Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

The Small Grants program supports projects proposed by individuals and or organisations and or communities who would otherwise be limited by the constraints of other funding programs.

The maximum grant has been increased to $1000 in 2022 and there will be more grants awarded (if successful) each round. The project needs to directly or indirectly assist, involve and benefit LGBTQIA+ people and promote positive social outcomes and mental health in the community.

They welcome applications that are particularly creative and innovative, and those that are put forward by individuals, communities and organisations that have not received small grant funding in the previous 2 years. They regard favourably projects that work as partnerships between individuals and organisations.

Round 1 2026
Funding priority to transgender, non-binary and gender diverse people and communities
Opens at 9am AEDT Monday 19 January 2026 and closes at 11:59pm AEST Monday 13 April 2026.

Round 2 2026
Funding priority to projects supporting healthy ageing for older people
Opens at 9am AEST on Monday 4 May 2026 and closes at 11:59pm AEST on Monday 13 July 2026.

Round 3 2026
Funding priority to regional and rural communities
Opens at 9am AEST Monday 3 August 2026 and closes at 11:59pm AEDT on Monday 16 November 2026.

The NSW Carers Investment Grant Program supports the implementation of the NSW Carers Strategy: Caring in New South Wales 2020-2030.

The objectives of the NSW Carers Investment Grant Program (CIGP) align with those of the Strategy. The CIGP is looking to fund initiatives that:

1. Increase the recognition, respect and empowerment of carers.
2. Improve access and engagement with services and supports that respond to carer’s economic, health and wellbeing needs.
3. Strengthen education and awareness about the role of carers, how to identify them, carer rights and providing referrals to available supports.

Eligibility

The CIGP invites applications from incorporated not-for-profit organisations and Local Councils that either directly or indirectly support carers in NSW.

Under this program, eligible organisations are:

• Incorporated organisations registered and approved as a not-for-profit body by NSW Fair Trading
• Not-for profit companies limited by guarantee, operating in NSW
• Public companies limited by guarantee, operating in NSW
• State Government Other Incorporated Entity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status including Local Area Health Districts and the Justice Health and Forensic Health Network
• Local government organisations, including:
  • NSW local councils operating under the Local Government Act 1993 (LG Act)
  • Joint Organisations (s400O of the LG Act)
  • County Councils (s383 of the LG Act)
  • Regional Organisations of Councils (which are voluntary groupings of councils)
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) – these Applicants will be required to provide documentation to support their ACCO status
• Indigenous Corporations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)
• Local Aboriginal Land Councils registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)
• Trusts registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
• NSW non-government organisations established under their own Act of Parliament
• Religious organisations operating in NSW
• NSW Peak organisations representing carers
• Representative organisations for GPs, other medical practitioners, allied health workers and pharmacists
• Other representative organisations for relevant service providers

Motorsport Australia has established a funding allocation framework to support growth and development of 
Motorsport Australia Affiliated Car Clubs and Motorsport as a whole.

Funds will be allocated to projects that fit within one of the following funding areas:

• Funding Area 1: Safety and Operational Equipment 
• Funding Area 2: Volunteer Upskilling and Club Capacity Building
• Funding Area 3: Participation Programs

Clubs are encouraged to undertake projects that support diversity, equity & inclusion in motorsport and supports the inclusion of population cohorts with existing low levels of participation in sport and physical activity. e.g. people with a disability, women and girls, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people, Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) communities, LGBTIQ+ and older people.

The program has been established to support the inclusion women and girls in community football by enabling clubs to provide suitable uniforms for junior and youth girls.

This may include:

• Replacing white shorts with a suitable alternative for junior & youth girls teams, or;
• Purchasing of appropriate playing uniforms that are made specifically for girls (ie female cuts)

Please note: this grant round is only open to junior and youth girls. For avoidance of doubt, this includes teams, umpires, and competitions under the age of eighteen.

$250,000 is available, with clubs and umpire associations able to apply for up to $3,000 each, while leagues can apply for up to $10,000.

