VIC Energy Resilience Community Fund - Round 2

VIC Energy Resilience Community Fund – Round 2

  • The program offers up to $50k funding, supporting the adoption of energy efficient solutions.
  • Projects must be located or delivered within AusNet’s eligible electricity distribution area.
  • The program is open until 7 February 2025.

The VIC Energy Resilience Community Fund offers up to $50k in funding, supporting projects that enhance community energy resilience within AusNet’s electricity distribution network. It provides funding for initiatives that help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from severe weather events and prolonged power outages.

Eligible projects may include the establishment of resilience hubs, backup power solutions, or initiatives that strengthen energy reliability and sustainability for local communities.

Key Requirements

Projects must be located or delivered within AusNet’s electricity distribution area. Businesses and sole traders must also have an annual turnover of $10M or less.

Applications are open until 7 February 2025.

What is eligible for funding?

Eligible activities include:

  • Generators, solar and storage solutions, backups for critical businesses or sections of main
    streets
  • Generator-powered mobile facilities, such as cool rooms, kitchens or showers to support a community during a power outage or emergency
  • Upskilling or training technicians to install energy resilience solutions in their local
    communities.

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible applicants include:

  • Councils within AusNet’s electricity distribution network.
  • Small businesses and sole traders providing essential services or acting as resilience hubs during severe weather or power outages (must have a valid ABN and annual turnover of $10m or less).
  • Community organisations, charitable organisations, social enterprises, and community energy foundations.
  • Non-local organisations delivering community energy resilience projects within the network (contact ERCF manager prior to applying).

DGR or TCC status is not required.

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.