Funding is available to plan, build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria. The aim is to ensure local families can continue to access great local kindergarten programs, no matter where they live.
The Victorian Government has released its Three-Year-Old Kindergarten Infrastructure Strategy:
Building Blocks: Three-Year-Old Kindergarten Infrastructure Strategy
The record investment - $1.68 billion over the decade - in early childhood infrastructure will provide the right support to achieve the reform, including giving:
- greater certainty
- greater flexibility
- greater investment.
Building Blocks has replaced previous grants schemes − the Children's Facilities Capital Program and Inclusive Kindergartens Facilities Program − as the keyway for the Victorian Government to invest in kindergarten building and upgrades. This will ensure Victoria has the early childhood infrastructure it needs to meet the growing demand for Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten.
Building Blocks makes it easier for the sector to seek state co-investment in their facilities.
Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plans
The Victorian Government wants to co-invest in projects at the right time to make sure providers can meet the demand for Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and to provide clarity across the sector about which projects need to be prioritised. A key part of this will be sharing information with all our partners to get a clear picture of infrastructure needs state-wide.
To enable this, We have invited all 79 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to discuss and agree on a Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plan (KISP).
What is a KISP?
A KISP will allow us and an LGA to share information regarding and agree on:
- the current supply (or capacity) and demand for funded kindergarten in the LGA
- forecast demand for Three- and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten
- expectations about how demand growth will be accommodated over the roll-out (for example, the use of existing capacity and building new or expanded capacity, and the role of different types of provision).
While a KISP is not a funding document and would not commit any party to fund specific projects, it is expected that future investment requests through Building Blocks and decisions for any LGA or not-for-profit projects would align with the relevant KISP. To ensure a transparent and collaborative approach across the market, the KISPs will be publicly available.
When assessing a Building Blocks capacity grant project proposal in an LGA where there is an agreed KISP, we will consider the entire KISP to fully understand the data regarding the demand for Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and the local context of service delivery, demographics and geography. This information is included in the ‘Local Context’ section of the KISP and may be referenced by the applicant when addressing criteria as part of a Building Blocks grant application.
Building Blocks Partnerships
The KISP planning processes will be underpinned by new 'Building Blocks Partnerships'.
These are long‑term, in‑principle agreements between us and LGAs or not-for-profit providers for co-investment in multi-site 'project pipelines'. Partnerships will build capacity for both Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, through multiple projects over several years under agreed funding parameters.
Building Blocks Partnerships will be a critical means of working with large partners, particularly LGAs to build large numbers of facilities over time. The discussions to establish these partnerships have commenced.
Agreed Building Blocks Partnerships
Golden Plains: Statement of Intent
Brimbank: Statement of Intent
Latrobe: Statement of Intent
Wyndham: Statement of Intent
Melton: Statement of Intent
Hobsons Bay: Statement of Intent
Mitchell: Statement of Intent
Monash: Statement of Intent
Whittlesea: Statement of Intent
Port Phillip: Statement of Intent
Hume City: Statement of Intent
Building Blocks grants
Building Blocks Grants contribute to high-quality early years programs by:
- the building or expanding kindergartens so there are more places for three and four-year-old children
- helping integrate community services at kindergartens so families can access early childhood education and care, health and development and family services in one place
- improving access to local and responsive early childhood services for children from vulnerable or disadvantaged families
- building kindergartens at, or next to, schools.
Visit the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) website to learn more about Building Blocks grants and how to apply.
General enquiries
For all general enquiries regarding the Building Blocks grants:
- Email: building.blocks@education.vic.gov.au
- Phone: (03) 7022 2652
Previous programs
Details of funded projects can be found on the VSBA website.
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