The Building Safer Communities Program has replaced the previous grants programs: Public Safety Infrastructure Fund, Community Safety Fund and Graffiti Prevention Grants.
The new grants will be delivered through the Community Crime Prevention Program and provide Victorian councils, community organisations and other stakeholders the opportunity to apply for grant funding to support innovative, evidence-based approaches to address crime and improve community safety.
The Building Safer Communities Program supports urban design projects that apply an inclusive environmental design approach in order to:
- deter crime
- increase safety, and
- activate public places.
Find out more about the grants as part of the Building Safer Communities Program.
The Public Safety Infrastructure Fund provided local councils with grants of up to $250,000. The grants went towards the development of public safety and security infrastructure to improve community safety, security and confidence in public places.
Crime and the fear of crime in public places are real issues for communities. The design of environments has an important role in reducing opportunities for crime and antisocial behaviour and in promoting safer and more accessible public places that encourage legitimate community use.
Measures to improve the safety of public places include:
- improving lighting
- improving opportunities for natural surveillance
- increasing amenity and public use, and
- improving access to and from public places.
Well designed and managed public places have a significant role in promoting community safety and confidence in public places.
Read about some of the projects funded under these grants below.
