Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

The Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants 2024 will recognise applicants who embody qualities that make an exceptional plumber. An independent judging panel will be looking for applicants who are passionate about what they do, how they’ve overcome challenges in their career to get where they are now, and how they contribute to their local community.

This year there are 20 grants on offer, each valued at $3,000. Each grant includes $2,000 to go towards TAFE/RTO fees and textbooks, and a $1,000 tool voucher to help build your toolbox.

To be eligible, you must be an apprentice plumber or gas fitter in Australia, either current or starting in 2024*.

*Grant recipients from previous years are not eligible to enter. If you have previously entered but were unsuccessful, you are still eligible to enter in 2024.

The Play Our Way Program Grant Opportunity is an open competitive opportunity that will provide funding of up to $200 million (inclusive of government administration costs) over three years from 2024-25. 

This Grant Opportunity aims to address the barriers women and girls face when participating in sport and physical activity by delivering quality facilities and sport participation experiences where the need is greatest, and in a manner that is safe, equitable, accessible, inclusive, sustainable and enduring. 

This Grant Opportunity will fund projects across two Streams: 

Stream 1: Facilities 

Applicants will be able to apply for a minimum of $50,000 up to a maximum of $1,500,000 for projects that support new and upgraded facilities, playing areas and spaces for sport and physical activity specifically for women and girls.

For Facility projects in small rural towns, remote communities or very remote communities as defined by the Modified Monash Model (MMM 5-78), the maximum will be $2,000,000 to reflect increased costs in rural and remote areas. Projects may be assessed and offered a lower amount than applied for.

Stream 2: Participation and equipment 

Applicants will be able to apply for a minimum of $50,000 up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for projects that support modifying and/or developing sustainable and enduring programs to promote women and girls’ participation in sport and physical activity, and/or new or upgraded equipment, specifically for women and girls. Projects may be assessed and offered a lower amount than applied for.

This program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.

Between $500 and $750 is available towards the cost of attending their championships as follows:.

• Base Grant: $500
• Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100
• Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2000km to their nominated championships: + $200
• Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50

These grants help cover community language school operating costs such as teaching materials, staff wages and new equipment.

The amount of the grant is based on the number of students who have enrolled in your community language school. You can apply for this grant after 12 months of operating your school. You can also apply for a Specific project grant at the same time.

You may receive a per capita grant if your community language school:

• has been operating for more than 12 months
• is managed by an organisation which is a not-for-profit legal entity
• is located more than two kilometres away from any other community language school that teaches the same language
• normally has a minimum of 20 school-aged students enrolled. (Schools outside a metropolitan area with less than 20 students may be eligible for funding in some circumstances.)
• is open to school students from Kindergarten to Year 12, regardless of their language background
• has students who attend at least 70 per cent of lessons in Term 1
• holds classes outside school hours for at least 35 weeks of the year
• provides a minimum of two hours per week face-to-face language teaching based on a sound educational program.

You can use the grant for:

• teaching materials
• stationery, photocopying
• technology
• payments to teachers
• buying educational equipment
• expenses associated with the administration of the schools

You cannot use the grant for capital purposes such as buildings, repairs, maintenance or renovations.

This one-off establishment grant helps organisations that are setting up language classes for the first time by helping them in their first year.

You may receive an establishment grant if your community language school:

• is located more than two kilometres away from any other community language school which teaches the same language
• has been operating for at least two months using a teaching program
• normally has a minimum of 20 school-aged students enrolled. (Schools outside a metropolitan area with less than 20 students may be eligible for funding in some circumstances.)
• is open to school students from Kindergarten to Year 12, regardless of their language background
• holds classes outside school hours for at least 35 weeks of the year
• provides a minimum of two hours per week face-to-face language teaching based on a sound educational program.

If your community is small or isolated and cannot meet teacher or syllabus requirements immediately, you may be granted an exemption for up to 12 months. During this time your school can work with a program education officer to try to meet these requirements.

