VIC AusNet Energy Resilience Community Fund: Energy Resilience Grants and Energy Education and Literacy Grants

Funding streams and amounts
- Energy Resilience Grants: $5,000 to $50,000 per grant
- Energy Education and Literacy Grants: $5,000 to $25,000 per grant
When activities are expected to run
- Projects must be delivered within 12 months of receiving funds.
Applications close: June 12th, 2026

The AusNet Energy Resilience Community Fund supports practical projects that build or strengthen community energy resilience across AusNet’s electricity distribution area in Victoria. Grants are available for fixed, permanent, and mobile assets that help communities prepare for, operate during, and recover from prolonged power outages linked to severe weather events and reliability challenges.

Funding also supports education, awareness, and literacy initiatives that improve how communities use energy wisely and respond safely during outages. Eligible applicants include councils, community and charitable organisations (including social enterprises), and eligible small businesses and sole traders that provide essential services or act as a resilience hub.

Key Requirements

Build or strengthen community energy resilience: Show how the project helps the community operate safely during prolonged outages, and how outcomes will be measured.
Location requirement: The project must be located or delivered within AusNet’s electricity distribution area in Victoria, and clearly benefit communities in that area.
Feasibility and readiness: Provide a delivery approach, milestones, timeframe, and a budget that demonstrates the project can be delivered on time and within budget.
Quotes for Energy Resilience Grants: Itemised quotes are required and applications without quotes will not be assessed.
One grant per organisation: Only one grant per organisation will be accepted.
Financial viability and completeness: Identify all costs and any confirmed additional funding sources or in-kind support, and ensure all information is accurate and complete.

What is eligible for funding?

Energy Resilience Grants may fund
- Generators, solar and storage solutions, and backup power for critical businesses
- Generator-powered mobile facilities such as cool rooms, kitchens, or showers
- Upgrading or modifying electrical infrastructure to support new resilience systems
- Upskilling or training technicians to install energy resilience solutions

Energy Education and Literacy Grants may fund
- Learning resources and community education, including multimedia resources, community forums, and campaigns
- Tools and resources that help communities prepare for and respond to outages, including local support information
- Short courses or programs on maintaining resilience equipment such as generators
- Specialist delivery of energy education or resilience programs

What companies are eligible for funding?

Local councils within AusNet’s electricity distribution area
Community and charitable organisations, including social enterprises
Small businesses and sole traders providing an essential service and or acting as a resilience hub, with annual turnover of $10 million or less
Applicants must have a valid ABN and an Australian bank account linked to that ABN
Organisations outside the distribution area may be eligible if the project itself is within the distribution area
DGR or TCC status is not required

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

Industry analysis presentation
Competitor Analysis Presentation
Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.

This grant is open

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