Applications for 2025 Community Grants have now closed. 

 

We're proud to support communities across our service area by making important community projects possible.

Eligible community groups can apply for funding between $500 to $10,000 per project. 

Our Community Grants program funds local projects that make our communities better places to live. This includes projects that:

  • help make sure we all know about water and how to use it in the best way possible. 
  • support community members experiencing hardship and vulnerability.
  • make our environment healthier.
  • help people be more active and connected.

Read a case study on past recipients

Coonara Community House

Coonara Community House will be looking to foster social connections and teach valuable skills to their community kitchen volunteers in 2025. The grant will assist the group serving about 60 meals to vulnerable members of the community each week.

Read more
Blak Fig Cafe

Community Grant recipient First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing Blak Fig Cafe is now open in Frankston. More than just a cafe, Blak Fig is a local enterprise offering opportunities through vocational training and employment for local First Nations people.

Read more
Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria

A summer of swimming and enjoying the beach is on the cards for a group of Nepalese women who, before this year, had rarely been in the sea. With the help of a Community Grant, non-profit organisation Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria (DBSV) has trained 42 Nepalese women in water safety.

Read more

Your project must support at least one of four aims

Water security and knowledge

Projects that help people understand and act on issues relating to long-term water security like using water wisely and integrated water management.

This also includes projects that help people to build their knowledge about water - from the water cycle to its cultural value. 

Environment

Projects that support the health of our local environment. For example, our waterways, beaches or green spaces.

Affordability

Projects that support community members who can't afford basic, daily expenses right now - for whatever reason.

For example, projects that involve employment and business support, meals, accommodation and safety, or financial counselling.

Health and liveability

Projects that help make our communities healthier and better places to live. For example, projects that:

- promote sport and recreation, healthy eating or good mental health

- address issues like homelessness, gambling or family violence.

Community groups eligible to apply

Type of group

You can apply if your community group is: 

  • a registered association
  • an incorporated body
  • a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
  • an educational facility or institution.

Your group must also have:

  • a bank account in its own name
  • an elected and identifiable committee or similar group clearly responsible for managing the organisation. 

If you’ve received a grant from us before, you can apply again. However, we’ll consider if your past grant project has been delivered.

Group location

Your group must be in South East Water's service area, or support another community group delivering services in our service area. A map of our service area is at the end of this document.

You can see if your address is in our service area by typing your address to search the interactive map here.

Who is not eligible

You are not eligible if you are:

  • an individual
  • an unincorporated association
  • a council, unless you’re applying on behalf of an eligible group.

We will not support groups that could expose us to financial or reputational risk.

This includes: 

  • groups with links to tobacco, alcohol, gambling or animal exploitation
  • groups that discriminate against any people, organisations or other groups
  • political parties.

Frequently asked questions

  • capital works (construction and installation of facilities and fixtures)
  • events
  • recreational or environmental or educational programs
  • equipment to enable community initiatives.

 

See what projects past winners have done

  • alcohol
  • illegal activity
  • uniforms
  • activities that would be considered part of a groups usual operational costs or wages related to usual operations
  • sponsorships of any type including individual, group or event
  • sponsorship that is passed onto a third party
  • excess items surplus to the project
  • donations for fundraising teams or individuals for charity
  • activities that have negative impacts on health or the environment
  • activities that conflict with Victorian Government policy or objectives.

You can apply online here. 

It should take about 30 minutes to an hour to apply online, once you’ve collected the relevant information, costings and data.

You can save and go back to your application later.

We assess each application on its merits. The final decision is at the discretion of South East Water. 

We look forward to learning about how your group proposes to support our community.

 

Every year we put a call out to South East Water employees interested in judging our grant applications.

In 2024, 74 employees participated from all teams and levels in our organisation.

Applications are judged by two rounds of judging. 

In 2024 we received 238 grant applications. We have put word limits in place in our application form to ensure our employee judges can dedicate an appropriate amount of time to every application they are allocated to assess.

To help us do this, we require succinct information to help us understand what you’re proposing.

We look forward to learning about how your group proposes to support our community.

If you have any questions or need help completing the application form please email community@sew.com.au

Applications open: Monday 17 February 2025

Applications close: Friday 21 March 2025

Notification of outcome: 29 May 2025

Grant paid into bank accounts of successful groups: 5 June 2025

Projects start by: 1 July 2025

Projects completed by: 31 December 2025

Tips to help you apply

See previous grant recipients

Easy English Community Grant information

Easy English helps to support our customers who have many different abilities and communications needs. It means that all community groups will have access to information that is concise and easy to understand.

Our Easy English Community Grant information is available below.

Learn more