Recycling Victoria Communities Fund grants
The Recycling Victoria Communities Fund supports local community initiatives that engage the community in local circular economy solutions.
The grants focus on local and regional projects that:
- reduce waste generation
- reduce non-organic material going to landfill, by repurposing through local community initiatives
- reduce organic material going to landfill, by repurposing through local community initiatives
- reduce the sources of plastic pollution, litter and illegal dumping
- boost Victoria’s economy through local circular economy initiatives, help businesses to grow in new ways, and create new jobs.
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Round 1 – Funded projects and recipients
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18 projects received a total of $997,831.
Acres and Acres Co-Op Ltd
Description: Establishing a community commercial-scale worm farm using organic waste collected from local businesses and other facilities
The compost and worm juice will be used at Acres and Acres community gardens, and excess will be sold to local farmers.Project partners: Island Biologicals
Funding: $49,500
Antiochian Community Support Association (ACSA)
Description: Repairing and upcycling donated uniforms and clothing, which will be donated to second-hand clothing distributors
ACSA will focus on upskilling seniors and youth in the community.Project partners: City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey, The ARK Clothing Company, Khouri Workwear, St Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church and Portwest Pacific Pty Ltd
Funding: $48,600
Circular Economy Victoria Inc
Description: Supporting the City of Hume community in transitioning to more circular ways of living by making changes at a local government, industry, and community level
Project partners: Victoria University, Rotary Club of Bacchus Marshe and City of Hume
Funding: $58,562
Cultivating Community
Description: Establishing a sustainability hub to support community education through activities such as composting and worm towers
Project partners: Collingwood Children's Farm, City of Yarra and Cirque Du Soil
Funding: $59,000
Fixable Pty Ltd
Description: Establishing a website comprising:
- a directory of local repair businesses, repair amateurs and hobbyists
- a marketplace to buy, sell, rent, lend, borrow and give away spare parts, tools and repaired items
- a community channel to make repair and reuse easier for residents, businesses and organisations.
Funding: $48,040
Geelong Sustainability Group Inc
Description: Engaging around 300 participants in an 8- to 12-week mobile app-based competition during Geelong Design Week (March 2022)
Participants will achieve points by completing sustainability challenges to change community behaviours.
Project partner: Circular Economy Victoria
Funding: $58,880
Hub Foundation Castlemaine Limited
Description: Establishing 10 neighbourhood compost hubs in the backyards of participating households
Each household ('community composters’) will service up to 10 other households.
Project partners: Z-Net/MASC, Green Hand Institute, Mount Alexander Sustainability Group and Grow Great Fruit Program
Funding: $59,098
Leadership Great South Coast Inc
Description:
Repurposing, refurbishing and distributing donated children's goods (such as nursery items, prams, car seats, clothing, toys and books) to families in need in the Port Fairy areaFunding: $45,644
Maker Community Inc
Description:
Purchasing industrial woodworking tools for the community repair cafe to:- repair furniture
- repurpose timber and pallets into household items
Project partner: Moreland Council
Funding: $58,980
Neighbourhood Collective Australia Ltd
Description:
Establishing an op-shop and a ‘slow fashion hub’ to:- collect and sell repaired and upcycled clothing
- run beginner-level clothing repair workshops
- host clothing swap parties
- educate the community on sustainable consumer behaviours.
Project partners: SisterWorks, Bendigo City Council, The Institute of Imperfection and The Mustard Tree
Funding: $55,969
Bairnsdale Sunrise Rotary
Description:
Establishing a mobile dishwashing station that will provide reusable crockery, cutlery and drinkware to stallholders, coffee vans and caterers at markets, festivals and events in and around the East Gippsland regionThe project will also involve sending compost food waste from markets and large community events to local gardens and farms.
