Grants and Funding Opportunities

There are many grants, awards and other funding opportunities available to organisations and individuals in the Northern Inland and each month we will be highlighting some of them below.

If you have any questions regarding funding opportunities please contact our office on (02) 6771 2790

New Grants for May

Investing in Women Funding
Applications Close: 31st of  August 2013

Women NSW (Department of Family & Community Services) aims to improve the lives of women in NSW by achieving justice and equality for women through policy, innovation and collaboration. Women NSW works in partnership with other agencies and the community to ensure equity of opportunity and outcomes for women.

In 2013, through its funding program, Investing in Women, Women NSW is offering opportunities for key stakeholders to develop projects that encourage new approaches that lead to economic participation of women through training and employment in non-traditional trades.  Grants of up to $25,000 are available.
For further information, including what roles are considered non-traditional, refer to www.women.nsw.gov.au.

Our Neighbourhood Program - Australia Post
Applications Close: 31st of May 2013

Australia Post is currently seeking applications from organisations who are interested in becoming National Community Partners in their new community program - Our Neighbourhood.
Australia Post wishes to establish strategic relationships with non-profits, community groups, sporting associations, peak / industry bodies, social enterprises and commercial entities to deliver Our Neighbourhood. Organisations must demonstrate leadership and have expertise in delivering community programs that build capability at both a national and local level.
Central to Our Neighbourhood is the theme of 'inclusion'. Australia Post will help build healthier, more vibrant and more inclusive communities.

National Science Week
Applications Close: 31st of May

Grants are available for groups in NSW to hold science engagement events in National Science Week 2013. Grants can be between $2000 and $8000.
These grants are intended to create a network of enduring local partnerships throughout NSW that will present ongoing science activity in their region by partnering with other community initiatives.
Once established the partnerships should be able to continue as Regional Science Hubs and work together to present ongoing opportunities for science engagement.

Digital Enterprise Program
Applications Close: 7 June 2013

The Digital Enterprise Program provides funding to assist small-to-medium enterprises and not-for-profit organisations in up to 70 communities to benefit from the National Broadband Network (NBN).

The program provides participants with access to group training seminars as well as one-on-one advice on how they can use the NBN to make greater use of online opportunities to conduct their existing processes more efficiently and better achieve their organisational goals.

Local organisations such as councils, chambers of commerce, business development organisations, and adult education institutions are encouraged to apply.

New Grants for April

Community Environment Grants
Applications Close: 8 May 2013

Community Environment Grants of between $5000 and $50 000 are now available from the Australian Government to community groups working to achieve an environment that is healthier, better protected, well managed and resilient.

Funding is available to established and emerging groups currently operating in the environmental sector, including Indigenous organisations.

Regional Relocation Grant
Applications Close 30th of June 2015

This scheme will provide applicants with a one-off payment of $7,000 to assist them with the cost of relocating from their metropolitan home to a regional home. The Regional Relocation (Home Buyers Grant) Act 2011 will operate for four years, commencing 1 July 2011. The metropolitan area means the local government areas of the Sydney metropolitan area, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Gosford, Wyong, Wollondilly, Wollongong and Newcastle. The regional areas are participating local government areas which are located outside of the metropolitan area.

Regional Filming Fund
Applications are ongoing

The NSW Regional Filming Fund [RFF] has been established to ensure that regional NSW benefits from the growth of the NSW screen sector. The aim of the RFF is to encourage NSW screen productions to film outside metropolitan Sydney by granting assistance to offset costs associated with shooting in regional areas. The fund is administered through Screen NSW. Funds are provided by way of a grant and will not be recouped by Screen NSW.

New Grants for March

Waste Less, Recycle More: Waste & Resource Recovery Initiative
The Waste Less, Recycle More: Waste and Resource Recovery Initiative is a 5-year $465.7 million waste and recycling agenda for NSW that will deliver economic, employment and environmental benefits for local communities and will transform waste and recycling in NSW.

The new Waste and Recycling Infrastructure package commits $250 million over 5 years for targeted but wide-ranging funding that includes new large-scale waste and recycling infrastructure to support communities that pay the waste levy, recycling facility upgrades, drop-off centres, food and garden organics processing, and recycling innovation, as well as support for businesses to increase recycling on site.

The Waste Less, Recycle More initiative also guarantees $137.7 million over 5 years to help councils support their own waste and recycling initiatives for their local communities, and makes available at least a further $219 million in contestable grants.

Sport and Recreation Events Program
Applications Close: 30th of April

The primary focus of the Sport and Recreation Events Program is to attract financially viable sporting events to NSW. The Program will provide funding for events that are international or national in focus, are recognised by the relevant sporting authority and provide an opportunity for talented athletes, officials and coaches to develop their skills through exposure to and participation in these events.

The Program will also support events conducted in regional and rural areas that promote participation in sport and physical activity and provide a focal point for community building and engagement.

T-QUAL Grants – Tourism Quality Projects Program
Applications Close: 3rd of May

On Friday 15 March, Minister for Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP launched the 2013 round of the T-QUAL Grants – Tourism Quality Projects Program.

T-QUAL Grants - Tourism Quality Projects (T-QUAL Grants) are an important Tourism 2020 tool to help tourism operators attract and boost visitation by ensuring products and experiences remain fresh and of a high standard. T-QUAL Grants provides funding of between $15,000 and $100,000 for innovative and strategic projects, particularly those that have community benefits, stimulate private sector investment, and which support the industry's capacity to address Tourism 2020 priorities.

Quick Response Grants (QUICKS)
Quick Response Grants are small grants that respond to arts development and professional development opportunities that arise at short notice.

Made available under the Regional Arts Fund allocation for NSW, Quick Response Grants (‘Quicks’) offer ‘urgent’ funding of up to $1,500 for local arts and cultural projects in regional and rural NSW. Preference is given to projects from smaller and remote communities.

Current Business Grants

This spreadsheet contains all relevant business grants from the Commonwealth and NSW State governments as at the 24th of May 2013.

Current business grants (116 KB)

Useful Links

GRANTSLink - GrantsLINK makes it easier to find suitable and relevant grants for your community projects from the many Australian government grants that are available.

Grants & Assistance Finder - Finding business-related government grants and assistance has never been easier. This tool provides a listing of Australian, state and territory grants and assistance.

Community Builders - Looking for funding for your community project? Here's a list of funding programs from federal, state and local government, as well as institutions, philanthropic trusts and businesses. Search by the kind of project you’re looking to fund, or by the organisation you’re looking for funding from.

Tenders

Tendering is becoming a vital part of how many businesses in the Northern Inland operate on a day to day basis.

Both state and federal governments often have projects open for tender. For more information on NSW State Government Tenders please go to https://tenders.nsw.gov.au for further information on Federal Government Tenders please go to www.tenders.gov.au

Commercial tenders are also becoming more popular. For more information on the commercial tendering process please go to www.tenderlink.com or www.tenders.com.au

The Industry Capability Network (ICN) creates opportunity for New South Wales and Australian industry. If you are developing a supply chain and need a competitive local source of supply, ICN can help.

ICN bridges the information gap between buyers and sellers by advising on:

• supply chain development
• import replacement
• local industry capability and capacity

For more information please go to http://www.icn.org.au