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Overview

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The Cheaper Home Electric Energy Program (CHEEP) will assist communities in metropolitan Melbourne, especially outer-and-middle-ring suburbs hit hardest by the cost of living.

This includes culturally and linguistically diverse communities who may need information presented in their own language to support them make informed decisions.

Funding is being provided to ensure householders understand how switching from gas to efficient, electric appliances can improve their household budgets, increase household comfort and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their homes.

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Applications are submitted online using the DEECA Grants Online portal:

Start a new application

Return to a draft application

To preview or print a copy of the application form, click the Print button located at the top of every page in the portal.

Guidelines

Who can apply?

Access to this funding is limited to community organisations. Partnerships with other community organisations to improve reach to households who have most to benefit from this program is encouraged, including through trusted local providers such as:

  • sporting clubs
  • faith communities
  • First Nations communities
  • culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

Partnership arrangements are expected to be recognised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other contractual arrangement that clarify accountability, roles, responsibilities and conduct for the successful delivery of the program.

Funding available

Grants of between $100,000 to $180,000 are available to support householders to make informed decisions and assist them to navigate the complex energy system and upgrade to cheaper electric energy.

Funding details

Offers of funding will be made, following an evaluation of the project proposal against the published evaluation criteria.

Projects must commence no later than 1 January 2026.

Projects must conclude by 15 December 2026.

Community organisations will be required to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action using the Victorian Common Funding Agreement.

The Funding Agreement will outline the conditions of funding and payments will be made against a set of agreed milestones.

To reduce the administrative burden on organisations, and depending on the project proposal, funding will be distributed across no more than 3 milestones, evidence will be required to the satisfaction of DEECA before funding is released.

What types of projects will be funded?

Proposals should be designed to deliver:

  • engagement activities and actions to households in targeted cohort to help them understand the benefits of upgrading to electric energy.
  • accessible and tailored support to reduce barriers to switching to electric energy
  • accessible and tailored support to identify pathways to switch to electric energy for target householders
  • innovative approaches to increase awareness are encouraged, particularly with communities that do not engage through existing channels.

In assessment of the projects, geographic and demographic coverage of the submissions will be considered to ensure the broadest coverage of the identified councils local government areas and minimise over servicing by multiple projects.

Proposals that can be scaled to cover more or fewer councils will be favourably considered.

Who will benefit?

Proposals will be required to identify priority geographic areas and demographic profiles for their activities.

Projects should be designed to support households in Melbourne’s most socio-economically disadvantaged communities. These have been identified as the following local government authorities (LGAs):

  • Brimbank City Council
  • Cardinia Shire Council
  • Casey City Council
  • Frankston City Council
  • Greater Dandenong Council
  • Hobsons Bay City Council
  • Hume City Council
  • Maribyrnong City Council
  • Melton City Council
  • Mornington Peninsula Shire
  • Whittlesea City Council
  • Wyndham City Council.

These LGAs are also home to a large proportion of culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and at greater risk of climate related impacts. Combined, these councils account for more than 900,000 households.

What will not be funded?

Funding will not be provided for:

  • projects that don’t focus on helping Victorian households switch to efficient electric energy
  • projects that focus on businesses or other non-residential sectors
  • community engagement activities that the Lead Applicant and/or project partners are already committed to undertaking
  • initiatives that involve unproven or emerging technologies
  • community engagement activities that have been funded by other Victorian or Federal Government grants
  • projects that are being undertaken to comply with regulation or a regulatory notice or order
  • projects that operate as bulk buys of electrification appliances for consumers
  • capital purchases or financial contributions towards the purchasing or installation costs of household electrification appliances
  • lease or purchase of land
  • permit, licensing, approval costs
  • routine or cyclical maintenance works
  • repair of facilities damaged by vandalism, fire or other natural disasters where damage should be covered by insurance
  • operating costs (for example, electricity, water and other utilities)
  • purchase or lease of vehicles (for example, front-end loaders, forklifts)
  • research, in relation to the development and demonstration of unproven technologies
  • leasing of equipment
  • contingency costs.

Evaluation criteria

The online application form (via the DEECA Grants Online portal) will ask questions related to the criteria below. Ensure that your application addresses these as projects will be evaluated against these criteria.

Who: 30%

Proposals must clearly demonstrate the extent to which the project will deliver the desired benefits and must:

  • identify the geographic and/or demographic profile of households that will be targeted
  • articulate why these households have been targeted and why your organisation is uniquely positioned to engage with them.

What: 40%

Proposals must clearly articulate:

  • what the funding will be used for
  • details of the overall project and what will be delivered
  • what will change as a result of the project.

How: 30%

Proposals must demonstrate:

  • how you propose to engage with targeted householders
  • what existing organisational channels will you be able to leverage
  • identify alternative / new or innovative engagement activities and pathways to engage with targeted households
  • identify how you will support households to access existing support programs for electrification.

Proposals should also demonstrate:

  • a sound approach to deliver the project, providing realistic timeframes for delivery and demonstrate the project represents value for money
  • organisational capacity to implement the project, including details of specific resource allocations (staff, time and funding) to deliver the project on time and within budget.

Page last updated: 03/10/25