Turn great ideas into reality

APPLICATIONS for the city’s 2026–27 Community Grants are officially open, offering a fantastic opportunity to bring your next project to life.

I am very eager to see the innovative ideas our community brings forward this year and to witness firsthand how this new round of funding will empower local change-makers.

Community Grants are one of our most rewarding initiatives. It’s our way of supporting the incredible people working behind the scenes to strengthen our community.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea that would make Greater Geelong an even better place, this is your moment to make it happen.

Whether it’s an event, an environmental project or local infrastructure project, we have funding available to help you build a stronger, more connected region.

In the last round of funding, several very deserving sports clubs and community groups in Barrabool Hills ward secured funding to turn their ideas into a reality. It’s been fantastic to see these exciting projects coming to fruition this year.

In the 2025–26 Community Grants, we awarded $26,400 for a facility redevelopment at Highton Recreation Reserve.

This funding will support the crucial planning phase, creating a concept design layout for modern, fit-for-purpose and flexible spaces at the ground.

These facilities will be designed to accommodate local sporting associations and tenant clubs, optimising areas for playing, training and administrative functions.

By establishing a smarter layout, this project will create a more connected and professional environment for users, including Geelong Falcons Football Club and Alexander Thomson Cricket Club, so they can keep kicking goals and hitting boundaries for years to come.

Nearby, the Highton Bowls Club received $166,000 for upgrades to its facilities.

This substantial investment will be used to extend and renew its ageing 1950s grass green into a compliant, eight-rink playing area.

The upgrades have incorporated key sustainability elements including integrated stormwater capture.

The project addresses infrastructure safety and compliance to meet strict competition standards. With this funding, Highton Bowls Club can secure its future expansion and encourage broader community participation in bowls.

The environmental sustainability of our sports clubs has been a keen focus and it’s great to see more organisations securing funding to reduce their carbon footprint.

Highton Tennis Club was successful in its application for $3,500 to replace its existing outdated hot water system with a more efficient and environmentally friendly hot water system.

This practical upgrade is a fantastic example of how grassroots sports can lead the charge toward a net-zero future.

Sports makes up just one of many areas of focus for our Community Grants and there are plenty of funding opportunities available to suit your big-picture ideas or smaller scale projects.

The grants span several categories, including the arts, First Nations, Christmas, Climate Change Partnerships and Environmental Sustainability, community events, equipment purchases, infrastructure and community strengthening.

The breadth of the funding categories just goes to show how committed the city is to reaching a broad cross-section of community groups and projects through our Community Grants.

I encourage everyone across our region to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.

The City of Greater Geelong’s Community Grants team are here to help. You can contact the team at [email protected] or on 5272 5560, or access a range of useful resources at geelong.link/community-grants

If you have a vision that could make our community more vibrant, connected or liveable, please don’t hesitate to put your application forward.

Cr Ron Nelson

Barrabool Hills ward,

City of Greater Geelong