The Disability Advocacy Futures Program Special Purposes and Projects and, Sector Development 2026 Stream 1 grant program has 4 key objectives:

• increase available advocacy supports to assist people with disability and their supporters in NSW to actively engage with and access services in their communities in a more informed and empowered way.
• further develop the NSW disability advocacy sector through quality improvement, collaboration and innovation and building the capacity of individuals to self-advocate.
• build stronger networks and learning opportunities for the NSW disability advocacy sector.
• support people with disability to respond and adapt to key policy reforms at a state and national level by developing their self-advocacy capacity, access to information and broad advocacy supports.

The Disability Advocacy Futures Program Special Purposes and Projects and, Sector Development 2026 grant program (Thriving Kids) has 4 key objectives:

• increase the availability of advocacy supports to assist children aged 0-8 years with developmental delay and/or autism and their families, carers and kin, to access information, engage with services and supports, and participate in their communities in an informed and empowered way.
• further develop the NSW disability advocacy and service sector through quality improvement, collaboration and innovation, and initiatives that build the capacity of individuals, families, carers and kin to self-advocate.
• build stronger networks, partnerships and learning opportunities across the NSW disability advocacy sector, including initiatives that strengthen linkages between advocacy, early childhood, health, education and community services.
• support people and / or children with disability and their families, carers and kin to respond and adapt to key policy reforms at a state and national level by developing their self-advocacy capacity, access to information and broad advocacy supports.

The Rebuilding Futures grant program seeks to support communities to strengthen their resilience to significant disasters by undertaking a wide range of medium to long-term community-led disaster recovery, prevention and preparedness projects for community benefit.

The Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) program aims to reduce gender inequality and help more women advance into leadership roles within the sport ecosystem.

The WLIS Individual Grants Program, provides women throughout Australia the opportunity to advance in their leadership journey via a range of development programs and training.  In previous years courses undertaken by recipients have included these topics:

•  Leadership Skills and Management
•  Sports Administration
•  Communications and Media
• Coaching and officiating
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• People and Culture
• Integrity
• Finance
• Sport science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine (STEMM)

Throughout Australia, individuals and groups are working to identify private unmarked graves of First World War veterans and marking these graves to recognise their service. This Marking (First World War) Private Graves Grants (MPG) Program contributes to the cost of establishing a grave marker on currently unmarked private graves.

The MPG Program provides one-off funding of up to $620 per grave to assist with the purchase of a grave marker for unmarked private graves of veterans of the First World War. You can seek funding for up to 10 grave markers in each individual application, and you may only submit a maximum of 2 applications.

The objective of the grant opportunity is to contribute to community recognition of the service and sacrifice of service personnel in the First World War. It does this by providing funding to contribute to the cost of establishing a grave marker on currently unmarked private graves.

The intended outcome of the MPG Program is to mark private graves of veterans of the First World War so as to:

• enable community recognition of service
• preserve and add to the knowledge of, or provide information about, Australia’s wartime heritage. 

Eligibility

You are only eligible to apply for a grant if ALL the below requirements are met:

• The grave must be located within the Commonwealth of Australia, including external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos and Keeling Islands, Norfolk Island, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands, and Heard and McDonald Islands.
• The grave must be unmarked as per the definition outlined in section 2 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.
• The veteran at rest within the grave must have:
•  lived in Australia at the time of enlistment
•  seen active service in the First World War between 10 August 1914 and 21 August 1918 with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, the Australian Imperial Force or the King Edwards Horse
• been assessed by the Repatriation Commission and been found ineligible for official commemoration by the Government.
• You have appropriate permission to alter the grave (see section 4.2 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines).
• You have a formal quote from an authorised provider for the total cost of the marker. 

The Multicultural Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD) Program Grant was established to provide specialist treatment and support services for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

The objective of the Multicultural AOD Program Grant is to improve the health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for people with cultural and linguistic diversity who are experiencing alcohol and other drug-related issues. 

Funded services will deliver an integrated Program that demonstrates strong community partnerships and a commitment to equitable access for people from all cultural backgrounds. 

Services should adopt an evidence-based and culturally responsive model of care that enhances engagement, retention, and treatment outcomes for CALD clients. 

Service delivery should be flexible and accessible, including face-to-face, outreach, and telehealth modalities where appropriate.

The successful organisation or consortium will be expected to deliver four core activities.

Applicants will be assessed on their demonstrated capability, experience and approach to delivering each of these activities through the application process. 