Funding: $59,351
Shanghai Rebel Pty Ltd
Description:
Establishing a community manufacturing hub to make high-visibility industrial uniforms from recycled PET plastic and deliver them in bio-degradable compostable bagsThe project will focus on upskilling culturally and linguistically diverse communities and community members who are long-term unemployed.
Funding: $58,330
Span Community House Inc
Description:
- Expanding their current community composting program to include a range of reuse, recycling and repairing initiatives
- Holding events and workshops on waste avoidance
- Improving existing donation or collection points in the community
Project partners: Transition Darebin and Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes
Funding: $57,912
Upper Goulburn Landcare Network
Description:
Dehydrating and composting organic waste from local hospitality businesses, a florist, and a fruit and vegetable shopSecondary college students will collect and distribute the compost, which will be used in a local market garden and a primary school garden.
Project partners: Grant Street Grocer, Full Bloom and Grow Food Network
Funding: $58,820
Western District Employment Access Incorporated
Description:
- Repairing and recycling clothing and household items to sell through The Big Shed
- Purchasing new amenities
- Improving capacity
- Rebranding signage
- Increasing safety
- Upgrading information technology infrastructure for The Big Shed
- Providing meaningful employment for people with disabilities
Project partner: Southern Grampians Shire
Funding: $59,000
Whittlesea Community Connections
Description:
Establishing a repair cafe at Mernda Community House – this will be the first repair cafe in the City of Whittlesea
Workshops on sustainable living will also be held at the cafe.Project partner: City of Whittlesea
Funding: $45,848
Wholefood Unwrapped Collective
Description:
Reducing the amount of packaging being used in the hospitality and food service sector by creating reusable containers (such as tubs, crates and insulated bags) for food transportationProject partner: Melbourne Food Hub
Funding: $58,640
Yarra Valley ECOSS
Description:
Establishing a ReCycle Repair hub where youth can receive training on how to recycle old bicycles
The bicycles will be sold or donated locally.Project partners: Dirt By Girt and Yarra Ranges Council
Funding: $57,657
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6 projects received a total of $1,337,788.
Big Group Hug Ltd
Description:
- Collecting and upcycling pre-loved items for children (from newborns to teens)
- Distributing the items to families experiencing hardship, in Western Melbourne and surrounding areas
Project partner: Caroline Chisholm Society
Funding: $235,472
Living Learning Pakenham Inc
Description:
- Building a network of community composting hubs
- Organising workshops, school incursions and mentoring
- Establishing an online platform with educational videos about sustainable practices
Project partners: PrimeSCI! Swinburne University of Technology, Bedford Park Community Park and Sustainability Hub, Yarra Valley ECOSS, Japara Neighbourhood House, Shire of Cardinia, and Yarra Ranges Council
Funding: $249,606
OzHarvest Limited
Description:
- Expanding their food rescue service by adding a new van to collect and distribute food in greater Melbourne
- Increasing capacity by having additional regular food donors (20 businesses)
- Supporting more food recipients (10 charities)
- Engaging 137 businesses and 125 charities in their food rescue network
Funding: $230,000
Reground Pty Lyd
Description:
Expanding their current coffee grounds collection service to serve another 19 local government areas and 100 businessesReground will also offer soft plastics collection, waste audits, and waste minimisation services.
Funding: $170,000
St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria
Description:
- Equipping Vinnie’s 111 stores in Victoria with the resources to: resell donated electrical items; upskill staff and volunteers in testing and tagging electrical donations
- Rolling out an e-waste community education program across Victoria
Funding: $249,820
Tangaroa Blue Foundation
Description:
- Expanding their current ‘Strain the drains’ project by installing 158 additional litter traps across 7 local government areas
- Sharing findings on the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database
- Analysing and mapping pollutant locations
- Holding events to change littering behaviour in the community
Project partners: Cleanwater Group, City of Hobsons Bay, City of Kingston, City of Melbourne, City of Greater Dandenong, Maribyrnong City Council, City of Wyndham, Vicinity Centres and University of New South Wales
Funding: $202,890