Budgeting is not a once-a-year event. It’s a continuous, organisation-wide process.
Every day, City staff are actively receiving, assessing and responding to community feedback. These interactions shape our priorities and inform budget decisions in real-time.
In addition, City staff regularly assess the condition of the City’s assets and plan for their renewal. This work ensures that infrastructure investments are timely, strategic, and aligned with both current conditions and future needs.
Together, these daily activities form the foundation of the budget, which is also guided by community input and continuously refined throughout the year.
The budget is also guided by financial challenges and decision-making guidance. Previously, the City had more money available to fund new projects, however in the last few years our costs have risen a lot more than our income. This makes it harder each year to keep providing the services the community needs with the money that we have.
In March 2025, a community panel created criteria for decisions, which included a checklist of questions. These criteria are used by staff and Council to guide decision-making and can be viewed in the Council Plan Mir wimbul 2025-2029.
Community grant program
Different grants are available through the year to support community groups and individuals to undertake activities that benefit our community.
Community Group Essentials grants of up to $2,000 are available year-round to support community groups with running costs.
Small grants of up to $2,000 are available year-round to support community group activities.
Medium grants of up to $10,000 are available twice per year, in August and February, to support community group activities.
Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo
Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo, or Let’s Talk for short, is our online community engagement platform. It’s an easy way for you to share your ideas and opinions on decisions, projects and services that will shape Greater Bendigo.
By signing up to Let’s Talk, you will receive updates on projects that you have provided feedback on, as well as projects you may be interested in.
In September and October 2025, we’re asking about the areas most important to you, to help us prepare our annual Budget 2026-2027.
A survey is open until Monday October 20, 2025.
Making a request
Talk to us about things that matter to you, such as community priorities or projects, initiatives and local infrastructure works.
Information you provide also helps us with asset renewal priorities and maintenance works, so that we can plan and action asset renewals including footpaths, roads, drainage and playspaces.
To make a request, contact our Customer Service team:
Phone 1300 002 642
Our website has several easy-to-use forms to let us know about things that might need attention, including:
Listening posts
Councillors hold listening posts throughout the year, which are a great way for you to speak to Councillors about topics that matter to you. Listening post dates and locations are advertised on the City’s Facebook page.
Facebook: City of Greater Bendigo
You can also make a request to present to Council at an informal meeting.
Meet the Mayor
You can arrange an appointment to meet the Mayor and discuss topics that are important to you.
Email [email protected]
Community investment ideas
You can propose a new community investment idea to be considered by City staff. Whether it's a small improvement or a big vision, we’re genuinely interested in hearing what matters to you. Ideas can be submitted at any time.
While not all ideas can be implemented, each one will be carefully considered. Once we've reviewed your idea, we'll get back to you with an update on the outcome.