The Key activities to be delivered by the successful organisation or consortium include: 

• Individual psychosocial counselling and support services for people and significant others with cultural and linguistic diversity who are experiencing AOD related issues. 

• AOD case management and care coordination for CALD individuals connected to the criminal justice system. 

• Culturally responsive prevention, education and community development initiatives that build awareness, strengthen community capacity, and reduce AOD related harm within CALD communities.   

• Sector representation, collaboration and advice to support policy development and service planning. 

The Insignia Community Foundation welcomes grant applications during the months of July and December each year.

To be eligible for grant funding from the Foundation, charitable organisations must have an Australian Taxation Office Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsement of DGR1 / Item 1.

Assessment criteria will be based on the following:

• One Impact Area must be chosen and entered onto the Expression of Interest Form.

  • Financial wellbeing
    Improving skills, confidence and know-how of people so they can achieve greater financial wellbeing now and into the future. Programs being supported may include those that help people understand their finances better, training that leads to employment or initiatives that keep students in school.

  • Basic needs
    Initiatives that provide vital and basic items to people so they can go about their daily life, such as items to make people feel more included, healthier, happier, or enable people to be more financially secure.

  • Reconciliation
    Aligning with Insignia Financial’s Reconciliation Action Plan, aiming to further the endeavours of First Nations people through employment, business ownership, education and financial training.

  • Diversity and inclusion
    Support inclusion, diversity and wellbeing in the community through programs that enable social participation for all.

  • Mental health
    Aim to address mental health challenges for people of all ages with access to quality care, support and resources.

• Be clear on your organisations purpose and why the program exists.
• Programs may be preventive and are being delivered as an early intervention initiative, or programs may be addressing or relieving an existing need for its participants.
• The Program Description must provide clear details on why the program exists, the problem or gap the program is addressing and how the program will be delivered.
• Program outcomes must be explained, including how people will be connected, improved and impacted through the program.
• Evidence of good corporate governance.
• Sustainability of the program beyond our support.
• Considered use of technology to achieve scale, realise greater efficiencies, see environmental benefits and/or improve the experiences of people during program delivery.

PCFA’s 2027 Community Grants Scheme offers affiliated Prostate Cancer Support Groups the opportunity to apply for funding to deliver local projects that raise awareness, strengthen outreach and connect more men and families with support.

The scheme supports PCFA’s mission by helping Support Groups increase visibility, engage local communities, and deliver practical activities that encourage early detection and ongoing support.

Applications are invited from affiliated PCFA Prostate Cancer Support Groups. Individual grants are capped at $5,000 and may support one or more of the following purposes:

1. Community events that build prostate cancer awareness, promote your Support Group locally, support community engagement or include fundraising

2. Awareness-building activities that educate the community about prostate cancer, such as using the Life Force Presentation.

3. Essential marketing items such as banners, business cards and branded tablecloths that help promote your group and its affiliation with PCFA.

The Print Disability Services Program (PDSP) contributes to the priorities of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31, to ensure that information, including printed information, is inclusive and accessible for all Australians. 

Under this grant opportunity, funding will be available for up to 4 years. 

The purpose of this grant opportunity is to support organisations to produce print material in alternative formats for people with print disability who are unable to read standard print with ease due to vision impairment, a physical disability or a learning disability. 

Funding under the PDSP is to produce digital masters of print material, to reflect current and emerging technology and to ensure accessible and the highest quality material is available to the end user. The availability of this material may be provided directly through the organisations selected to provide the output in the variety of appropriate print disability accessible formats or via another eligible organisation that provide the materials to the consuming print disability individual, at no charge to the person.

Created in honour of Tessa and Chrysanthy Mallos, whose generous bequest to ABFNSW has made this opportunity possible, this grant is offered to aspiring artists and arts workers from underrepresented groups, seeking a career in the arts industry.

The grant is open to NSW residents with a confirmed place at any accredited tertiary training institution in Australia, whose primary course of study is within a performing arts stream. Undergraduate, post-graduate and some vocational diploma courses are all applicable. Students undertaking courses in performance, theatre production, technical theatre, stage management, directing, design and writing are eligible to apply.

