Festival and Events Grants Program

More information

All applicants are required to: 

• attend the online grant information sessions (if you have missed a session, you will be able to watch a recording here) 
• contact an arts officer prior to submitting an application. 
• complete the pre-application checklist 

Online Grant Information Sessions 

Introduction to Festivals and Events Grants: 

7pm Wednesday 23 April   

Register for the introduction to Festivals and Events Grants at 7pm on Wednesday 23th April by emailing arts@cardinia.vic.gov.au.  

Introduction to grant budgets: 

7pm Tuesday 29 April 

Register for the introduction to grant budgets at 7pm on Tuesday 29th April by emailing arts@cardinia.vic.gov.au.  

The Festivals and Events Grant Program aims to:   

• Strengthen the events calendar with new and existing events whilst encouraging the growth, viability, sustainability and longevity of events.   
• Deliver high calibre events, which attract new audiences to the Cardinia Shire community, increasing visitation to the region.    
• Increase community and social connections and sense of belonging to increase participation and progress equity and inclusion.   
• Encourage and increase opportunities for all sections of the community to access, participate and appreciate arts and culture.   

Funding Categories

The Festival and Event Grant Program is split into three tiers of funding, with grant amounts determined by the scope and capacity of the event.   

• Tier 1: Commercial festivals and events attracting significant impact and visitation 
• Tier 2: Community run events attracting moderate impact and visitation    
• Tier 3: Significant days of celebration attracting moderate impact and Civic pride 

Please note, funding requests should only make up a portion of your overall event budget, it is not viable to rely on Council to fully fund your event. 

Assessment criteria & Eligibility

The assessment panel will consult the below criteria when assessing applications:   

• Program Objectives 
• Capacity and capability 
• Economic impact, social and community connections   
• Demand and relevance   
• Funding requirements and budget    

For an applicant to be eligible for funding: 

• The event must take place within the Cardinia Shire Council Local Government Area. 
• The event must be open to the general community, without discrimination or restriction and be socially, economically and physically accessible. 
• Applicants must be able to provide a level of financial contribution in addition to the requested grant funding to ensure ongoing viability and longevity of the event. A detailed breakdown of funding requirements can be found in the funding categories section of this document. It is not Council’s intention to fully fund events. 
• Funding must go towards enhancing your event or offering. 
• Applicants must have, or be willing to obtain, public liability insurance to the value of $20 million dollars and be willing to list Cardinia Shire Council as an interested party. 
• Applications must be submitted within the program dates, be complete and include all required information. 
• Applicants must have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) or be a registered Not-For-Profit, community group, community asset committee or organisation. 

For more details, please refer to the Festivals and Events Grants guidelines

Please note that Council generally receives more applications for financial assistance than funds available, and therefore not all applications can be supported. 

Key dates

How to apply

Applications can be made via the SmartyGrants online application form and must be submitted by the advertised closing date and time.   

Please ensure you attach all requested supporting documentation for your application. Applications without all required supporting documentation will be deemed ineligible.  

Submit an application 

Enquiries

If you have any questions in relation to the grant program or accessibility requirements, please contact the Cultural Development and Grants Officer on 03 5943 4936 or email arts@cardinia.vic.gov.au.    

Please note, SmartyGrants is an independently run platform, If you experience technical issues with the SmartyGrants system, please contact them directly via email service@smartygrants.com.au or by calling 03 9320 6888 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).