The grant can be used for:

• teaching materials
• stationery, photocopying
• payments to teachers
• buying educational equipment
• expenses associated with the administration of the schools.

The Local Para Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-24 participating in state, national or international championships for athletes with a disability.

If successful, applicants will receive $750-$1000 towards the cost of attending their championships

• Base Grant: $750
• Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100
• Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2000km to their nominated championships: + $200
• Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50

Since 2019, our sponsorships and donations program has benefitted more than 300 community projects in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria with grants worth more than $1 million.

In 2023, as per the updated Ministerial Interim Statement of Expectations, Inland Rail is now focused on building the Beveridge to Parkes section of the alignment while planning and approvals work will continue north of Parkes to Kagaru.

Whilst ARTC will continue to offer funding between $1000–$4000 for individuals and organisations in regional areas along the Inland Rail route, applications from areas where construction is underway will constitute a greater focus for the Community Sponsorships and Donations Program.

Funding will be available to short-term projects and activities that contribute to local and regional prosperity, wellbeing and sustainability, such as upgrading community facilities and equipment, implementing unique STEM projects in schools, mentoring and developing local business communities, and hosting community events.

Ski for Life Inc is a group of people committed to raising awareness and promoting mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention. Members share compassion and empathy for those impacted by suicide and passion and commitment to reducing the frightening statistics we find before them.

To help acheive this, they support projects for rural and remote communities throughout Australia that would benefit from awareness, promotion of mental health, wellbeing, and suicide prevention.

The Open Streets Program is a $4.5 million grant program that will provide successful councils with funding of up to $150,000 to temporarily close streets to cars and open them on a day, or series of days, for placemaking events and activations. The program purpose is to encourage collaboration between government, business and community to improve the vibrancy of local streets and centres.

The Open Streets Program aims to meet these objectives:

• Temporarily close streets to vehicles and open them for people, with projects over a day, or series of days, and provide safe spaces for community events and activities.
• Bring vibrancy to our streets by creating a sense of excitement and discovery with creative events and activations that are inviting and inclusive to all the community.
• Support job creation in local businesses and the cultural sector.
• Support the development of longer-term place management outcomes, through projects that encourage private-public partnerships.

Established in 2019, Mable Community Grants is a philanthropic initiative of The Mable Foundation Limited (Mable or Foundation).

In 2024, four grants of $10,000 each are available for projects specifically aimed at championing independence and inclusion for people with disability and older people.

Eligible organisations or groups (with an ABN or ACN) in Australia are:

• Charities
• Not-for-profit organisations
• Incorporated associations
• Community organisations
• Social or sporting associations or groups

The Mable Community Grants must be explicitly used for projects or programs that relieve poverty, sickness, suffering, distress, misfortune, helplessness or disability in the lives of people in Australia who are living with a disability or who are ageing to improve their independence and inclusion within their community. The grants must be targeted or directed to organisations or groups in Australia (with an ABN or ACN).

As the foundation's purpose is “To provide support that helps, grows, and enriches our communities”, they have a clear focus on providing grants to reputable community-based charitable organisations which need funding for projects and initiatives designed to benefit as many people as possible.

Because most of the funding for The Harcourts Foundation is generously provided by Harcourts offices, they will only consider applications from groups for a specific event, project, item, or initiative where Harcourts has an office.

First Nations peoples bear a higher burden of road trauma, and are nearly three times more likely to die in road crashes than other Australians. In line with governments’ commitment to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the Australian Government will create partnerships with First Nations peoples, communities and organisations to jointly develop culturally appropriate countermeasures to close the gap for First Nations peoples by improving road safety outcomes.

This grant opportunity is open January 2024 to March 2024 to allow the department time to build trusted relationships with First Nations organisations and communities to co-design a culturally appropriate national approach to community-led road safety initiatives.

