Building Blocks Grants – Improvement

Building Blocks grants are a key pillar of the Victorian Government's Best Start, Best Life reforms.

The grants support the sector by funding a massive program of building, modernising, and expanding kindergartens across the state.

This work, backed by new partnerships and record investment, means all Victorian children can now get 2 years of free kinder.

The reforms, and the benefits they bring, will continue to expand over the next few years.

Victorian 3-year-olds can now get at least 5 hours of kindergarten a week. That increases to 15 hours by 2029. Meanwhile, Four-Year-Old Kindergarten is transitioning to ‘Pre-Prep’ – doubling play-based learning for every 4-year-old child in Victoria from 15 to 30 hours a week by 2036.

Since 2015, $3.6 billion has been invested in early childhood infrastructure, including $2.7 billion invested since October 2022. This investment funds around 145 kindergartens across the state as well as the delivery of 35 of the 50 new government owned and operated Early Learning Victoria Centres and $15 million for Building Blocks Improvement and Inclusion grants in the 2025-26 State Budget.

Building Blocks grants are key to identifying the best projects to realise the government’s vision and achieve best value for this significant public investment.

In particular, the Improvement Grants stream outlined below is helping our kindergartens upgrade, refurbish and renovate their early learning facilities so children can learn in a quality learning environment. Grants are also available to help services purchase new IT equipment or televisions to support administration or learning programs.

See "What Type of Grant Can I Apply For?" below for further details on the funding streams and amounts available.

The Building Blocks Improvement stream offers grants to help kindergartens refurbish or renovate early childhood buildings and facilities, and purchase information technology to assist in the delivery of educational programs and service administration.

Funding is designed to:

• renovate or refurbish facilities to improve the quality of learning environments for kindergarten children.
• deliver small renovations and refurbishments to early learning facilities.
• purchase IT equipment or televisions for administration or learning programs.

Projects must be for a kindergarten in Victoria that is, or will be, licensed to provide a funded Three-Year-Old and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (Free Kinder) program for 4 years from project completion. The kindergarten must offer, or intend to offer, both programs. This can be sessional or integrated with long day care.

More information on eligibility, merit criteria and the application process are available below.

Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist

It is important that applicants read these guidelines in conjunction with the Building Blocks Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist, which can be found on this webpage.

Applications cannot be considered for funding where:

• the organisation does not meet the eligibility criteria
• the organisation does not provide all the required documentation at application stage, such as soil and asbestos reports (where required).

There are 3 categories of grants under the Building Blocks Improvement stream:

• Early Learning Facility Upgrade
• Minor Infrastructure
• Information Technology

*QS report not required for projects proposed on DE land.

*QS report not required for projects proposed on DE land.

Early Learning Facility Upgrades and Minor Infrastructure

*Provided it is within scope of the state’s financial contribution for this grant stream and quotes are included at application stage

**Staff salaries may be eligible where these apply to new roles which engage staff for the exclusive purpose of project management.

Information technology

*Funding for accessories may be requested so long as most of the proposed purchase is for desktop, laptop, or tablet computers and/or televisions, and the accessory relates to the major purchase and is for use as part of the learning program or for administrative use.

The Building Blocks Improvement stream will not fund projects that:

• are not located at a funded kindergarten service(s) at time of application
• are not at facilities which offer (or are intending to offer) both Three-Year-Old and Four-Year-Old Funded Kindergarten programs
• do not agree to deliver Free Kinder for at least 4 years after the completion of the grant project
• are 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 or include all the required costings and documentation (such as soil, asbestos or QS reports) at time of application
• have already started, or been completed (i.e., retrospective funding)

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 Victorian Catholic Education Authority.

Victorian kindergarten providers with a funded kindergarten service at the time of application are eligible to receive funding. For-profit organisations cannot apply for any grant streams within Building Blocks.

For further information regarding eligibility, please refer to the Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist on this webpage.

