Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

Backing the Future is a unique philanthropic initiative from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) that recognises the power of passionate individuals to drive meaningful change for young people in rural and regional communities.

Each year the program offers up to 10 grants of $50,000 to individuals or groups of individuals in both QLD and NSW. These grants enable recipients to develop and test early-stage ideas that support young people aged 12-30 in one or more of the following areas:

• Access decent work;
• Care for the environment;
• Contribute to society; or
• Explore Christian faith and values.

The program was designed in response to feedback from VFFF’s current innovators and changemakers, who shared that the most difficult part of their impact journey was securing initial support. Backing the Future addresses this challenge by reducing the red tape often associated with grant funding and instead creating space for individuals to explore new ideas and discover what they can achieve.

The Future2 annual Make the Difference! grants program aims to support community-led initiatives that build stronger financial futures for Australians in need.

Since 2007, the Make the Difference! Grants Program has awarded over $1.9 million to more than 180 grassroots programs across Australia. Focus is on supporting grassroots initiatives where funding makes a significant and lasting difference for Australians in need.

To be considered, applications must align with at least one of the following categories:

Financial Wellbeing for Young Australians
Financial literacy and education programs for people under 25.

Financial Wellbeing for Australians in Need
Initiatives supporting individuals experiencing hardship, including those affected by mental health challenges, social isolation, domestic violence, homelessness, or poverty, as well as First Nations peoples and people from refugee or migrant backgrounds.

Financial Wellbeing for Women
Programs that strengthen financial literacy, independence, and security for disadvantaged women.

Financial Wellbeing for Regional and Remote Communities
Programs that improve access to financial education and capability in regional and remote Australia.

Sporting Schools offers grant opportunities for primary schools, and targeted grant opportunities for secondary schools in relation to year 7 and 8 students. Grants support the delivery of sport-based programs to help students build the confidence and capability to be active for life. Sporting Schools has partnered with more than 35 national sporting organisations (NSOs) and national sporting organisations for people with disability (NSODs) to facilitate delivery of Sporting Schools programs.

The objectives of Sporting Schools are to:

• engage primary school students in free, high-quality sport programs at school
• engage secondary school students (Years 7-8) in free, high-quality sport programs at school, particularly inactive students, girls, and students attending schools in disadvantaged areas
• establish partnerships between sporting organisations and schools to promote involvement in sport outside of school
• develop the capability of schools and teachers to provide students with positive sport experiences
• build the capability of coaches and the sport workforce
• support life-long involvement in sport and physical activity to enhance health and wellbeing.

Grant funding for sustainable education and life skill development programs designed to help and support disadvantaged young Australians under the age of 25.

Through a program focused on Empowerment and Education and Outreach and Support, Ansvar has reached and made a genuine difference to the lives of thousands of young Australians in need.

Ansvar’s Community Education Program provides grants up to $50,000 for programs supporting Australian youth which fall under two categories:

• Empowerment and Education - Programs within this category must provide opportunities to develop positive values that lead to healthy lifestyle choices and a positive contribution to our community.

• Outreach Programs - Programs within this category must support youths who are at risk or are already experiencing difficulties (such as drug and/or alcohol abuse) through rehabilitation and/or skills training.

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation has been established to support those who have contributed to our great country but may have unfortunately through no fault of their own, fallen on hard times and can no longer speak for themselves.

They have a range of grants including:

• Community Health Grants
• Disadvantaged Grants
• Domestic Violence Grants
• Homelessness Grants
• Housing and Accommodation grants
• Mental Health Grants
• Natural Disaster Grants

Music For All welcomes opportunities to directly support or partner with community groups and organisations that are engaged in delivering projects and initiatives that bring, develop or sustain music-making, learning or participation to the communities in which they serve.

They consider applications from a range of groups including:

• Schools and educational organisations
• Universities*
• Community music groups – choirs, bands etc
• Organisations working in youth or social/community services
• Allied health organisations
• Organisations working in education with interests in music, arts or the creative sector
• Community based creative sector organisations or enterprises
• Philanthropic organisations where common interests are shared and a viable partnership can be established

*It would not be Music For All’s normal practice to support pure research activities, however, programs undertaken by universities that include implementable and practical music-making outcomes as either proof of concept or in a seeding arrangement would be considered. 

