Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

The Multicultural NSW Stronger Together Grants Program aims to support multicultural festivals and events across NSW. Investing in community events and activities that foster community harmony and celebrate cultural diversity as a precious part of our identity and way of life.

The Stronger Together Festival and Event Grants Program will support multicultural and multifaith community groups to produce Festivals and Events that celebrate and embrace our state’s vibrant cultural diversity.

Through the Growing Good Grains Grants (GGGG) program, Life Ed and Bakers Delight’s Healthy Solutions range are encouraging children to get gardening and to ask more questions about where their food comes from. As part of the program, primary schools, preschools and early learning centres across Australia, will have the opportunity to win a grant, to establish their very own food garden or to upgrade an existing one.

All primary schools, preschools and early learning centres across Australia seeking to educate young Australians about gardening and healthy living can apply. If you are a teacher or parent interested in applying, please work with your school on your submission.

There are 25 X $1000 school garden grants up for grabs courtesy of Bakers Delight, plus the first 50 submissions will receive a $100 Bakers Delight e-gift card. Applicant schools will also have access to free resources to boost their submissions and create unique learning experiences in the classroom.

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 Sisters of Charity Foundation provides charity grants of up to $15,000 to organisations that use clever ways to fight poverty, loneliness, suffering and oppression, but struggle to find funding.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation favours programs that:

• restore hope and build dignity
• fall between the cracks of other funding sources
• are not associated with well established organisations with significant reserves and or are not capable of raising their own funds
• are not eligible for funding from government or other sources.

IMPORTANT: from 2025 onwards, the Sisters of Charity Foundation will hold one grant round each year. This annual grant round will open mid-year.

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 Regional Australia Bank prides itself on operating at the heart of their community, providing essential support to community groups each year as part of their Community Support Program. Any community group is able to apply for support in the form of sponsorship, with applications opening on 1 July and closing 31 July each year ("Application Period")

The primary objective of community support is to benefit communities whilst keeping Regional Australia Bank engaged with them, facilitating a closer relationship that allows Regional Australia Bank to play a key role as champions for regional prosperity.

Sponsorships are assessed in accordance with the Community Support Policy and should fall into one of the following categories:

• Arts;
• Community activities (e.g. festivals & fairs);
• Education or employment related activities;
• Environmental;
• Health;
• Indigenous/cultural; or
• Sporting.

To be considered for Regional Australia Bank’s Community Support Program, your event or project should:

• Provide benefits for the local community;
• Be of interest to Regional Australia Bank members;
• Be local to the Regional Australia Bank’s areas of business;
• Be for groups which share the values of Integrity, Respect, and Fairness or exhibit similar behaviours of being flexible, supportive, approachable and friendly;
• Provide a means to reach Regional Australia Bank’s target audience;
• Provide the Regional Australia Bank with media, promotional and signage opportunities;
• Guarantee that no Regional Australia Bank competitor will be principal supporters of the activity (this includes all financial service providers);
• Be hosted by a committee or organisation willing to consider bringing their banking to Regional Australia Bank. Priority will be given to those organisations that have done so;
• For larger sponsorships, allow Regional Australia Bank to develop and implement an effective marketing communications program tailored specifically to the event or project; and
• For larger sponsorships, allow Regional Australia Bank to share the successes at the conclusion of the event or project.

A Community Support Application Form can be found on the Regional Australia Bank website or you can pick one up from your local branch. The form is used to obtain the information required to assess the application. Although  applications are accepted throughout the year, community groups are encouraged to submit applications in Application Period.

The grants program provides financial support to organisations and projects that contribute to the development and promotion of the communities in which we live and work.

There are two types of activities that GrainCorp’s Grants program funds:

1. Community-related programs & activities (Maximum funding limit: $5,000)
2. Community infrastructure projects (Maximum funding limit: $20,000)

To be eligible for a grant, the organisation or project must:

• Be based within a GrainCorp operational region or region linked to grain growing activities;
• Be intended to have a positive effect on local communities in rural and regional areas;
• Demonstrate a direct connection with community development; and
• Align with at least one of GrainCorp’s Community Foundation Pillars.

GrainCorp opens two rounds every year for grant funding applications:

• 1 – 29 February
• 1 – 31 July

The Program aims to help the NSW community rediscover the culture, the events and the people that shaped transport in NSW over the past 170 years, as well as support the restoration and conservation of, and access to our valuable heritage assets (including buildings, rolling stock, vehicles, museum objects and collections).