First Nations, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, people with disability or who are d/Deaf are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Mallos Training Grant has no affiliation with any training institution and is intended to support students with relocation and/or living costs while undertaking their studies.

Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW will work with We The Industry and other industry professionals to select recipients. We The Industry will provide additional support to recipients through mentoring services throughout their training.

Available Grants

Grants will be awarded on an annual basis. Recipients may receive support to cover the length of their training, or a one-off amount to support them through one year of study. Grants are available to students commencing a new course and to students entering 2nd or 3rd year study.

In 2027, one student entering into the first year of a minimum 3-year course will be provided with a total grant of $45,000, to be distributed at regular intervals throughout the period of study.

Additional one-off grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 will be made available to students partway through their study or undertaking post-graduate study to support them during the year.

Recipients will also be given the chance to work with a We The Industry Mentor throughout their training. Through close consultation with each grant recipient, We The Industry will identify a working arts professional to provide mentorship services in the first year of study. Students can expect to meet with their mentor bi-monthly in this first year, with the hopes of building a relationship that will outlast the program. With a mentor by their side, recipients will have access to an important and current industry perspective that will give context to their training and help equip them for a successful career in the arts

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for this grant, applicants must:

1. Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident

2. Be a resident of NSW at the time of application (or will be a resident of NSW throughout the course of their training)

3. Have a confirmed offer of a place at an accredited tertiary training institution (to be provided after notification of shortlisting to the program)

4. Be able to demonstrate how this support would allow them to undertake/continue their study

Recipients of the 3-year grant will only receive payments in Years 2 and 3 if continuing their course of study

The Mobile Preschool Funding Program’s objectives is to improve the affordability, quality, and accessibility of preschool education for children in regional and remote NSW, where access to centre-based preschools can be limited.

The program funds providers of mobile preschools to reduce fees, support quality uplift, incentivise increased enrolment and attendance, and drive improved outcomes for children, and recognises the additional costs and unique challenges associated with achieving universal access in regional and remote NSW.

The program operates on a calendar year, from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026.

Funding is designed to support quality uplift in preschool education and drive outcomes for children aged 3-5 in the developmentally significant years before school. Funding objectives are closely linked with ensuring equitable access for eligible children:

• Children from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background
• Children from low-income families
• Children with disability and/or additional needs
• Children living in regional or remote areas of NSW
• Children who are at risk of significant harm (from a child protection perspective).

Parents, guardians and carers receiving Family Tax Benefit can apply for an Active and Creative Kids voucher for each eligible child.

The $50 voucher is available twice a year to use towards sport, creative and cultural activities.

Voucher 2 – 2025: Available now

• Apply for and use the voucher by 14 July 2026

Voucher 1 – 2026: Available now

• Apply for and use the voucher by 31 December 2026

Note:

• Vouchers must be used with a registered activity provider.
• If you have 2 vouchers that have not expired, you can use them together for a combined value of $100. Each voucher can only be used once.

The Event Development stream supports events that have previously received the maximum funding permitted through the Flagship Event stream and can present a comprehensive strategy for future growth that includes the continued development of its tourism potential to drive overnight visitation to the event.

The Event Development stream will offer one-off grants of up to $50,000 (ex GST) to events in Regional NSW to support key strategic growth initiatives that will have a direct impact on increasing overnight visitation to the event. A clear strategic rationale will be required for all initiatives together with a justification for the amount requested.

Types of projects funded under this grant

The Event Development stream provides funding to support initiatives that will have a direct impact on increasing overnight visitation to the event. A clear strategic rationale will be required for all initiatives. Activities that may be eligible for funding include:

• Promotional activities with a measurable overnight visitation outcome (e.g. promotions with a unique call to action)
• Cooperative marketing activities with the tourism industry (e.g. the development and promotion of packages to the event that include accommodation or access to other tourist attractions)
• Costs associated with implementing robust visitor research methodologies
• Infrastructure costs associated with encouraging extended stays (e.g. additional hire costs to extend the event an extra day)
• Costs associated with the delivery of an improved visitor experience (e.g. grandstands, information services, facilities)
• Costs associated with developing broader accommodation options or the delivery of temporary accommodation (e.g. shuttle buses to neighbouring towns, implementation of home hosting programs, creation of temporary camping grounds)
• Consultancy fees for marketing, PR, digital or event management specialists provided there are clear and measurable outcomes that demonstrate an improvement on existing activities.

