Victorian Government Capital Grants
Apply for funding
The Victorian Independent Schools Block Grant Authority (VISBGA) is now calling for expressions of interest from schools wishing to participate in the next round of capital funding, for projects commencing in the 2026 calendar year.
Funding is available through the Australian Government Capital Grants Program and the Victorian Government Building Fund for Non-Government Schools.
Funding is targeted at low-fee, low socio-economic schools and schools wishing to apply for funding through either stream must be able to demonstrate a financial and educational need for assistance. The VISBGA Board performs a detailed financial assessment to establish the extent to which the school and its community may be able to contribute towards the total cost of the project, which includes an assessment of the school’s capacity to borrow.
Schools wishing to participate should complete an Expression of Interest (form available below) and submit to the VISBGA by Monday 23 September.
Schools expressing an interest in the Program may be contacted by VISBGA for further discussion, and a meeting with VISBGA representatives may be arranged if required.
Information on how apply and application documentation will be available here when applications open in October.
The Victorian Government Building Fund for Non-Government Schools 2023–27 is providing $450 million to help build and upgrade Catholic and Independent schools in Victoria, with approximately $135 million available for eligible Independent schools over the next four years.
To be eligible to apply, a school must be a participant, or prospective participant, in the Victorian Independent Schools Block Grant Authority (VISBGA).
Schools are expected to contribute at least 20% of total project costs, with grants to be allocated across four project categories:
Projects in Category 1 and 2 must have a construction period of 18 months or less.
Projects in Category 3 and 4 must have a construction period of 12 months or less.
Schools may not receive more than one grant over the four rounds of funding for a project in category 1, 2 or 3. Schools may be eligible to receive a separate grant for a Category 4 project that solely addresses cladding and/or asbestos issues as part of a planned removal process, as well as a grant for a project in category 1,2 or 3.
Applications must be submitted online through the Department of Education’s SmartyGrants portal, where they will be assessed by both the VISBGA and the Department against the criteria below:
Schools are encouraged to carefully read the Program Guidelines as published by the Victorian School Building Authority, available below in the Resources section.
Please refer to the Apply for Funding section below to find out how to submit an application.
If you have any queries, please contact the VISBGA office:
- Aisling Allen on (03) 9825 7239
- Lindy McArdle on (03) 9825 7218
- Angela Dynan on (03) 9825 7287
Timelines for each round of the Fund are set out below:
If you have any queries, please contact the VISBGA office:
- Aisling Allen – Manager, Capital Funding, (03) 9825 7239
- Lindy McArdle – Manager, Grants Administration, (03) 9825 7218
- Angela Dynan – General Manager, VISBGA, (03) 9825 7287