. 

What will you need to do to apply?

• You will be asked to apply online.
• In your application, you must describe your event, when and where it will be held and how you will promote the event.
• You will have to submit a current public liability insurance certificate for $20million with the application.
• You must answer questions about your event to show that you have considered who will be attending and participating and who will benefit from your event and how you will evaluate the event.
• It is important to be able to explain you have the ability to deliver your event describing your previous experience, attaching event planning documents and describing your organisation’s structure and roles.
• You must create a realistic budget with detailed line items that explain each expense and the budget must align with the description of the event.

How do we decide which applications to fund?

A Panel including Casey event team staff and Casey residents will review all eligible applications. Casey residents who are panel members are Council endorsed and have had training through Casey’s Community Selection Panel Members program.

The panel will assess applications based on assessment criteria:

• Community participation and significance of the event
• Positive impact of the event in Casey
• Capacity of the organisation to manage the funding and deliver the event
• Financial considerations and event budget

The panel will also consider how funding is distributed across the City of Casey and it’s diverse communities.

Event Funding examples:

• Community events such as:
  • arts and cultural events
  • multicultural festivals (Nawroz, Festival of Colours, Diwali and Onam)
  • festivals and shows
  • Christmas carols
  • memorial events such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day
• Read about projects that have received event funding in the past here Previously successful applicants

If your application is successful

We will notify you by email.

The email will include:

• A letter of offer which will outline conditions for your grant.
• A multi-year funding agreement up to a maximum of three years, subject to the decision of Council.

Before we can pay you, you must:

• sign and return the funding agreement
• pay any outstanding debt you have to Council
• complete any outstanding Casey grant acquittals
• have confirmed event approval from the events team

The grant payments will be distributed in July 2025.

Facility bookings, event approvals, permits and licences that may be required

You must confirm any facility, venue, or sport grounds booking with the relevant facility and booking staff.  You may need to get different approvals, permits and licences to run your event and you must complete an Event Approval Application if your event involves:

• temporary structures such as stages, jumping castles, amusement rides, marquees
• road or public car park closures
• fireworks
• alcohol 

Council’s event approval process will help you identify what Council permits you will need and is designed to help you plan a safe and successful event. Successful applicants will need to complete an Event Approval Application each year before grant funds can be paid. If you need permits or licences from other government agencies, you will need to organise these. 

Victorian Child Safe Standards

Council has zero tolerance of child abuse and is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe and child friendly City where all children and young people are valued and protected from abuse harm or neglect. Child Safety is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of Council, its employees, contractors and volunteers. You must comply with all relevant Child Safety laws including but not limited to the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. This includes:

• Please refer to the Worker Screening Act 2020 to determine the Working with Children Check requirements for your service.
• Please refer to the Child Employment (Amendment) Act 2022 New licensing system to determine if your organisation needs one for the employment of children under the age of 15.
• Please refer to the Victorian Child Safe Standards for guidance on implementation.
• Please refer to the Reportable Conduct Scheme to confirm your organisations requirements.

Your organisation must notify the council of any complaint required to report under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 within 24 hours of reporting the complaint.

For plain language guides, fact sheets, videos and other child safety resources. Please visit the Commission for Children and Young People

After your project is complete

After you have completed your project, you will need to tell us:

• how you spent the grant money
• what the outcomes of the project were.

This is known as an acquittal process. With multi-year funding a progress report is required by 30 June each year.  Find out more about acquittal process

If your application is unsuccessful

An email will be sent to unsuccessful groups explaining why the application was not successful.  Eligible groups are encouraged to apply again in future.

Timeline

Thursday 30 January 2025	Information Session – Online Time: 7.00 pm 8.00 pm Bookings required: Book here for Information Session
Monday 3 February 2025	Applications open 9.00 am
Wednesday 5 February 2025	Information sessions – In Person  Venue: Lynbrook Community Centre  2 Harris Street Lynbrook  Time: 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm    Bookings required: Book here for Information Session
Friday 14 March 2025	Applications close at 5.00 pm - there is no access to online applications after 5.00 pm. Late applications will not be accepted.
March – May 2025	Applications are processed to determine eligibility. Panel meetings take place to assess applications.
June 2025	Applicants are notified of the outcome of their application.  Funding agreements distributed.
July 2025	Grant payments are made to successful applicants.

If you need help or more information 

Our Grants Officers are available to answer questions about how to apply and the grant criteria. You can contact them on 9705 5200 or email  communitygrants@casey.vic.gov.au

If you need an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 then ask for 9705 5200.

Please contact us as early as possible if you need help to get your application in on time.  We will not accept late applications for any reason, including internet or computer issues.