If you propose an Early Learning Facility Upgrade or Minor Infrastructure project on land owned by DE, you must advise the Early Childhood Grants team and DE’s relevant regional provision and planning manager as early as possible. This is required to discuss the approach to land and project delivery, should your project be successful.

Applications for projects on DE land must also include:

• a completed Land Use Proposal Form found on the VSBA website (refer to Projects on DE land) including:
  • 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 below $75,000 (GST inclusive); or 3 quotes for projects exceeding $75,000 (GST inclusive)
  • a request for structural assessment reports (if works are proposed to a roof for example solar installations or extensions of roof line or roof upgrades).
  • a mark-up of a School Plan (previously Schools Asset Management Plan) or Site Plan indicating clearly where the proposed works will be carried out.

If the project is located on DE land, DE will procure a Quantity Surveyor report and, where necessary, a Division 6 Asbestos Report, Soil Hygiene Report and/or Geo-Tech Report.

Applications for projects on DE owned land that are high value and/or deemed high risk or especially complicated may be delivered by DE.

The Early Childhood Grants team can be contacted by email: building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

DE will not consider late or incomplete applications.

A Building Blocks Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist can be found on this webpage. Please refer to this factsheet before preparing your application. Applicants must not enter a contract or commence any works proposed in an application until a VCFA has been executed with DE.

Funding recommendations will be based on the extent to which you can demonstrate that your project addresses the following assessment criteria. These are weighted according to specified percentages, which align with Building Blocks Improvement stream objectives:

Early Learning Facility Upgrades

• demonstrate how the proposed works improves the learning environment and access to high quality early childhood services (40%)
• delivers a quality kindergarten program that responds to projected demand for funded kindergarten places (20%)
• demonstrate access for children of all abilities (15%)
• incorporates environmentally-sustainable design (15%)
• demonstrate project readiness, including provision of all required documentation and overall completeness of the application (10%)

Minor Infrastructure

• demonstrate how the proposed works improves the learning environment and access to high quality early childhood services (50%)
• the proposed project facilitates access for children of all abilities (20%)
• the proposed project adheres to environmental sustainability principles, and includes environmentally-sustainable features, in design or construction where possible (20%)
• confirmation the project is ready to commence construction (10%)

Information Technology

• demonstrate how the proposed purchase will be used to provide educational benefits to the service (100%)

DE will assess the applicant’s past performance to determine whether this is likely to have an impact on the successful delivery of the proposed project. Considerations include:

• timely delivery of former Building Blocks grants awarded to the organisation
• active projects funded via the Building Blocks program and whether time extensions have been requested and approved
• submission and compliance of mandatory monthly reports to DE
• providing all documentation required to acquit the grant within the contracted time frame,
• taking the appropriate measures to inform DE when an unforeseen circumstance occurs, that could result in a time, cost, or scope change

Poor performance against these factors can result in projects not being recommended for funding.

Please read the Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist which can be found on this webpage to understand when these reports are required.

Following the assessment process, DE provides a list of recommended projects to the Minister for Children for formal approval. Applicants will be advised of any prolonged delays in notification of grant outcomes.

Eligible projects will be recommended for funding primarily on their rating against the Assessment Criteria. However, the

number and value of eligible, highly rated applications may exceed the total available funding, therefore DE will consider other factors including whether:

• a service has received recent Building Blocks grant funding
• the proposed project increases approved kindergarten places
• the proposed project is deemed a priority upgrade for the facility, that increases safety, compliance, and helps keep the kindergarten continue operating into the future
• a service is in an area of demand or an area of projected demand for funded kindergarten places.

The minister reserves the right to provide strategic investment to projects. The minister may also, on advice from DE, provide funding to partners in exceptional circumstances to support the provision of funded Three-Year-Old and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten services across the state.

