Business & community

Community food relief

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Information for community organisations providing food relief services in Victoria.

The Victorian Government is committed to supporting Victorians who are facing food insecurity to access healthy and culturally appropriate food.

2026–27 Community food security program

The Victorian Government is delivering a third round of the Community food security program.

Funding will be provided through three streams:

  • Local grants
  • First peoples grants
  • a targeted coordination fund.

Local grants

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Local Grants of between $10,000 and $100,000 are available to support local food relief and food security initiatives that help Victorians access healthy and culturally appropriate food.

These grants support a range of food relief activities and food security initiatives. Eligible organisations include:

  • neighbourhood houses
  • multicultural community and faith-based organisations
  • community and volunteer-led organisations
  • social enterprises
  • Victorian local government entities and public health services.

Note: review the grant program guidelines for detailed information on eligibility requirements. To be eligible, organisations must have a valid ABN and be incorporated (or auspice by an appropriate organisation).

We encourage applications that:

  • establish new sustainable food models such as social supermarkets
  • deliver food education projects to improve local food literacy
  • strengthen infrastructure or facilities to deliver more food relief
  • strengthen local partnerships to build more sustainable community food relief networks.

Applications close at 4 pm on Thursday 9 July 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit the Community food security program – Local grants

First Peoples grants

This year, the Program includes a First Peoples grants stream.

This stream will be delivered in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).

We will provide more information, including the opening date for these applications, soon.

Coordination fund

The Coordination Fund is a targeted funding program to support established state-wide or regional food relief providers to deliver partnership projects to:

  • make food supply and delivery more effective across Victoria
  • help food relief reach more people and places across the state.

2025-26 recipients

To see previous recipients, visit:

•    Community food security program – Local grants
•    Community food security program – Coordination grants.

Victorian healthy food relief guidelines

Everyone living in Victoria has the right to nutritious food to thrive. The Victorian healthy food relief guidelines aim to help food relief providers to offer a variety of nutritious and culturally appropriate foods to support the health and wellbeing of those needing food relief.

These guidelines aim to:

  • strengthen efforts to provide food relief to meet the needs of communities
  • promote providing food relief in dignified and respectful ways
  • help to ensure a variety of nutritious, minimally processed and culturally appropriate food options are available.

Download the Victorian healthy food relief guidelines

Download the Victorian healthy food relief guidelines poster

Food relief distribution services

If your organisation delivers a food relief program, you may be eligible to receive regular food donations from a state-wide or regional distribution service. These services each have their own eligibility and review criteria and may operate a wait list based on available supply and demand. Food supplies are variable depending on the donations they receive.

Community organisations are also encouraged to foster relationships with local food businesses to explore donation options and develop partnerships with other nearby organisations to coordinate efforts at the local level.

State-wide food relief providers

Regional foodshares

Food relief assistance

If you, or someone you know needs immediate food relief assistance, we encourage you to use Ask Izzy app to connect with organisations for local services or support.