The Local Para Champions (LPC) 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

The Community Grant Program aims to enhance the utility of the internet for the benefit of the Australian community.

It delivers an annual grant round open to not-for-profit organisations and research institutions for community projects, education and research activities that support under-served communities to establish an online presence.

The program supports digital innovation and digital inclusion, with an emphasis on projects which provide benefit to one or more of the following four groups:

• Rural, regional, and remote Australians
• Australians living with disability
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Young Australians (12-24 years).

Funding is available to support you to collaborate with survivors and descendants of the Stolen Generations in truth telling, preserving history and educating our communities.

The Healing Foundation and Community Broadcasting Foundation have partnered on a $200k fund to support projects for broadcast/publication on community radio, television and digital platforms.

Stories must be broadcast or published first on a community broadcasting station or digital platform and predominantly produced/led by First Nations people.

The objectives of the First Nations Clean Energy Advice Grants program are to support First Nations communities to participate in clean energy development and:

• build clean energy project skills and knowledge
• access technical and professional support
• make informed decisions as per principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

The intended outcomes of the program are for First Nations communities to gain increased:

• access to technical and professional support
• confidence in engagement with clean energy developers and clean energy development opportunities
• collaboration and engagement with the clean energy industry
• clean energy project skills and knowledge
• participation in clean energy projects
• benefits from participation in clean energy development.

Round 1 of the program will run from 2025-26 to 2026-27.

Eligibility

You can apply if you:

• are a First Nations organisation or group
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN), and
• are an eligible entity.

Eligible entities include:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia (this includes corporations and Indigenous land management organisations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations)
• a registered land council representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or an entity that manages or holds land rights, native title or other Traditional Owner related agreements and settlements, including a land council established under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
• an Australian incorporated not for profit association or cooperative
• an Australian incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• a partnership based in Australia.

You may be applying either for yourself or on behalf of another First Nations group without an ABN through an auspicing arrangement. The auspicing organisation or group must hold an ABN and meet the eligibility criteria in this section. Additional eligibility requirements can be found in section 4.2 of the grant opportunity guidelines.

The NSDP is a competitive grants programme and applications are open to all Men’s Sheds across Australia regardless of location or AMSA membership.

The NSDP provides direct financial assistance to address the health and wellbeing of the shed members within the shed environment; support health education for shed members, deliver appropriate activities and programmes, improve facilities and the sustainability of Men’s Sheds across Australia.

To reflect Government policy, priority is given to:

• those Sheds in areas of greatest need e.g. regional, rural and remote and those that engage and meet the needs of members from the designated Priority Groups
• an application can evidence impact on the applicant Shed and/or members of the Shed by a 2025-26 natural disaster (e.g. flood, storm, bushfire).
• Category 3.Priority for funding under Category 3 will be given to:
  • New Men’s Sheds (less than 2 years old)
  • Men’s Sheds that have not previously received NSDP funding

  Men’s Sheds that have not received Category 3 funding in the past six rounds- (rounds 26-31).

Individual Men’s Sheds in Australia can apply for a range of financial support across the following five funding categories:

Category One: Health and Wellbeing and Events – up to a maximum of $8000– Funding can be requested to plan and deliver, or broadly participate in, an event within their region with a strong health focus, which may also include some Men’s Shed operational topics.

Category Two: Shed Improvements up to a maximum of $8000– Premises occupied by the Men’s Shed are eligible for funding to undertake improvements, modifications and refurbishment. PLEASE NOTE: the building of a new Men’s Shed is not supported under this Programme.

Category Three: Tools and Equipment – $5,000 maximum – The priority for funding under Category 3 is providing financial support to either a) new Men’s Sheds (less than 2 years old), b) Men’s Sheds that have not previously
received NSDP funding or c) Men’s Sheds that have not received Category 3 funding in the past six rounds. Tools and equipment are generally aimed at supporting interaction and activities within sheds.

Category Four: Mental health, wellbeing and events – $8000 maximum – Funding can be requested to plan and deliver, or support attendance at, an event with a strong mental health focus, which may also include some Men’s Shed operational topics.

