The Victorian Government undertook a funding round to increase support for Victorians experiencing housing related financial challenges.
Funding will help address the high demand for financial counselling driven by cost-of-living pressures, increased rents, and natural disasters. The funding round will provide an immediate funding boost increasing the availability of financial counselling to Victorians.
Not-for-profit community service organisations with significant experience in delivering financial counselling and related services were invited to submit expressions of interest to deliver integrated and innovative responses to help people experiencing financial hardship due to mortgage or renting stress.
The process involved:
- an expression of interest (EOI) process, where eligible respondents were invited to put forward proposals for initial assessment; and
- a formal grant application process, where respondents with shortlisted proposals were invited to formally apply for a grant.
For more information on the funding round requirements and conditions, see the following documents:
How much funding was available?
$15 million has been allocated to agencies over 3 years, from 2024-25 until 2026-27.
Who was eligible?
The EOI was open to incorporated not-for-profit community service organisations with significant experience in the delivery of services to community members in relation to financial counselling, information and advice, advocacy services and/or community education.
Successful applicants
Successful applicants are listed in the table below:
|
Grant recipient
|
Value approved (excl. GST)
|
Description of funded program
|
Banyule Community Health
|
$900,000
2.1 FTE
|
Financial counselling
|
Meli Community
|
$1,000,000
2.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling and community education
|
Cancer Council Victoria
|
$935,101
1.8 FTE
|
Financial counselling and community education
|
Child and Family Services Ballarat
|
$900,000
2.3 FTE
|
Financial counselling, wellness and coaching
|
Consumer Action Law Centre
|
$1,303,779
3.0 FTE
|
Increase capacity of the National Debt Helpline
|
| EACH |
$900,000
2.2 FTE
|
Financial counselling and capability
|
Finwell Support
|
$895,003
3.0 FTE
|
Specialised financial counselling, wellbeing support and homelessness prevention
|
Mallee Family Care
|
$940,000
3.2 FTE
|
Financial wellbeing and education
|
Mortgage Stress Victoria
|
$1,506,864
3.45 FTE
|
Financial counselling and sector engagement
|
Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation
|
$314,315
1.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling
|
Primary Care Connect
|
$777,094
2.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling and community education
|
South East Community Links
|
$900,000
3.0 FTE |
Financial counselling
|
Tenants Victoria
|
$844,101
2.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling and legal assistance
|
Thorne Harbour Health
|
$817,263
2.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling
|
Victorian Aboriginal and Child Care Agency
|
$1,200,000
2.6 FTE
|
Financial counselling and capability workshops
|
Women’s Legal Service Victoria
|
$904,845
2.0 FTE
|
Financial counselling and social work
|