Organisations that receive a grant must:

• agree to the requirements outlined in these guidelines (failure to do so may result in funding being withheld)
• enter into a Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) with DE
• not enter a contract or commence any work proposed in an application until a VCFA has been executed with DE
• where applicable, follow the Building Blocks Acknowledgement and Publicity Guidelines, including:
  • liaising with DE and holding events on request, such as sod turns and openings
  • erecting signage for projects valued at over $250,000
  • offering the government’s representative the opportunity to attend and open the completed project, as well as any project-related events, noting that 3 months’ notice must be given for sod turns and official openings, by contacting building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.
• submit monthly progress reports through an online reporting system
• submit an acquittal form and the required supporting evidence for approval by DE upon completion of the project
• agree that no additional DE funding will be allocated to the proposed project and, if additional costs arise, they must be met by the applicant
• advise DE of any service closure prior to receipt of outcome
• consent to DE delivering their project if on DE land, as decided by DE

For more information on reporting and acquittal requirements, refer to ‘Project reporting requirements’ and ‘Acquittal requirements and project variations’ below.

To remain eligible for funding, you must not enter a contract or commence any works proposed in your application before we inform you of the application outcome.

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to review the following webpages, which further clarify your obligations for receiving Building Blocks funding:

• Acknowledgement and Publicity Guidelines
• VCFA Standard Form Terms and Conditions

The Betrayal of Trust Report found that survivors of institutional child abuse were sometimes unable to identify an appropriate legal entity to sue.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse also recommended that governments consider requiring organisations they fund to be insured against child abuse.

From 1 July 2019, non-government organisations funded by the Victorian Government to deliver services to children will be required, as a condition of funding, to be:

• incorporated separate legal entities that can be sued in their own right in child abuse proceedings
• appropriately insured against child abuse.

The new requirements will improve the ability of child abuse survivors to bring a legal claim for compensation and ensure that successful claims can be paid.

There are other grant programs that provide funding for the development of early childhood facilities and services. DE must be advised of other funding applications for your project. We reserve the right to consider grant applications made for other programs, offered by DE or other government departments, and to submit Improvement stream applications to government grant programs for consideration for funding under those programs where appropriate.

For Early Learning Facility Upgrades and Minor Infrastructure grants, a qualified and experienced project manager must be identified at the time of application and appointed within 4 weeks of the funding announcement.

Project reporting requirements

As a condition of funding for Early Learning Facility Upgrades and Minor Infrastructure grants, successful applicants must comply with project monitoring and reporting requirements, including:

• monthly status reports through an online reporting system to provide an update on progress, updating proposed, forecast, and actual dates for project milestones, flagging risks and issues, and providing the required evidence when payment milestones have been met
• advising DE in advance of milestones including architect appointment, design completion, sod turn and construction completion and providing opportunities for public communication of these milestones
• advising DE of scope changes (relating to time, cost, and project scope) by completing and submitting a Request for Variation (RFV) form via an online reporting system
• site inspections, meetings and teleconferences with DE staff or representatives if required
• production of building contracts, receipts and/or invoices when requested
• acquittal through an online reporting system.

As a condition of funding for Information Technology grants, successful applicants must comply with project monitoring and reporting requirements, including:

• advising DE of scope changes (relating to time, cost, and project scope) by completing and submitting a Request for Variation (RFV) form via an online reporting system
• site inspections, meetings and teleconferences with DE staff or representatives if required
• production of receipts and/or invoices when requested
• acquittal through an online reporting system.

All successful applicants are required to upload information into DE’s reporting system to complete their acquittal.

Recipient organisations must contact DE immediately if they:

• require a project extension
• propose a change in project scope
• propose a change in project costs which results in either an overspend or underspend.

Applicants will be required to complete a RFV (which will be submitted through an online reporting system), together with detailed evidence that explains the reason for the variation.

The applicant may be asked to allocate any underspend towards additional eligible items in line with the guidelines before an acquittal is accepted. Overspends remain the responsibility of the organisation.

Further information on acquittal requirements and variation requests can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions.

Application forms can be accessed online through SmartyGrants. Applicants must be registered to use the Smarty Grants application system. Registration is free.

