Look Over the Farm Gate – Community Grants

About the program

The Victorian Government has 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 has reopened for Round 2 to meet the immediate needs of bushfire affected communities.

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

We know that strong, connected communities are vital to recover and get through tough times. This grants program empowers local organisations to deliver events and initiatives tailored to their unique needs. The focus is on events or 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 funding is available?

A second round of Grants, ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 is now open for eligible community organisations and groups in Victoria.

Please read the updated Program Guidelines for full details. Notable changes for Round 2 include:

• Events can only be rescheduled once from the original approved date
• There is no restriction on the number of applications you can submit, however, please submit a separate application for each proposed event
• Items that can, and cannot, be funded – please read carefully!
• All funded activities must be completed before 30 June 2026
• A reminder that you do not have to be a not-for-profit or large organisation to apply for a grant
• More supports available to help plan your event. Check out Sober in the Country for how to support attendees with the option of sophisticated non-alcoholic drinks at your event.

Applications are open until 20 May 2026 or until funding has been fully allocated, whichever comes first.

What kind of activities have been funded?

A huge variety of projects have already been funded by the program, for example:

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.

Who can apply? 

Applicants must be a member of the agriculture industry or farming community or be able to demonstrate current links to a local farming community (eg, through activities such as supply and services, community support, healthcare delivery). 

We also encourage you to partner or connect with your local shire, local service providers, speakers, and community leaders when planning your event. 

How to apply: 

To help plan your event and prepare this application, please read Tackling the Tough Topics: A step-by-step guide to plan mental health and wellbeing events in farming communities. This guide provides practical templates, case studies and top tips which will help you to design an event that is tailored to your community’s specific needs. 

A look back on Look Over the Farm Gate events

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. The official Program logo file is available for download here.
• Complete a post-event survey within 2 weeks of event.
• Submit proof of expenditure – the grant amount may be reduced if proof is not provided on acquittal.

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.