Grants to support and connect grassroots carers
The Victorian State Government is backing grassroots initiatives that support unpaid carers – with grants available for projects that boost social connections and open up work and study opportunities.
Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence today opened applications for the 2025 Connecting Carers in their Community program, with more than $760,000 in funding available.
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation chief executive Jill Gallagher said the grants would help to provide much needed support to unpaid carers who are providing vital care within their families.
“Aboriginal Communities have long traditions of caring for one another, but broken and fragmented systems have made that much harder for our Mob than it should be,” Dr Gallagher said.
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation chief executive Jill Gallagher.
Delivered in partnership with Carers Victoria and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), the program offers grants of up to $25,000 for small organisations, First Nations-led groups and community organisations.
More than 700,000 unpaid carers across Victoria provide vital care to family, friends and others, sometimes leaving little time to focus on their own health, connect with their community or pursue education and employment.
Last year’s program supported more than 40 projects across the state, including the Carers Cuppas program in Bendigo connecting carers with employment and health services, support for multicultural carers in Whittlesea to build new skills and pathways to study and a dedicated support group for First Nations carers in south-west Victoria.
Carer support groups, community health services, councils, neighbourhood houses and other grassroots organisations are encouraged to apply, especially those supporting carers in regional and rural areas.
Applications are open until 18 August. For more information or to apply, visit carersvictoria.org.au or vaccho.org.au.