Category Five: Automated External Defibrillators – $2,250 maximum- Men’s Sheds are eligible for funding to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator, where either: the Shed does not currently have a working defibrillator on its premises; or it has a defibrillator that was purchased prior to 2016 (hence is older than 6 years). Applicants that currently have a defibrillator can also apply for replacement batteries and pads that are not under warranty.

From 2026, the Volunteer Museum Grants will be delivered as a single, consolidated program. The former Small Grants, Skills Development, Leg Up, and Project Development Grants have been brought together, allowing organisations to apply for funding of up to $4,000 per project.

The program supports a wide range of projects. There are no fixed categories, and applications are welcomed for diverse initiatives, including:

• Skills development and networking activities, such as engaging a professional consultant to deliver one-off or short workshop programs
• Strategic or innovative projects with medium- to long-term outcomes, including strategic planning, exhibition development, or professional advice
• Short-term, collection-focused projects, such as conservation of significant objects, collection management, or audience development

Bulk Nutrients are strong believers in the power of community and supporting grassroots organisations and their volunteers. If you're a sports or community group doing good things in Australia with a turnover of less than $100,000 and a $1000 donation could make the world of difference, your organisation is invited to apply.

Bulk Nutrients aims to support health, fitness and wellbeing, so if an organisation isn't sporting but supports wellbeing through access to literacy support, or who works with young people to smooth the transition into the workforce, a local group that is cleaning up waterways to improve a local area or many others, all of these are encouraged to apply.

The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund supports leading Australian creative organisations and key industry stakeholders with grants to create and deliver exceptional opportunities for Australian writers, journalists, editors, publishers, English and literacy teachers, and visual artists, and especially for those from First Nations and diverse backgrounds.

The Cultural Fund’s priorities are:

• Commissions and paid opportunities for writers and visual artists through audience development projects
• Targeted leadership and sector development projects for the writing, publishing and visual arts sectors
• To complement Reading Australia, we are interested in supporting targeted writers-in-schools programs for Australian writers whose work is featured on Reading Australia or is used in the classroom

The Cultural Fund will consider applications for the following projects:

Audience Development

• Audience and reader development projects
• Payments to creative writers published in literary magazines and journals
• Reviews of new Australian books in national publications
• Projects connecting teachers with Australian Literature
• Writers/artists-in-residence/schools/universities
• Literacy-based projects for children involving professional writers
• Significant national writers’ awards for payments to writers (excluding prizes offered by publishers and literary journals)
• Publishing commissions to write new work by First Nations and culturally diverse authors
• Commissions for visual artists to create new work and whose work will be exhibited in galleries or institutions in Australia

Sector Development

• Publishing industry – leadership initiatives and opportunities for First Nations and diverse editors, publishers and journalists
• Visual arts sector – leadership and policy development and opportunities for First Nations and diverse curators at galleries and cultural institutions

This excludes visual arts publishing, mentorships and professional development.

Who can apply

• Legally constituted Australian organisations and incorporated associations may apply
• If applying as a University, only one application from the University may be submitted per round. You must confirm this before applying.
• Applicants may submit only one application per round to the Cultural Fund
• Applicants must have acquitted any overdue Cultural Fund grants to be eligible to apply for further funding

The NAB Foundation Community Grants program provides funding of up to $25,000 for local projects that help communities withstand and recover from natural disasters.

They award $1.2 million in Community Grants each year across two grant rounds, including $200,000 available in Impact Grants for projects with big potential. These Impact Grants provide a further $25,000 to recipients to maximise the impact they have on their communities.

NAB Foundation Community Grants support community-led projects that relate to the following categories:

• Training and planning
• Community Recovery
• Environment and wildlife
• Equipment and Infrastructure

NAB Foundation Community Grants are open to:

• Charities that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for Profits Commission (ACNC). 
• Social enterprises (not-for-profit and for-profit) or start-ups with social or environmental impact at the core of their business. 
• Groups or organisations (not-for-profit and for-profit) that hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have a charitable purpose. 
• Local government or government-funded facilities (such as a school or childcare centre) seeking funding for a program that furthers charitable purpose.