Building Blocks – Planning Grants

The Building Blocks program is an integral part of a Victorian Government commitment to build and expand kindergartens across the state and to provide universal access to 15 hours of government-funded kinder every week by 2029.

The Planning Grants stream provides grants for planning and pre-construction work on kindergarten building projects that support the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten across Victoria.

Your organisation can apply if it is:

• a Victorian local government (Council)
• a not-for-profit community organisation that is a legal entity (for example an incorporated association, incorporated cooperative or Indigenous corporation)
• a Victorian government school
• a Victorian non-government school registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority or Catholic Education Commission of Victoria

For-profit organisations cannot apply.

For the LGA where a project is located, applicants must refer to the published KISP or, because KISPs will be updated throughout 2023 to respond to Pre-Prep demand, other evidence to demonstrate that the project is in an area with infrastructure need based on the Pre-Prep roll-out.

See the guidelines for full details of eligible and ineligible organisations.

The Planning Grants stream offers support by covering the cost of design and the pre-construction planning involved in building projects.

A Planning Grant means you can:

• plan a project, or pipeline of projects, to help provide the kindergarten places needed to meet demand for the roll-out of Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten and/or Pre-Prep
• better prepare applications for Building Blocks grants that will help deliver your projects.

Being awarded a Planning Grant is not a pre-requisite to apply for other Building Blocks grants.

Planning stream projects must:

• be completed within 12 months of Common Funding Agreement (CFA) execution
• be used to plan for a project located in Victoria that is, or will be, licensed to provide a funded Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program, and must offer, or intend to offer, both programs. This can be sessional or integrated with long day care.
• demonstrate how the proposed project(s) will create additional kindergarten capacity, or maintain service continuity of existing capacity, in line with the demand of Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, and/or Pre-Prep, at a community and local government level, and as identified in the relevant KISP or demonstrate alignment with supporting the roll-out of Pre-Prep

Planning grants will not fund projects that: 

• do not address unmet demand as identified in the relevant KISP
• do not intend to create additional capacity or maintain existing kindergarten capacity required for the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and/or Pre Prep through a subsequent Building Blocks Capacity Building application
• are not for facilities that offer, or intend to offer, both Three and Four-Year-Old funded Kindergarten/Pre Prep programs
• are intended to be located outside Victoria
• do not align with the program objectives
• do not meet the requirements outlined in these guidelines
• do not meet the assessment criteria
• have already been invoiced or paid

See the guidelines for full details of eligible and ineligible projects.

The following costs are eligible expenditure: 

• project management costs
• planning and design costs
• planning and design project costs relating to capacity building projects, or projects required to maintain existing capacity
• planning for multi-staged projects
• staff salaries and training for staff involved in working on the proposed kindergarten infrastructure planning project
• local design feasibility study

The following costs are ineligible expenditure: 

• costs already incurred
• site preparation, including clearing or demolition (these may be funded by a subsequent Building Block Grant)
• construction and commissioning (these may be funded by a subsequent Building Blocks Grant)
• landscaping and car parking (these may be funded by a subsequent Building Blocks Grant)
• site acquisition and lease costs
• ongoing administration or operational costs

See the guidelines for full details of eligible and ineligible expenditure.

1. Demonstrate clarity of high-level intended project scope and confidence that the planning process will support a project commencing  (70%)

2. Demonstrate how the proposed planning process facilitates access for children of all abilities (15%)

3. Demonstrate how the proposed planning process promotes environmental sustainability and includes environmentally sustainable features, for example in design or construction (15%)

See the source website for full details of the assessment criteria.

You should read and understand the guidelines.

You need to ensure you are eligible for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be considered.

Successful applicants will demonstrate:

• a clear project scope and sound project planning that will support commencement of the construction project
• alignment with the relevant KISP or with supporting the roll-out of Pre-Prep
• how the project facilitates access for children of all abilities
• how the project promotes environmental sustainability
• the capacity, capability and experience to deliver the project in full within the agreed timeframe

All applicants are required to provide:

• a signed KISP document or Department estimates of demand
• responses demonstrating how the planning works will meet the selection criteria
• an attestation, signed by an authorised delegate, that any funds obtained via this program will be used to achieve the program objectives and be expended in accordance with the organisation’s probity and procurement obligations
• if seeking funding for staff salaries and training, a position description for funding of new or existing staff members and a cost estimate (e.g. how many hours on planning works, ancillary costs)
• an itemised table of costs including any eligible costs not included in the cost plan, quotes, or cost estimate (e.g. project management fees, external services, landscaping, non-portable equipment)
• authorised written confirmation of co-contribution amounts from the applicant and all other funding organisations including the Federal Government, Victorian Government, local government, or other sources

Not-for-profit or non-government schools are also required to provide:

• evidence of not-for-profit status (such as a copy of your ABN, registration as a not-for-profit, certificate of registration as charity, or a certificate of registration as an incorporated association)
• a signed certified accountant’s confirmation of the applicant’s last two years of financial statements as evidence of financial viability
• if an auspice arrangement is proposed, written confirmation from the auspicing party

Applications for projects on Department of Education land must include:

• a completed Land Use Proposal Form
• a copy of any existing lease or agreement between relevant parties
• a detailed design of your proposal
• 2 quotes from a qualified professional for projects less than $200,000 or 1 Quantity Surveyor report for projects of $200,000

See the guidelines and source website for full details of information requirements.

Applications are submitted online via the SmartyGrants portal.

Book a no obligation discovery session with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.