Upgrades for Victorian Kindergartens to ensure they are future ready

The Victorian Government will invest $10 million to help upgrade and improve facilities and IT equipment in kindergarten services through a new round of Building Blocks funding, announced on Friday. 

 

The Building Blocks Improvement stream offers grants to help kindergartens refurbish buildings and facilities, as well as purchase IT equipment to deliver engaging and modern educational programs and upgrade administrative systems. 

 

The total amount for grants has more than doubled, with up to $750,000 now available for renovation or refurbishment of existing early learning facilities –– an increase of $250,000 since 2022. Funding for small-scale facility updates is also available, with expanded grants of up to $150,000 for minor infrastructure projects. 

 

Recognising that blended learning between technology and play-based education sets children up for the future, the Victorian Government has made up to $2,000 available to kinders and childcare (sic.) service providers to purchase IT equipment and other technology for use in kindergarten programs.

 

Other streams of the Building Blocks program have also seen a boost in the Victorian Budget 2023/24 – with more money now available under both the Capacity and Planning streams to improve and grow kinders across the state. 

 

This means that Building Blocks now provides Capacity Building grants of up to $4.5 million for new integrated children’s centres, $4 million for new early learning centres and $1 million for expansion projects, plus planning grants of up to $150,000 for project planning and design.

 

Applications for the IT related grants close on 30 July, while applications for early learning facility upgrades and minor infrastructure grants close on 3 September. 

 

To apply for a Building Blocks Improvement grant or find out more, please see here.