Melbourne Urban Forest Fund
Greening Buildings, Cooling Cities
As cities respond to rising urban heat, stormwater pressures and the need for more liveable environments, greening our buildings and underutilised spaces has become a critical priority. Rooftops, podiums, façades and hardscape areas present significant opportunities to increase vegetation, improve cooling and deliver meaningful environmental outcomes within dense urban settings.
The Melbourne Urban Forest Fund is a City of Melbourne grant program that co-funds urban greening projects across private and institutional land. The fund supports initiatives that expand urban canopy, increase vegetation cover and deliver measurable cooling, biodiversity and water management benefits across the municipality.
Funding Streams
Stream 1 – High-impact greening
Matched funding of $30,000 to $100,000 is available for larger-scale projects on private property that deliver strong environmental and community outcomes.
Stream 2 – Community greening
Matched funding of up to $10,000 is available for smaller, community-focused projects on private property or Council footpaths (with a Greening Melbourne permit).
Application Timelines
- Stream 1 closes: 5pm Monday 20 April
- Stream 2 closes: 5pm Tuesday 10 March
- Second Stream 2 round opens: July 2026
How Future Village Can Help
We can assist with identifying suitable sites, shaping applications and delivering scalable greening strategies aligned with funding criteria.
Our modular systems enable rapid deployment across rooftops, podiums and built environments, delivering stacked benefits such as:
- Water sensitive urban design (including On-Site Stormwater Detention / Retention)
- Urban cooling and heat mitigation
- Biodiversity and habitat creation
- Enhanced communal amenity
For councils collaborating with private developers or property owners, we can connect directly with their relevant contacts where this funding opportunity may apply.
Relevant links
Floating garden using Garden trays and tree planters with modular decking. Westfield carpark. Install Feb 2022
Floating garden in now in Feb 2026
