Early childhood grants

Your organisation can apply if it is:

• a Victorian local government (council)
• a not-for-profit community organisation that is a legal entity (for example an incorporated association, incorporated cooperative or Indigenous corporation)
• a Victorian government school
• a Victorian non-government school registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority or Catholic Education Commission of Victoria.

For-profit organisations cannot apply for any Building Blocks grants.

Submit your applications online through SmartyGrants. You must be registered to use the Smarty Grants application system. Registration is free. 

For assistance with the online application system, please email the Smarty Grants Support Desk or call 03 9320 6888 between 9 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday. You can also consult the help guide. 

We will not consider late applications.

To remain eligible for funding you must not enter into a contract or commence any works proposed in your application before we inform you of the application outcome.  

Organisations that receive a grant must: 

• agree to the requirements outlined in the guidelines (failure to do so may result in funding being withheld)  
• enter into a formal Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) with the Department of Education (DE)
• complete the project within the timeframes specified in the VCFA
• where applicable, follow the Building Blocks Acknowledgement and Publicity Guidelines (this may include working with us to hold events like sod turns and openings, and erecting signage)
• submit an acquittal form and the required supporting evidence for approval by the department when you complete the project
• agree that no additional DE state funding will be allocated to your project for cost overruns (you must cover any additional costs)
• agree that any leasing arrangements of facilities developed through the grant will not be used to yield commercial or near-commercial rents, and that the long-standing practice of charging services peppercorn or low rents is continued, with any rent charged to be applied to maintenance costs of the service.

You can request an example VCFA by emailing Building.Blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

All projects must adhere to relevant building guidelines and regulations. Section 3 of the VSBA’s Building Quality Standards Handbook also includes information that may assist with design of a project. Additional conditions for projects involving government school sites are outlined from Section 2 of these guidelines. 

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to review the following documents which further clarify your obligations for receiving Building Blocks funding:

• Acknowledgement and Publicity Guidelines
• Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) Conditions

There are other grants for developing early childhood facilities and services. You must advise the Department of Education (DE) of other funding applications for your project. We reserve the right to consider grant applications made for other programs offered by the DE or other government departments. We may also apply to other department agency-led grant programs for your proposed project where appropriate.

If you propose an infrastructure project under the Inclusion and Improvement grant streams (ie. Buildings and Playgrounds, Minor Infrastructure or Early Learning Facility Upgrade) on land owned by the Department of Education (DE) you must contact the VSBA Early Childhood Grants team as early as possible during the development of your proposal to discuss the approach to land and project delivery.

The VSBA Early Childhood Grants team can be contacted by email at building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

Applications for projects on DE land must include:

Land use proposal form

If the Department of Education and Training (DE) owns the land the site of the proposed project, you (the applicant) must complete this form:

The form asks you to provide details on:

• your details
• the grant applied for
• your authorisation
• authorisation from the school council and principal

The form must be submitted with:

• the current lease or agreement
• a site plan
• a proposed floor plan

If you have any trouble accessing this form, please contact building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

For more information about the Building Blocks Grants streams available and how to apply visit the frequently asked questions webpage.