Depending on the type of project, the following are eligible to apply for grants:

• Organisations: NSW or ACT¹ based bodies corporate that are not-for-profit or charitable institutions with transport heritage and/or NSW heritage or history as their primary objective and purpose.
• Individuals: Members of Transport Heritage NSW. Individuals may apply in the following categories but only in partnership with an eligible organisation:
  • Restoration, reconstruction or preservation
  • Exhibition, interpretation, education or publication
  • Audience development, accessibility and inclusion.

¹ ACT organisations may only apply for heavy rail projects relating to the history and heritage of NSW
Government Railway

This grant supports the delivery of a new service model for Aboriginal families who need support to resolve their housing needs, whilst addressing at least one other social matter nominated by the Aboriginal organisation on behalf of the community.

Who can apply

Applicants must meet the Mandatory Criteria to be considered eligible, including:

• must be located in NSW
• must be an Aboriginal Organisation as defined in NSW Aboriginal Procurement Policy (must be able to provide evidence)
• must show evidence of how the organisation is currently working and / or have worked within the community in the past.
• must be able to show evidence which includes locations, community cohorts, partnered stakeholders / providers your organisation has worked with in the past to support the community in the form of support letters and the like

ANZ Seeds of Renewal is a small grants program designed to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.

The program demonstrates ANZ’s ongoing commitment to shape a world where people and communities thrive. It is built on two key tenets:

• Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and

• Sustainable communities innovate, expand, and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.

 Who can apply?

Applications are invited from not-for-profit, community based organisations (with an ABN or Incorporation Certificate), including social enterprises, who will deliver projects with a demonstrable medium to long term benefit to a regional community of 15,000 people or less.

Lowitja Institute provides Major Research Grants to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations. The grant period is two years and the maximum amount available per project is $200,000.

As part of their commitment to Knowledge Translation, an additional $20,000 grant is offered to all recipients of Lowitja Institute’s Major Research Grant within 12 months of the commencement date, to support organisations to deliver on their vision and aspirations in relation to research impact. This grant assists in getting the right message to the right audience, to achieve impact for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This grant opportunity specifically supports innovative and responsive community research led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of our mobs.

The Major Research Grants provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations to transform their ideas into reality.

Who can apply:

The Major Research Grants are for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations only.

Organisations are not expected to have research experience for the Major Research Grants. Those without existing relationships with researchers or internal research expertise can contact us regarding how we might assist in pairing them with a suitable researcher.

Digital Sisters is a digital inclusion program to support refugee and migrant women. The program aims to empower women to build digital skills, confidence and connections in the Australian community.

With 55 community organisations, we will be supporting refugee and migrant women aged 18 to 50 years. The program is being designed to be culturally appropriate and build skills and connections in local people, support services and communities.

Participating organisations will receive $10,000 grant funding, training and support.

Who can apply?

55 community organisations in our network will be grant-funded to participate in the program. New organisations can join the network to take part in this program.

We want to work with organisations who have existing connections with refugee and migrant women. Ideally you will have 2 bilingual staff or volunteers who will work on this project and provide digital skills support.

The Australian Government is inviting organisations via an open competitive process to apply to deliver services nationally under the Program 2.1 – Families and Communities – Support for Trafficked People – Forced Marriage Specialist Support Program from 2024–25 to 2027–28.

The objectives of the FMSSP grant opportunity are to: 

• Deliver a coordinated national response to support the victims and survivors of forced marriage, working with all communities that experience forced marriage, including CALD communities.
• Assist those at risk of, or who have experienced forced marriage by providing access to support that is needs-based, and provided for as long as is needed for their recovery and healing due to the negative impacts of being at risk of, or in a forced marriage.
• Provide those at risk of, or who have experienced, forced marriage a safe, confidential, person-centered, culturally sensitive, trauma-informed entry point to the FMSSP.
• Establish processes to screen eligible victims and survivors for legal, physical, psychological, family and community indicators of forced marriage, outlined in Australian legislation, standards, research and good practice, and drawing on the lived experience of victims and survivors.
• Provide specific prevention and early intervention support to those at risk of forced marriage, including establishing and maintaining linkages with other services for referral and establishing processes under the FMSSP for escalating higher risk cases for appropriate support and referral to ensure client safety.
• Educate the community in a culturally safe way about the importance of both parties willingly consenting to marriage and raise awareness and understanding about forced marriage and coercive control and their rights under Australian law.

