Hey Reader,
Like my kids at an Easter Egg hunt, I’ve been excitedly trawling the 2026–27 Victorian budget and Commonwealth budgets searching for shiny nuggets that might help with some greatly needed investment in our regions.
My take - funded does not always mean open.
There’s some welcomed funding for roads and a $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund announcement from the Feds.
But, a lot of what appears in budget papers lack detail, and is often not available to everyone to compete on. Much of the funding is directed to departments, existing service systems, named projects, rebates and incentives.
If you’ve got a great idea or a project that needs funding, unless you connected through the back door, competitive open funding rounds is your only hope for government funding.
It’s early days, but here’s a couple of options from my scan of the budget papers that might be available to the masses:
- Early year’s infrastructure – Victoria and Commonwealth funding
- Disaster Resilience – Commonwealth
- $2b Local infrastructure funding – supporting new homes (cmth)
- $781m Thriving Suburbs and Growing Regions (cmth)
- Stronger Communities Programme (cmth)
- Community sport infrastructure and participation initiatives (state)
- Regional health infrastructure (state)
Many of these appear to be extensions or substitutes of existing programs rather than major new open funding streams, and targeted to specific applicants.
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What does the 2026/27 budget mean for those surviving on funding?
Bunker down! Prepare for strong competition for what appears to be a limited pool of available funds. In practical terms, this means; strengthen your partnerships, tighten your supplier proposition and be very clear about the value and benefits your organisation will offer.
In a tighter budget environment, the weakest position is waiting for the funding round to open.
📩 Have a project in mind and want a quick steer on fit and readiness? Reply to this email, and I’ll point you in the right direction.
📣 JUST ANNOUNCED
Budget announcement for 2026/27
Local Infrastructure Fund - supporting housing delivery through water, power, sewerage and road connections.
$2 billion (NAT) Dates TBC
📍Circular Economy
Equipment and infrastructure projects improving recycling, reprocessing, remanufacturing and circular economy jobs.
$1M (VIC) 11/06/26
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📍Community Wellbeing
Multiyear projects supporting people with disability or marginalised communities, with a focus on employment pathways and prevention.
$100k+ (NAT) EOI 18/06/26
📍Science Engagement Grants
STEM engagement activities, youth Maker Projects and student participation in science events and competitions.
$ vary (NAT) Dates vary.
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cases that hold up under scrutiny.
Cheers, Simon.
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