The aim of this funding stream is to fund projects that will deliver local solutions for First Nations communities, and also support culturally relevant road safety messaging. Activities could include, but are not limited to, improving access to culturally appropriate road safety education, young driver training activities, support for First Nations peoples to obtain a driver’s licence, community group activities that improve road safety outcomes or education campaigns with relevant road
safety messages. Subject to consultation, the government intends these projects will:

• ▪ improve access to road safety education and awareness for First Nations peoples
• ▪ assist government to understand road safety priorities in First Nations communities and tailor solutions to match.

Moree Plains Shire Council is seeking to provide partnership funding support for a range of local events. These events would have the primary aim of enhancing the amenity, wellbeing, and economic vibrancy of the Moree Plains Shire.

Eligible event organisers will be able to apply for a one-off maximum payment of up to $10,000. The money can be used on a wide range of events as outlined in the guidelines.

Targeted support for events has the potential to:

1. Build amenity and community resilience and make the community a more desirable place to live and work.
2. Lead to long term economic diversification and new employment opportunities.
3. Increase the visitor economy.

The end goal is to deliver a program that will have the greatest positive impact on the local community and businesses.

Events funded by the Program include existing or new:

• Community markets
• Festivals and fairs
• Local business events and conferences
• Sporting events that will contribute to the visitor economy
• Food and leisure events
• Community classes and workshops
• Agricultural field days (run by community organisations)
• Touring events and theatre programs (both for Children and Adults)
• Community celebrations

100 Women is a collaborative giving circle that amplifies the giving power of everyday people to create significant change for women and girls. Their ever-growing giving circle gathers people from all walks of life to contribute and celebrate the life-changing impact that we together can have on women and girls locally, nationally and globally.

100 Women awards grants to organisations that advance the safety, health, education and economic freedom of women and girls.

Applications will be considered for projects up to A$50,000 and for a maximum period of 24 months that:

• Improve economic outcomes for girls and women who are disadvantaged or face barriers; or
• Improve health outcomes for girls and women; or
• Improve educational outcomes for girls and women; or
• Provide safety to girls and women at risk from sexual abuse, sex trafficking or family violence; or
• Address any of the Targets for Goal 5: Gender Equality UN Sustainable Development Goals (where the beneficiaries of the grant are girls and women).

Organisations must be a fund, authority or institution:

• which is Charitable (or would be a charity within the meaning of the Australian Charities Act 2013 (Cth) if it were not a ‘government entity’, as defined in the Act);
• Classified with Item 1 Deductible Gift Recipient Status (DGR); 
• has been operating for at least 36 months; and 
• has a total annual revenue (as last reported to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission) of less than $10 million.

Justice reinvestment aims to prevent and reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contact with the justice system in a particular place or community. It enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and leaders to come together to identify local solutions to local issues, using strengths of community, cultural knowledge and stories to measure progress over time. It offers a way for communities to drive local solutions through improved collaboration and partnership with governments and service providers.

The Australian Government is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities to improve the justice outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in line with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) targets and Priority Reforms.

Successful Justice Reinvestment Projects funded under this program will:

• aim to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contact with the justice system
• be an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and community-led project
• take a collaborative approach, and consider a systems focus
• take a place-based approach
• be informed by community knowledge and other data.

Applications will be assessed in 2 cycles:

• Assessment cycle 1 opens 5 January 2024 to 9 May 2024.
• Assessment cycle 2 opens 9 May 2024 to 10 September 2024.

The Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program supports community organisations to look after Australian cultural heritage collections. Since 1994, this program has provided more than $8.9 million dollars in funding to over 1650 projects across Australia.

CHG is open to non-profit, incorporated organisations. The program has a strong focus on supporting local groups with limited funding who would benefit from access to professional cultural heritage expertise. Applications from Indigenous and multicultural organisations are encouraged.