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

• Company 
• Cooperative 
• Incorporated Association 
• Indigenous Corporation

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

Plus1 is a program to assist small-to-medium not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations develop their fundraising capacity, attract private sector support, grow stronger and broader networks and build supportive partnerships.   

The program pledges dollar-for-dollar matched funding of monies raised through a nominated fundraising campaign. 

The type and scope of the project/activity presented for Plus1 support is determined by the applicant. 

 Examples include but are not limited to:  

• Employment of artists or arts/culture workers (new contracts or continued employment of existing staff)

• Core operational costs

• Creating and presenting new works. E.g. artist’s fees, creative development, production, marketing and touring costs 

• Program initiatives. E.g. education programs and/or scholarship opportunities

• Employment of new staff. E.g. an artistic director, business development manager, or fundraising and marketing staff

• Fundraising support. E.g. campaign expenses, customer relationship management, and IT software and hardware

• Capital works or building upgrades

Plus1 campaigns should have a legacy impact on supported organisations, with benefits to the organisation beyond the funding period. Typical impacts include:    

• New donors contributing to the organisation

• Increased investment from existing donors

• Acquisition of new skills through the undertaking of the fundraising campaign

 Who can apply:

• legally constituted entities (with an ABN).  

• those registered as a not-for-profit organisation, as defined by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)¹  

• with an annual turnover of less than $5 million in the calendar year 2023 or financial year 2022/23

• based in Australia and are carrying out the majority of their arts activity or practice within Australia

• operating with the primary purpose of providing arts and cultural opportunities for Australian artists and audiences

The Creative Futures Fund is an initiative of the National Cultural Policy, referenced in the policy as “Works of Scale”. The Fund will support the creation and sharing of Australian stories and new ways for people to engage with them.

Creative Futures Fund: Development Investment can support the creation and testing of new ideas and works, the establishment of new partnerships, collaborations and skills to lay the foundations for future delivery. This stream is also suitable for applicants who are testing their work in the market.

If your idea is ready for presentation, Delivery Investment may be more suitable.

Applications are sought for great ideas that are ambitious, unexpected and innovative. This includes new works and projects that may leverage existing intellectual property. The innovation could be in the story, the artforms or mediums used, the partners and artists you work with, or the way you will present or share the work.

The Creative Futures Fund will support the creation and sharing of Australian stories and new ways for people to engage with them. Creative Futures Fund: Delivery Investment will bring new Australian stories to life so people can engage with and experience them.

It is for works in their final stages of development that are ready for presentation. Investment can be used to adapt existing works that have already had a public outcome, develop and deepen partnerships, secure co-investment, realise and share the work, and capture the impact this has had for you, your collaborators and those experiencing the work.

If your project is not at this stage, you may wish to consider the Development Investment stream.

Applications are sought for great ideas that are ambitious, unexpected and innovative. This includes new works and projects that may leverage existing intellectual property. The innovation could be in the story, the artforms or mediums used, the partners and artists you work with, or the way you will present or share the work.

As part of Creative Australia’s multi-year investment program, they have introduced a new stream of investment – Delivery Partners – to support the provision of services to the arts and creative industries. 

Creative Australia’s Delivery Partners are entities which provide services for artists, creative workers, organisations and enterprises, and which benefit our creative ecology, communities and audiences.

As part of Creative Australia’s multi-year investment program, they have introduced a new stream of investment – Delivery Partners – to support the provision of services to the arts and creative industries. 

Creative Australia’s Delivery Partners are entities which provide services for artists, creative workers, organisations and enterprises, and which benefit our creative ecology, communities and audiences.

The Elevate: First Nations Storytelling and Literature Fund is a $10,000 career development grant for First Nations individuals and groups. The opportunity is open to writers, poets, editors, illustrators, journalists, arts workers and groups in the literature sector. Elevate is designed to support and develop career pathways and opportunities which may include capacity building, networking, mentoring, residencies, and audience development for their work.

Who can apply

• First Nations individuals and groups
• You must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident, and a practicing artist or arts professional.

Elevate can be used for career development which may include:

• study/course expenses
• development of work
• Masterclass/residencies
• project research
• mentoring
• conference or festival attendance
• travel and accommodation
• materials