South East Water has officially opened its 2025 Community Grants program, with individual grants of up to $10,000 available to help local groups make community projects possible.
Now in its sixth year, the program has granted more than $475,000 to 88 community groups across Melbourne’s south-east.
South East Water Managing Director, Lara Olsen, said the organisation was excited to offer its Community Grants program again in 2025.
“Last year we were thrilled to award $140,000 to 22 community groups across a range of community and environmental projects,” Ms Olsen said.
“If your community group is within our service area and needs support for a project, I encourage you to apply now for a 2025 Community Grant.”
Community groups across the South East Water service area can apply for a grant for projects that:
- Help people learn about water and how to use it in the best way possible
- Support community members experiencing hardship and vulnerability
- Make the environment healthier
- Help people be more active and connected
Applications close at 5pm, Friday 21 March 2025.
Visit www.southeastwater.com.au/grants to apply for a community grant and to learn more about past grant recipients.
South East Water’s Community Grants program forms part of the organisation’s five-year customer commitment (Price Submission 2023–28), supporting a variety of community organisations across Melbourne’s south-east.
The FairShare meal relief charity was a recipient of a South East Water Community Grant in 2024, which it used to purchase a biochar kiln – transforming organic waste into nutrient-rich biochar to boost vegetable yields while reducing emissions.
With FareShare’s Clayton South garden producing 85 per cent of its homegrown vegetables, the kiln will allow the non-for-profit to further improve meal quality and better cope with rising demand.
Fareshare and SecondBite CEO, Daniel Moorfield, said that the cost-of-living crisis has stretched families to the limit, and the need for FareShare meals has never been greater.
“Improving our limited resources allows us to increase the quantity and quality of meals we cook. This biochar kiln will help us grow even more vegetables and make our operations more sustainable – ensuring we can continue helping people in need,” Mr Moorfield said.
The kiln is now fully installed and will be regularly used once fire restrictions ease after summer 2025.
FareShare provide meals to more than one million Victorians every year, engaging more than 140 volunteers in the City of Kingston.”
South East Water said the project aligns with its vision to act with care and innovate with purpose and the Community Grants program’s goal to support vulnerable community members and protect the environment.
South East Water General Manager Research, Innovation and Commercialisation, Daniel Sullivan, said, “We’re proud to support FareShare’s innovative biochar project, which will make a big difference for both the environment and people who need it the most.
“By using biochar to enrich their garden beds, they’re not just growing healthier vegetables – but healthier futures for vulnerable Victorians.”
