More young children across the state will have access to better kinder facilities, with the Victorian Government supporting more projects to upgrade and improve learning environments while supporting local jobs.
Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt today announced the second round of grants from the $30 million Building
Blocks – Refurbishment and Minor Works program.
Grants worth more than $2.71 million will fund 32 projects at centres offering a funded kindergarten program across the state, in addition to the record $12 million already provided for 105 projects earlier this year.
Thirteen projects will receive grants of up to $500,000 for major works and refurbishments, while 19 centres will receive grants of up to $50,000 for minor projects.
Projects include improvements to indoor learning areas, playgrounds, staffroom upgrades, kitchen refurbishments, toilet upgrades, painting, fixing leaks, extending verandahs, landscaping and fixing or installing new fencing.
Building Blocks is a streamlined overarching funding scheme that supports early childhood providers with new and existing infrastructure and facilities for eligible three and four-year-old kindergarten services.
For more information about Building Blocks Grants, visit: .
In an Australian-first, the Government is investing almost $5 billion this decade to provide three-year-old children with access to an additional year of funded kindergarten programs.
From 2022, three-year-old children across the state will have access to at least five hours of kindergarten. Services will then scale up their hours to reach the full 15-hour program by 2029.
As part of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten roll-out, the Victorian Budget 2021/22 has invested $1.68 billion to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state over this decade.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt
“Building the Education State starts with the early years ─ we are improving the learning environments in Victoria’s fantastic kindergartens to make sure they are modern, safe and fit-for-purpose to give our children the best start.”
“This funding not only improves the condition of early childhood buildings ─ it also supports jobs and local communities across the state.”
Reviewed 24 October 2021