Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program

The 2020-21 Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program is available to eligible public sector residential aged care services in regional and rural Victoria to:

• enhance infection control procedures
• ensure compliance with current Commonwealth regulatory requirements
• redesign models of care to cater to increasing populations and changing age profiles
• enhance the quality and amenity of facilities for residents and staff
• undertake major refurbishments, repairs and replacements of buildings increase safety of services.

The $10 million Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program aims to achieve the following benefits:

Care closer to home

The fund will support improvements to rural residential aged care services, enabling rural and regional Victorians access to quality healthcare. This means people can access appropriate residential aged care services that meet their needs, such as a dementia-friendly facility.

Support growing demand

Victoria is the fastest-growing state in Australia. This new funding program will help meet growing demand in regional and rural Victoria by upgrading infrastructure, equipment and facilities to deliver contemporary and appropriate models of care. These new or redeveloped facilities will support more patients to access care locally.

Regulatory compliance

The fund enables facilities to implement improvements to comply with federal and state standards and guidelines. Funding will also ensure community expectations for rural and regional residential aged care are met and that facilities are built to contemporary standards.

Stronger local economies

Construction and upgrades of rural residential aged care facilities provide opportunities for local trades and businesses to undertake project-based work. The expansion of rural and regional residential aged care services can also provide ongoing employment opportunities for medical and healthcare professionals and create employment pathways for younger generations. The fund can help contribute to the economic viability of rural and regional communities and aims to improve liveability now, and into the future.

Projects funded through the Victorian Government’s Rural Residential Aged Care Renewal Program are administered by the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority and delivered by the public funded aged care service provider.

Submissions for the Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program opened on 27 January 2021.

Applicants should refer to the Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program guidelines for information on:

• eligibility criteria
• submission process
• submission requirements
• assessment criteria
• conditions of funding

Please note:

• all applications can be lodged through the SmartyGrants portal
• the online application form must be completed in its entirety
• supporting documentation, including lifecycle costings should be provided as attachments to the application form.
   

APPLY

Applications close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 9 March 2021.

Need help?

Technical assistance regarding completion of the online form can be obtained through reviewing the help guide for applicants at SmartyGrants, or emailing SmartyGrants or calling (03) 9320 6888.

More information

Additional documentation to guide and support your applications can be found in the ‘Downloads’ section at the bottom of this page:

• Rural Residential Aged Care Facilities Renewal Program - Guidelines
• frequently asked questions
• lifecycle costing template