For assistance with the online application system, please email the Smarty Grants Support Desk or call on 03 9320 6888 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. You can also consult the help guide.

If you are unsuccessful in obtaining funding for a Building Blocks Improvement grant, you may:

• contact the Early Childhood Grants team for feedback on your application and outcome
• seek a review into the assessment of your application.

The VSBA Early Childhood Grants team can be contacted by email at building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

Before applying, please read the Improvement Assessment Factsheet and Application Checklist which can be found on this webpage.

This factsheet contains important information about your grant application.

Please also read the Frequently Asked Questions.

If you have any queries, contact the VSBA Early Childhood Grants team at building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

The information you provide will be dealt with in accordance with the Public Records Act 1973 and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.

Important information to consider before applying

Projects on Department of Education land

If you propose an Early Learning Facility Upgrade or Minor Infrastructure project on land owned by DE you must advise the VSBA Early Childhood Grants team and DE’s relevant regional Provision and Planning Manager as early as possible during the development of your proposal. This is required to discuss the approach to land and project delivery should you be successful.

The VSBA Early Childhood Grants team can be contacted by email: building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

The relevant DE regional Provision and Planning Manager can be found on the Policy and Advisory Library website. It is important to start this process as early as possible prior to submitting your application.

Applications for projects on DE land must include:

• a completed Land Use Proposal Form, found at the bottom of this webpage
• all required documentation as listed in the Land Use Proposal Form

If a project is located on DE owned land, DE will procure a Quantity Surveyor report and, where necessary, a Division 6 Asbestos Report, Soil Hygiene Report and/ or Geo-Tech Reporting.

Applications for projects on DE owned land that are high value and/or deemed high risk or especially complicated may be delivered by DE.

DE will determine whether any project on DE land is delivered by the applicant or the VSBA. Successful applicants will be consulted regarding the approach for delivery.

Prospective applicants interested in undertaking projects on DE owned land are strongly advised to attend the grant information session to gain a thorough understanding of the specific requirements for these projects. The session times will be advised on this webpage. Attending the session will ensure applicants are well-informed and prepared to meet all criteria for funding and project implementation on DE land.

Documents required to support your application

Two documents that require the most time to secure are the Soil Hygienist Report and the Divisional 6 Asbestos Audit Report. Your application will not proceed to assessment until these documents are supplied.

These documents must not be more than 10 years old at the time of submission.

Applications for projects on DE land are not required to provide a soil hygienist or asbestos report. DE will complete this requirement following the submission of your application.

Soil Hygienist Report

A Soil Hygienist Report is required for any project that disturbs the soil (including installation of outdoor shade sails) to determine suitability of the kindergarten site.

It is important that an environmental professional is engaged to provide a Soil Hygienist Report – and not a geotechnical report. If applicable to your project, a Soil Hygienist Report must be included in your grant application.

Soil Hygienist Reports must:

• be performed by a qualified environmental professional
• align with standards such as the National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Contaminated Sites) Measure (NEPM)
• involve a desktop review of past site history and soil investigation samples for analysis of contaminants such as arsenic, asbestos, and heavy metals with particular focus on where project soil works are proposed
• compare contamination results against NEPM human health and ecological investigation levels as well as Victoria EPA Industrial Waste thresholds
• include a statement to indicate if the site is suitable for use as an early learning centre and/or potential project risks
• specify if contaminated soil is identified above the levels specified for use as an early learning centre.

If contaminated soil is identified above the levels specified for the use as an early learning centre, a Soil Management Plan (SMP) must be developed for safe management or removal and disposal of the contaminated soil. The SMP must also be provided as part of your grant application.

Examples of consultants who specialise in soil hygienist testing and site assessment are listed below:

• Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association
• The State Government Construction Supply Register under Contamination Testing category.

Division 6 Asbestos Audit Report

A Division 6 Asbestos Audit Report is site specific and is required for any project that involves work to a building constructed before 1990, where the fabric of the building will be disturbed. If applicable to your project, a Division 6 Asbestos Audit Report must be included in your grant application.