Event Development funding is not intended to replace previous or other event funding. Grants funds must be expended on the initiatives described in the application. 

The Stronger Communities Programme (the program) supports the Australian Government’s commitment to deliver social benefits in communities across Australia by funding projects in each of the 150 Federal electorates. The program provides grants for community projects to strengthen and benefit local communities and is part of the Government’s 2026-27 budget initiatives.

The objective of the program is to deliver infrastructure projects that provide social benefits for local communities, by supporting one or more of the following:

• support or encourage interstate or international tourism
• support or celebrate Indigenous Australians
• commemorate Australians killed or injured in war or who contributed to Australia’s war efforts
• support veterans and defence force members, their families and communities
• support the participation and settlement of newly arrived (i.e. within the last five years) immigrants who are not citizens
• provide benefits to a specific cohort or cohorts of students
• enable or foster the use of electronic communications
• provide medical services or facilities, or services or facilities incidental to the provision of medical services
• enable or foster the use of electronic communities
• support the provision of community infrastructure that:
  • promotes and supports the mental and physical abilities of children
  • supports positive mental or physical health, or facilitates community participation to promote tolerance, and social cohesion or health
• support the acquisition or deployment of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measures
• support community infrastructure that promotes climate adaptation and resilience and/or native flora/fauna biodiversity
• support the dignity of persons (including children) with disabilities by enhancing their access to public infrastructure
• address gender inequality or discrimination in access to public infrastructure or sport
• support access for children to public infrastructure which enables interstate or overseas travel, accommodation, or education or health care infrastructure or services.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• encourage and support participation in local projects
• improve local community participation
• contribute to vibrant and viable communities.

Community consultation is a critical element of the program. In consultation with their community, each MP must identify potential applicants and projects in their electorate and invite them to apply for a grant. We will assess invited applications against the program’s eligibility and assessment criteria through a closed non-competitive process.

For this round, grant funding will be up to 100% of eligible project costs for all eligible applicants, except for local governing bodies. Grant funding for local governing bodies will be up to 50% of eligible project costs. This means local governing bodies must provide at least 50% of the eligible project costs in matched funding contributions.

The Australian Government is inviting eligible organisations to apply for grant funding under the Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program (STS program).

The objective of the STS Program is to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australia’s service personnel who served in wars, conflicts and peace operations, including National Service personnel, and their families.

The intended outcome of the STS Program is to provide funding for projects and activities that:

• promote appreciation and understanding of the experiences of service, and the role of service personnel
• preserve, add to the sum of knowledge on, or provide access to information about Australia’s wartime heritage.

1. Community Grants

Grants up to $10,000 are available for projects and activities that:

• are focused on the local community
• commemorate the service and sacrifice of local community members
• are primarily accessed by the local community.

2. Major Grants

Grants between $10,001 and $150,000 are available for major commemorative projects and activities that are significant from a national, state, territory and/or broader regional perspective. These projects may include the construction of new war or peace memorials where none currently exist, as well as additions to existing memorials.

If your project relates to restoring or changing a memorial or other commemorative artefact, there may be heritage and conservation considerations.

Eligibility:

To be eligible, you must be one of the following entity types:

• Company
• Cooperative
• Corporate State or Territory Entity
• Incorporated Association
• Indigenous Corporation
• Local Government
• Non-corporate State or Territory Entity
• Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
• Partnerships 
• Person
• Sole Trader
• Statutory Entity
• Unincorporated Association – only for Community Grants (up to $10,000).

If you are applying as a Trustee on behalf of a Trust, the Trustee must be one of the eligible entity types listed above.

The Local Para Champions (LPC) program provides financial assistance for participants who are attending championships that are specifically for athletes with a disability, and who also meet the following age guidelines.

• Participants turning 13-24 attending state championships
• Participants turning 14-24 attending state or national championships
• Participants turning 15-24 attending state, national, or international championships

In addition to athletes with disability, the LPC program supports coaches, officials and other distinct support roles, such as guides and assistants who enable the sportsperson to participate. These applicants must be aged between 13 – 24 years of age.

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