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Overview
The First Peoples’ Solar and Storage Initiative provides grant funding to install neighbourhood-scale batteries and solar panels.
The Victorian and Australian Governments supplied funding of up to $12.2 million to Victorian:
- non-formally recognised Traditional Owner Corporations
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- Aboriginal trusts and co-operatives
- other non-for-profit First Peoples’ organisations.
Applicants had access up to $700,000 of funding for projects that installed a neighbourhood scale battery with solar panels. Projects with either a battery storage system or a solar system were eligible for up to $350,000.
Funding was made available through 2 streams:
- Stream 1 was a non-competitive stream for all 12 Victorian Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs).
- Stream 2 was for not-for-profit First Peoples’ Organisations such as Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations.
Funded Projects
Stream 1 funded projects are currently in discussion with RAPs to formalise funding.
Recipients of FPSSI stream 2
The following organisations, which included 14 health, family, and educational organisations, received funding:
| Lead applicant | Project |
|---|---|
| Access Services For Koories Ltd | First Peoples' Health and Wellbeing: Solar Power Initiative |
| Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service Ltd | Powering Country, Empowering Community |
| Ballarat And District Aboriginal Co-Operative Limited | BADAC solar and battery project over 4 sites |
| Bendigo And District Aboriginal Co-Operative Ltd | BDAC Caring for Country Renewable Energy Project |
| Connecting Home Ltd | Connecting Home HQ Solar Installation |
| Lake Tyers Health & Childrens Services Association Inc | Lake Tyers Aboriginal Community Batteries - Sustainable Energy & Resilience |
| Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc | Moogji Energy Resilience |
| Munarra Limited | Munarra Solar & Battery Storage Project |
| Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-Operative Limited | MVAC Solar and Battery Energy Initiative - Saving for Future Generations |
| Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-Operative Limited | Project 1: PRO1009 – 95 Ford Road & Project 2: PRO1010 – 20 Rumbalara Road |
| The Rumbalara Football Netball Club Inc | Rumba Goes Green |
| Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc | Closing in on Zero - VACCHO’s Clean Energy Transition |
| Victorian Aboriginal Health Service Co-Operative Limited | VAHS Solar and Storage Project |
| Warrigunya Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Corporation | Warrigunya Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) On Country Solar Project. |
More about this initiative
This initiative aims to support self-determination and the transfer of power and resources to First Peoples’ communities for cultural, economic, customary and spiritual purposes.
The initiative will provide funding to support First Peoples’ organisations to invest in and benefit from solar and storage projects. Your organisation can then determine how to deliver benefits back to your community.
The initiative also seeks to support the aims of the Australian Governments’ First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and your project will be assessed against its alignment with the following objectives from the strategy, to:
- participate in and benefit from the clean energy transformation
- ensure access to reliable clean energy for all Australians
- ensure First Peoples cultural heritage, knowledge and connection to Land and Sea Country is respected
- support government and industry to create opportunities to build deeper collaboration, consensus and new ways of working with First Nations people.
The First Peoples' Solar and Storage Initiative is jointly funded by the Victorian and Australian Governments.
Page last updated: 30/10/25