Look Over the Farm Gate – Community Grants

What funding is available?

The Victorian Government has announced additional funding for the Look Over the Farm Gate program as part of its Drought Support Package. 

The program will re-open for applications on Monday 2 February 2026, with events to be held by 30 June 2026.

Updated program guidelines will be released soon.  Please review these before submitting your application

Please do not submit an application until the next funding round opens. 

About the program

The Victorian Government established the Look Over the Farm Gate community grants program as part of the 2025 Drought Support Package to help communities come together and support farmers and farming families under stress. 

The program is administered by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Victorian Government.

We know how vital strong, connected communities are in building resilience during tough times. This grants program empowers local organisations to deliver events and initiatives tailored to their unique needs. The focus is on activities that support mental wellbeing and bring people together — whether through capacity-building mental health initiatives or other creative ideas — reflecting the diversity of the communities they serve.

What kind of activities have been funded?

A huge variety of projects have been funded by the program, from BBQs and family days to nature journalling, movie screenings and night golf.  

If you are planning a community event you might also like to explore our Community Resilience Hub for practical ideas and real-life resilience building examples.

Funding conditions

Applicants must:

• Agree to the Terms & Conditions of the grant, outlined in the Program Guidelines.
• Hold valid public liability insurance (or be auspiced by an organisation that does).
• Acknowledge funding support from the Victorian Government’s Drought Response in all event marketing and advertising.
• Complete a post-event survey
• Submit proof of expenditure.

See the timeline below for information on the application and funding process. This timeline is indicative only and may be subject to change when the program is experiencing a higher than usual number of enquiries.