The pool is among the 11 Bendigo recipients sharing in a total of $85,214 in VicHealth funding.

A further $57,199 in grants have been awarded to nine recipients in the Macedon electorate.

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Golden Square Pool Committee vice-president Barbara Lomas said the funding was for two separate programs.

The committee secured more than $12,600 to provide activities for juniors that encourage connection and being with friends.

Ms Lomas said the initiative, called Healthy Golden Square, was shaped by suggestions from young people involved in the pool.

Proposed activities ranged from children's yoga and dance classes to setting up equipment and games for young people to use while at the pool.

"Because we've got the funding now we'll be able to perhaps get someone to run the program, including things like providing cut fruit for kids and just setting up the toys and activities," Ms Lomas said.

Bike Bendigo was partnering on the program, with bike safety lessons and community rides among the possibilities.

Ms Lomas said the pool was looking to get the program up and running as soon as possible.

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The committee also received $10,000 for the SwimSafe Bendigo program, which it became fully responsible for delivering in February.

The committee had previously been a collaborator on the program, which Ms Lomas said had been running since 2018.

She said the initiative aimed to help adults who had previously had little opportunity to interact with water and learn to swim, including newly arrived community members.

"The grant will be used for education programs around swim safety, connecting with diverse communities, safety equipment, to fund participants' entry to the pool, sun safety and aquatic safety videos," Ms Lomas said.

Other uses included hiring additional guards, paying a project manager, and having bilingual interpreters.

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Ms Lomas said the Bendigo council's July decision to retain the pool as part of the Golden Square Recreation Reserve was one of the reasons the committee was in a position to apply for funding.

"We know we've got that long-term certainty," she said.

She said the committee had been busy applying for grants in the past few months.

Other successful VicHealth funding applicants in the Bendigo region included the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, which received $7300 to continue its STEAM workshop for children between the ages of three and five.

The Chewton Pool received more than $9000 to provide free access for people between the ages of 12 and 18.

The Castlemaine Circus got almost $3000 to provide weekly hula hoop classes for women and girls.

A number of sporting clubs in the Bendigo region were awarded funding, including the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League, the Axe Creek Cricket Club, the Strathfieldsaye Dodgers Baseball Club, the Strathfieldsaye Bowls Club, the Bendigo East Bowling Club, the Golden Square Cricket Club, and the Maldon Croquet Club.

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Macedon electorate funding recipients included the Hepburn Wholefoods Collective, the Doxa Youth Foundation, the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, the Kyneton District Soccer Club, the Gisborne and District Bowling Club, Central Highlands Broadcasting, the Gisborne Thunder Swimming Club, and the Lancefield Cricket Club.

Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell said the much-needed funding would ensure local organisations could continue supporting the community to build back better from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Lovell said grassroots organisations were the heart and soul of communities, and their efforts were key to pandemic recovery.

VicHealth chief executive Sandro Demaio said the grants would help more Victorians enjoy better health and well-being.

"As we embrace the new COVID-normal, we're committed to supporting Victorians to be more physically active; access healthy, affordable food and to socially connect," Dr Demaio said.

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