Local Government Victoria supports councils by administering specialist funding programs that enable councils to support their communities impacted by emergencies. LGV is currently administering the following programs for Victorian councils:
Municipal Emergency Resourcing Program
The Victorian Government provides $4.9 million each year for the MERP to support rural, regional and outer-metropolitan councils to plan, prepare and deliver activities that will assist their communities in an emergency. It supports councils to effectively deliver on emergency management responsibilities established in legislation, state plans and policies including the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) and the Vulnerable People in Emergencies Program.
Annual grants are shared between 64 eligible councils at five different levels ($40,000, $60,000, $80,000, $120,000 or $240,000 per annum) based on each council’s relative emergency risk profile. Some councils receive their funding in partnership with other councils.
The program has three objectives:
- Effective delivery of emergency management responsibilities established in legislation, state plans and policies including the SEMP and the Vulnerable People in Emergencies Policy
- Contributing to better prepared and more resilient communities
- Embedding emergency management as a core component of council business.
Council Support Fund
The Council Support Fund is co-funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments. It provides upfront funding for councils to undertake clean-up activities and help restore local facilities and services that are the lifeblood of communities.
Activities supported through the fund include the restoration of community services, collection and removal of debris deposited in council parks, reserves and community assets, waste transportation costs, and staffing.
This support is in addition to existing Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, which are also available to councils.
Victorian floods and storms commencing 24 December 2023 (AGRN 1096)
The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments are providing $8 million to the 28 most significantly impacted councils to support their communities in their recovery. This program runs until June 2026.
Eligible councils
- Alpine Shire Council
- Ballarat City Council
- Baw Baw Shire Council
- Benalla Rural City Council
- Buloke Shire Council
- Campaspe Shire Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- East Gippsland Shire Council
- Gannawarra Shire Council
- Glenelg Shire Council
- Greater Bendigo City Council
- Greater Shepparton City Council
- Indigo Shire Council
- Loddon Shire Council
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Mansfield Shire Council
- Melton City Council
- Mitchell Shire Council
- Mount Alexander Shire Council
- Murrindindi Shire Council
- Nillumbik Shire Council
- Northern Grampians Shire Council
- South Gippsland Shire Council
- Strathbogie Shire Council
- Wangaratta Rural City Council
- Warrnambool City Council
- Wellington Shire Council
- Yarra Ranges Shire Council
2022 Victorian Floods (AGRN 1037)
The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments are providing $35 million to the councils most significantly impacted by this event. This program runs until June 2025.
Eligible councils
- Alpine Shire Council
- Ararat Rural City Council
- Ballarat City Council
- Baw Baw Shire Council
- Benalla Rural City Council
- Buloke Shire Council
- Campaspe Shire Council
- Central Goldfields Shire Council
- Colac Otway Shire Council
- Corangamite Shire Council
- East Gippsland Shire Council
- Gannawarra Shire Council
- Glenelg Shire Council
- Golden Plains Shire Council
- Greater Bendigo City Council
- Greater Shepparton City Council
- Hepburn Shire Council
- Hindmarsh Shire Council
- Horsham Rural City Council
- Indigo Shire Council
- Loddon Shire Council
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Mansfield Shire Council
- Maribyrnong City Council
- Mildura Rural City Council
- Mitchell Shire Council
- Moira Shire Council
- Moonee Valley City Council
- Moorabool Shire Council
- Mount Alexander Shire Council
- Moyne Shire Council
- Murrindindi Shire Council
- Northern Grampians Shire Council
- Pyrenees Shire Council
- South Gippsland Shire Council
- Southern Grampians Shire Council
- Strathbogie Shire Council
- Surf Coast Shire Council
- Swan Hill Rural City Council
- Towong Shire Council
- Wangaratta Rural City Council
- Warrnambool City Council
- Wellington Shire Council
- West Wimmera Shire Council
- Wodonga City Council
- Yarra Ranges Shire Council
- Yarriambiack Shire Council