diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index f21e6ac1e..4300e2bca 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -12,13 +12,20 @@ updates:
   schedule:
     interval: "weekly"
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
+    - "area/ci"
+  groups:
+    all-github-actions:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
+
 # Main Go module
 - target-branch: master
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
-  directory: "/"
+  directories:
+  - "/"
+  - "/hack/tools"
   schedule:
     interval: "weekly"
     day: "monday"
@@ -27,10 +34,11 @@ updates:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+
 ## Update dockerfile
 - target-branch: master
   package-ecosystem: docker
@@ -38,9 +46,13 @@ updates:
   schedule:
     interval: weekly
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
+  groups:
+    all-docker-update:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
+
 # Test Go module
 - target-branch: master
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
@@ -52,42 +64,40 @@ updates:
   groups:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
+    sigs-k8s:
+      patterns: [ "sigs.k8s.io/*" ]
+    onsi:
+      patterns: [ "github.com/onsi/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:"
-  labels:
-    - "ok-to-test"
-# Tools Go module
-- target-branch: master
-  package-ecosystem: "gomod"
-  directory: "/hack/tools"
-  schedule:
-    interval: "weekly"
-    day: "monday"
-  commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
-  open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+
 # ##################
 # release branch N
 # ##################
 # GitHub Actions
-- target-branch: release-1.30
+- target-branch: release-1.31
   package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
     interval: "weekly"
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.30]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.31]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
+    - "area/ci"
+  groups:
+    all-github-actions:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
   ignore:
     - dependency-name: "*"
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 # Main Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.30
+- target-branch: release-1.31
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
@@ -98,7 +108,7 @@ updates:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.30]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.31]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   open-pull-requests-limit: 5
@@ -107,14 +117,15 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 ## Update dockerfile
-- target-branch: release-1.30
+- target-branch: release-1.31
   package-ecosystem: docker
   directory: "/cluster/images/controller-manager"
   schedule:
     interval: weekly
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.30]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.31]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore:
@@ -122,8 +133,12 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+  groups:
+    all-docker-update:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
+
 # Test Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.30
+- target-branch: release-1.31
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/test/e2e"
   schedule:
@@ -133,8 +148,12 @@ updates:
   groups:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
+    sigs-k8s:
+      patterns: [ "sigs.k8s.io/*" ]
+    onsi:
+      patterns: [ "github.com/onsi/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.30]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.31]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore:
@@ -142,26 +161,32 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 # ################
 # release branch N-1
 # ################
 # GitHub Actions
-- target-branch: release-1.29
+- target-branch: release-1.30
   package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
     interval: "weekly"
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.29]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.30]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
+    - "area/ci"
+  groups:
+    all-github-actions:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
   ignore:
     - dependency-name: "*"
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 # Main Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.29
+- target-branch: release-1.30
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
@@ -172,7 +197,7 @@ updates:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.29]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.30]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   open-pull-requests-limit: 5
@@ -181,14 +206,15 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 ## Update dockerfile
-- target-branch: release-1.29
+- target-branch: release-1.30
   package-ecosystem: docker
   directory: "/cluster/images/controller-manager"
   schedule:
     interval: weekly
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.29]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.30]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore:
@@ -196,8 +222,12 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+  groups:
+    all-docker-update:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
+
 # Test Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.29
+- target-branch: release-1.30
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/test/e2e"
   schedule:
@@ -207,8 +237,12 @@ updates:
   groups:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
+    sigs-k8s:
+      patterns: [ "sigs.k8s.io/*" ]
+    onsi:
+      patterns: [ "github.com/onsi/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.29]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.30]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore:
@@ -221,22 +255,27 @@ updates:
 # release branch N-2
 # ##################
 # GitHub Actions
-- target-branch: release-1.28
+- target-branch: release-1.29
   package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
     interval: "weekly"
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.28]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.29]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
+    - "area/ci"
+  groups:
+    all-github-actions:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
   ignore:
     - dependency-name: "*"
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 # Main Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.28
+- target-branch: release-1.29
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/"
   schedule:
@@ -247,7 +286,7 @@ updates:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.28]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.29]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   open-pull-requests-limit: 5
@@ -256,14 +295,15 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+
 ## Update dockerfile
-- target-branch: release-1.28
+- target-branch: release-1.29
   package-ecosystem: docker
   directory: "/cluster/images/controller-manager"
   schedule:
     interval: weekly
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.28]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.29]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore:
@@ -271,8 +311,12 @@ updates:
       update-types:
         - "version-update:semver-major"
         - "version-update:semver-minor"
+  groups:
+    all-docker-update:
+      patterns: [ "*" ]
+
 # Test Go module
-- target-branch: release-1.28
+- target-branch: release-1.29
   package-ecosystem: "gomod"
   directory: "/test/e2e"
   schedule:
@@ -282,8 +326,12 @@ updates:
   groups:
     kubernetes:
       patterns: [ "k8s.io/*" ]
+    sigs-k8s:
+      patterns: [ "sigs.k8s.io/*" ]
+    onsi:
+      patterns: [ "github.com/onsi/*" ]
   commit-message:
-    prefix: ":seedling:[release-1.28]"
+    prefix: ":seedling: (chore)[release-1.29]"
   labels:
     - "ok-to-test"
   ignore: