Applications are now open for grants for councils and community groups to improve community safety by addressing the causes of crime and in their local communities.

Member for Werribee Tim Pallas today invited councils and not-for-profit organisations across Wyndham to apply for the one-off grants for projects that are ready to commence.

The new program includes two grant options that can be applied for;

The Creating Safer Places program offers grants of $25,000 to $300,000 for councils to fund urban design projects that apply an inclusive environmental design approach to deter crime, increase safety and activate public places.

The Crime Prevention Innovation Fund awards grants of $25,000 to $300,000 for councils, not-for-profit organisations and other stakeholders for projects that deliver and evaluate innovative community safety and crime prevention initiatives.

This can include projects that engage diverse communities or specific groups, or which establish or strengthen partnerships across community, business, sport and other sectors to address causes of crime. The Building Safer Communities grants are part of the government’s Community Crime Prevention Program, which has seen almost $2 million invested in grants for more than a dozen community-led crime prevention projects in Wyndham since 2015.

Applications for the Creating Safer Places and Crime Prevention Innovation Fund grants close at 4pm on 15 March 2021.

For more information about the grants, see: www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au/buildingsafercommunities

Quotes attributable to Minister for Crime Prevention Natalie Hutchins

“These grants give local communities the chance to tackle the crime and safety issues that matter most to them.

“Local organisations and councils are ideally placed to identify what’s needed to make their communities feel safe, and their public spaces inviting and more purposeful.

“It’s also a great opportunity to kick-start innovative new programs and initiatives that make a difference addressing the causes of offending and crime in the community.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“Our local community has the passion and expertise to help tackle the causes of crime in our area.”

“I’m pleased to see the Andrews Labor Government support this work with this new program of grants.”