A record number of grant applications has pushed Cardinia Shire’s 2025–26 Wellbeing Support Grant Program to its limits, with more than $130,000 in community requests going unfunded prompting calls from several councillors for change.
Council received 92 applications this year, the highest to date, seeking a total of $232,148 for local initiatives to improve health, wellbeing, and social inclusion. Following assessments, 54 applications were approved, with $102,810 distribute, leaving more than a third of projects without funding.
Council ultimately endorsed the funding recommendations unanimously at the 21 July meeting, with 54 projects supported across three streams: volunteer support grants ($10,342), seeding grants ($57,581) and small change grants ($34,000). Two councillors, Cr Casey Thomsen and Cr Liz Roberts, declared conflicts of interest and did not participate in this item.
Speaking at the meeting, Cr Trudi Paton called for a rethink of the program’s priorities, pointing to the $132,000 funding shortfall as a sign of unmet community need.
“One of the things that I noticed was that the Volunteer Subsidised Training Fund, which is a State offering I imagine, seems to be cited as alternate funding for many of the applications that weren’t successful,” Cr Paton said.
“I hope that in the grant funding guidelines for next time and in the information workshops highlight this is the source for certain types of funding requests so people don’t waste their time applying going forward.”
From a higher level, Cr Paton had “a real issue with the amount of funding that this Council provides to sporting clubs by comparison with the wider community initiatives”.
“If we were to remove sport and rec clubs from this wellbeing grant, I think that you would see better dividends for the whole shire,” she said.
Mayor Jack Kowarzik pushed back on that suggestion about removing sporting groups, clarifying that a few received wellbeing grants this round.
“I think that criticism is one that I hear a lot about councils and I think it’s mostly fair but probably not in the case of well-being support grants, probably in the case of other funding streams,” Cr Kowarzik said.
“In terms of this actual well-being support grant fund, not many sporting clubs applied.
Through the other grant funds, absolutely, like Community Capital Works, it’s often footy clubs and sporting clubs.
“Through well-being support and through the work of Kym Ockerby and the officers who work in this space, they do a fantastic job of making sure that our funds get wider into the community than just sporting clubs.”
Deputy Mayor Cr Alanna Pomeroy welcomed the high number of applicants as a sign of the grant program’s importance.
“Council received 92 well-being support grant applications, which I think is a great result really,” Cr Pomeroy said.
“It shows the importance of these grants. It shows that there are so many volunteers within our community helping each other out.”
Responding to earlier criticisms from Cr Paton about “government interference” in the Liveability Plan Review, Cr Pomeroy took a different view in the context of the wellbeing grants.
“Before Cr Paton was talking about government interference, I actually see these ones as great government interference,” Cr Pomeroy said.
“We’re in there helping people do what they want to do to improve health and well-being, support volunteer development and build the capacity of our community organisations.”
Cr Collin Ross warned that increasing bureaucracy and out-of-pocket costs were becoming poison to volunteering, making it harder for grassroots initiatives to survive without meaningful support.
“With volunteers there are certain things they can give their time, but as soon as bureaucracy gets in the way or too much money out of their own pocket gets in the way, it becomes so challenging to have their volunteer hours be put to the best use that it can.
“Sometimes it actually stops them from going ahead and being able to run what they want to run. Hopefully Council can participate in this way a little bit to help them out.”
Cr Samantha-Jane Potter raised concerns that the grant process is missing a vital human touch and urged Council to improve communication with CALD communities and people with disabilities.
“I would like to once again advocate that it’s important we do our best across the board, that communication be inclusive and clear,” Cr Potter said.
“Supporting them to actually get through that helpful human touch is so important. So we can support them to do the amazing work that they do in our community.
“I encourage you to apply again if you didn’t get funded this time. Please speak with Council staff and reframe your application. Allow the Council the opportunity to support you.”