The annual round offers cash grants of up to $20,000. The first two stages support organisations to work with heritage practitioners to:

• Explain the meaning and value of their collections (a significance assessment)
• Outline the condition of their collections and create a plan to manage it (a preservation needs assessment)

In the third and final stage, organisations can apply for funding to:

• Undertake conservation and collection management activities as recommended in the preservation needs assessment

Funding is also available for:

• Collection management training projects

The Qantas Regional Grants program offers $2 million in support to Australian-based communities and projects that are looking to benefit our country's regional areas.

The Qantas Regional Grants judging panel will determine the successful applicants each year. The panel will examine all eligible entries and select applicants that they determine best meet all the criteria below.

1. The extent to which the applicant directly services a regional community need and demonstrates a measurable socioeconomic impact.
2. The extent to which the applicant can maximise local community benefits in regional Australia with the Qantas Regional Grants Program funding.
3. The extent to which the project or activity will celebrate and highlight the work of the applicant and help boost the profile and strength of the applicant for the future.
4. The ability of the applicant to demonstrate innovation in their project strategy, goals and mission, and how these align to improving their service offering and increasing regional impact.

The $2-for-$1 Native Fish Stocking Program provides two dollars in funds for every one dollar in funds offered by community groups to stock native fish (Australian Bass, Murray Cod, Golden Perch) into rivers and dams across NSW.  The objectives of the program are to support local communities in the stocking of high value native fish to protect and enhance our valuable state-wide recreational fisheries. The program also supports the development of regional aquaculture ventures which produce high quality fish stock for release into public waters to benefit recreational fishers.

Who can apply

• Non-government and not-for-profit groups undertaking approved fish stocking activities in NSW public waters (a group includes a fishing club or other community service organisation).
• Individuals involved in community fish stocking programs to benefit recreational fisheries.
• NSW councils and local government agencies.
• HQAS accredited fish hatcheries (to supply fish for the program)
• Non-government authorities.

Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants offer primary schools and early learning centres a $1,000 grant to engage students in hands-on projects to support the environment.

This is an opportunity to set up a brand-new project or enhance an existing one. Previous grant recipients are welcome to apply again if they have submitted a final report for their previous Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant project.

This program gives children across the country an opportunity to get hands-on with environmental and sustainability projects, learn new skills and knowledge, connect with their peers and enjoy the wellbeing benefits of time spent outdoors in nature.   

The Woolworths Junior Landcare projects can include planting a vegetable or bush tucker garden, creating a sensory garden or a butterfly garden, installing a yarning circle to learn more about First Nations perspectives, or tackling waste issues through a composting or recycling project.

Small Project Grants (Quick Response) supports professional development opportunities for NSW-based professional artists, groups and arts and cultural workers (including museum workers) that are time sensitive and respond to short notice invitations with career-building significance.

Objectives are to:

• Invest in NSW-based artists and arts/cultural workers (including museum workers) to participate in outstanding and relevant time-sensitive professional development opportunities
• Increase the capacity of NSW-based artists and arts/cultural workers in becoming arts and cultural leaders
• Enable artists, groups, and arts/cultural workers (including museum workers) to participate in outstanding and relevant time-sensitive opportunities
• Contribute to the creation, development and/or presentation of new work related to career development.

You must be an artist or arts/cultural worker (including a museum worker) who:

• is 18 years (at the time of applying) and above
• is an Australian citizen or permanent resident and
• has resided in NSW for at least 12 months at the time of applying.

Examples of activities include:

• invitation to attend a forum, presentation, or performance opportunity statewide, nationally, or internationally
• mentorship or residency opportunity statewide, nationally, or internationally
• a skills development initiative
• attendance at a significant arts and cultural event.

Your proposed activity must be time sensitive. It should:

• start 5 weeks after your application has been submitted
• be completed within a 4-month period after the start date you have entered in your application
• include confirmation supporting material to substantiate the urgency
• demonstrate why the activity can only take place in this timeframe and how it is a significant career opportunity
• address why your activity is unable to be planned for or supported by other Create NSW funding rounds.