It has secured $120,000 to preserve priceless Bendigo heritage in its 30,000 piece collection, chief executive Hugo Leschen said.

"We will do a lot of work in terms of storage of items, condition reports, conservation and looking at policies," he said.

The City of Greater Bendigo locked the two-year funding plan in on Thursday night in its 2021/22 budget.

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The museum was among four groups that used a public consultation period to successfully pitch for budget money.

Others included the Bendigo East Swimming Pool, which got $25,000 for operation costs, and the Truscott Reserve dog park which will get money for wheelchair friendly upgrades.

On average ratepayers will see a rate rise despite councillor Vaughan Williams's efforts to freeze them at zero.

"Even the offers I put forward to cover the loss of that 1.5 per cent rate rise was not considered," he said.

"The $2 million COVID relief for businesses and other areas is obviously fantastic but I would have liked to have seen a zero per cent rate rise to offer relief for the wider community.

"Hopefully, going forward to the next budget this can change a bit. We have to remember we are all in this together."

The council believes it will have to absorb some costs even if it raises rates by 1.5 per cent. It will find savings in its existing operations.

Some people are virtually guaranteed eased rates though. Farmers will now pay 75 per cent of an average person's rates, which is a drop of 10 per cent.

Developers sitting on vacant land have also had something of a reprieve after persuading councillors to delay hiking their rates from 125 per cent of an average person's rates to 200 per cent.

They argued people were still dealing with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

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The council will end up raising an extra $4.1 million in rates, leaving them with $106.8 million. They will also charge more for landfill use, thanks to increasing state government costs.

Rates and charges make up 59 per cent of the council's income over the coming financial year.

The council has frozen some charges and set aside more money to help with the recovery.

That includes extra money to attract major events and tourists, new business innovation grants and a cleaning program for council facilities.

The council will also spend $55.2 million on building works like a new Kennington Recreation Reserve pavilion, Bendigo Botanic Gardens hub and a redeveloped municipal baths.

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