Division 6 Asbestos Audit Reports must:

• be performed by a trained professional such as an Occupational Hygienist
• contain the results of a visual and invasive inspection of a building to monitor and identify Asbestos Containing Material (ACM)
• include the logged results of the asbestos audit in an asbestos register, which is to be updated following all subsequent audit reports and removal works.

Please note that a Division 5 Asbestos Audit Report will not be accepted.

If ACM is discovered in a building or site, an Asbestos Management Plan for removal and disposal of the ACM must be developed and provided as part of your grant application.

Information and examples of consultants who specialises in asbestos and site assessment, are listed at:

• The State Government Construction Supply Register under Contamination Testing category
• WorkSafe Victoria.

Division 6 Asbestos Audit Reports are not required for works to buildings constructed from 1990 onwards. Where this is the case, an applicant is required to provide:

• an asbestos report (if one is available) or evidence, such as an occupancy permit or statement from the landowner that the building is not older than 1990
• a letter signed by an authorised representative of the organisation that confirms the applicant will be responsible for any remediation and ongoing management should ACM or other contaminants be discovered during works undertaken at the site.

For further information about asbestos safety, including how to find and identify asbestos, asbestos management and asbestos disposal visit Asbestos Victoria.

Additional resources

The following links are provided as a starting point for considering best practice approaches to inclusion.

Applicants are encouraged to undertake their own research to identify solutions that will meet their needs.

Australian resources

International resources

Assessment process

Building Blocks Improvement grants are highly competitive. Organisations are encouraged to provide clear responses to all questions and attach all required documentation at the time of application, to strengthen their chances of being successful.

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Once the grant round has closed, DE will commence the following assessment process:

• Undertaking an eligibility assessment, to determine if the organisation is eligible to apply (refer to Eligibility and Merit Assessment section below) and ensuring that all required documentation has been provided (refer to the Application Checklist in the Appendix).
• Assessing all eligible applications against the merit assessment criteria as outlined in the Building Blocks Improvement Guidelines.
• Convening an assessment panel to oversee funding recommendations and manage any conflicts of interest.

Further project cost assessment may be required in instances where project costs are particularly complex, or clarification is required.

Following the assessment process, DE provides funding recommendations to the Minister for Children for formal approval. Applicants will be advised of any prolonged delays in notification of grant outcomes.

Eligibility and merit assessment

To be eligible to receive funding for a Building Blocks Improvement grant, your project must be for a facility located in Victoria that is, or will be, licensed to provide a funded free Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program (Free Kinder) at the time of application. It must offer, or intend to offer, both programs. This can be sessional or integrated with long day care.

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 any grant streams within Building Blocks.

It is important to note that eligible projects will be recommended for funding based primarily on their rating against the merit assessment criteria which is weighted according to specified percentages and aligned with the Building Blocks Improvement stream objectives. However, the number and value of eligible, highly rated applications may exceed the total available funding. Therefore, DE will consider other factors including whether:

• a service has received recent Building Blocks grant funding
• the proposed project increases approved kindergarten places
• the proposed project is deemed a priority upgrade for the facility, that increases safety, compliance, and helps keep the kindergarten continue operating into the future
• a service is in an area of demand or an area of projected demand for funded kindergarten places.

DE will also assess the applicant’s past performance to determine whether this is likely to have an impact on the successful delivery of the proposed project.

All eligibility requirements and merit assessment criteria can be found the Building Blocks Improvement Guidelines found on this webpage.

Review of application outcome

If you are unsuccessful in obtaining funding for a Building Blocks Improvement grant you may:

• contact the VSBA Early Childhood Grants Team for feedback on your application and outcome
• seek a review of the assessment of your application.

The VSBA Early Childhood Grants team can be contacted by email building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au.

Appendix – application checklist

Early Learning Facility Upgrade and Minor Infrastructure checklist

Information Technology checklist