Community Grants and Funding Opportunities

The FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grant program helps communities act on issues of current concern for young Australians, as identified by youth at the annual Heywire Youth Summit in Canberra.

The Heywire Youth Summit provides an opportunity for young people from across Australia to collectively identify issues that have impacted them growing up in remote, rural and regional Australia.

The Heywire Youth Innovation Grants provide up to $10,000 for communities to act on these issues by developing local projects that respond to these issues.

Through these grants, this program aims to:

• Make remote, rural, and regional Australia a better place to grow up for young Australians;
• Put young people at the centre of decision making about issues affecting them within their community;
• Strengthen young people’s connections to their community, by providing an avenue for organisations to engage well with youth.

The Program supports First Nations people to voluntarily dedicate and manage their land, or land and sea Country, for biodiversity conservation and the protection of cultural values. Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) are recognised by the Australian Government as an important part of the National Reserve System (NRS) of Protected Areas, and complementary to the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas.

The objectives of the Australian Bushland Program (ABP) are to strategically grow protected and conserved areas by targeting priority areas in line with the principles, criteria and pathways outlined in the National 30 by 30 Roadmap through:

1. prioritising the protection or conservation of areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services and functions
2. increasing the ecological representativeness and comprehensiveness of the National Reserve System and Conserved Area Network
3. supporting First Nations people to care for Country.

The Community Led Climate Solutions grant program supports not-for-profit organisations across remote, rural and regional Australia to drive local climate solutions that reduce emissions through education, engagement and action on:

• Clean energy;
• Circular economies;
• Decarbonisation;
• Sustainable agriculture and food systems;
• Biodiverse ecosystems; or
• Just transitions.

Community Led Climate Solutions Projects must support remote, rural and regional communities to act locally to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help address the impacts of climate change for positive and sustainable environmental, social and economic outcomes.

Grants up to $20,000 are available for a broad range of community-led initiatives that must achieve at least one of the following objectives:

• Drive engagement, education and leadership in remote, rural and regional climate solutions;
• Activate locally-led opportunities to advance: the clean energy transition, climate adaptation, decarbonisation, or circular economies; or
• Support just transitions to clean energy economies to help communities thrive.

Project activity supported may include:

• Community education and engagement in opportunities and benefits of innovative climate solutions, such as clean energy, energy efficiency and circular economy practices;
• Community engagement in the planning and delivery of just transitions to maximise opportunities for local communities and First Nations peoples;
• Decarbonisation and transitions to clean energy production, storage or usage that embeds community decision making and asset ownership, or creates local jobs, or addresses equity, inclusion or affordability;
• Climate change adaptation that intersects with health, preparedness, resilience or addresses equity, inclusion or affordability;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land and sea management practices supporting climate solutions;
• Protection, restoration and regenerative practices for land and sea supporting climate solutions;
• Sustainable agriculture and food production delivering climate solutions that embed community decision making and asset ownership, or create local jobs, or addresses equity, inclusion or affordability; and
• Reducing, reusing and recycling waste, and implementing circular economy activities.

The purpose of the Investing in Women Funding Program is to fund innovative projects that focus on the three pillars that align with the NSW Women’s Strategy (2023 – 2026).

Projects must involve high-quality activity, engagement, and participation designed with and for one of the focus communities in the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023-2026:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls
• carers
• girls and young women living in, or who have lived in, out-of-home care
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer and/or asexual (LGBTIQA+) women and girls
• older women
• women and girls experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage
• women and girls facing homelessness
• women and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities
• women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system
• women and girls living in regional, rural, remote and cross-border areas
• women and girls with disability
• women and girls with a mental illness
• women and girls who have a history of, or are currently experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence
• women veterans (and the women partners of veterans and service members)
• young women

To be eligible, applicants must:

• be a legally constituted Australian-based entity. This includes:
  • Incorporated not-for-profit organisations, including community organisations
  • Social enterprises, defined as a business that trades primarily for a defined social purpose consistent with a public and/or community benefit
  • Majority women-owned and managed small businesses
• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• have appropriate public liability insurance (minimum of $10 million).
• address the NSW National Redress Scheme sanctions (included in these guidelines).
• have an account with an Australian Authorised deposit-taking institution
• not have outstanding acquittals with Women NSW
• not be receiving or have received government assistance from another program for the proposed project or a similar project
• include an applicant contribution (cash or in-kind) of a minimum 10 percent of the total project cost (not 10 percent of the amount of funding sought)
• provide a budget for their project
• be a single organisation that will accept responsibility for the delivery of the project if the application is successful.

The Aboriginal Languages Revival Program provides grant funding from $1,000 to $30,000 to support eligible Aboriginal Community organisations, groups and individuals to commence or build on smaller scale Languages revival projects or activities.

The purpose of the Aboriginal Languages Revival Program is to support Communities in NSW to:

1. develop new or emerging Language activities; and
2. strengthen the capacity of Aboriginal groups and organisations doing early-stage Language work, to grow Language activities.

The objectives of the Aboriginal Languages Revival Program are to support:

• Aboriginal Communities to develop and establish Aboriginal Language activities and projects that benefit their Community or the wider NSW Aboriginal Community,
• Aboriginal Communities to develop their own resources and deliver projects to support Aboriginal Language growth and nurturing,
• Aboriginal Communities implement their projects and activities to promote the wider use and appreciation of Aboriginal Language, and
• Community projects that align with the objectives and functions of the AL Act through financial assistance.

The Visions of Australia Program provides funding to support the development and touring of quality exhibitions around Australia by Australian arts and cultural organisations.

The objectives of the Visions of Australia Program are to:

• increase access for Australian audiences to exhibitions of quality Australian arts and cultural material, with a particular focus on touring to regional and remote Australia
• encourage partnerships between organisations such as museums and galleries, particularly collaboration across the collections sector, to form curatorial partnerships and where appropriate, access to mentoring and skills transfer opportunities.

Program funding is delivered through two streams:

• Development: for the costs of planning and producing an exhibition to tour. This includes research and design
• Touring: for the costs to produce the exhibition and the costs to transport, install and dismantle the exhibition as well as deliver public programs.

The Program delivers two funding rounds each year usually opening in February and September. The Minister for the Arts (or his delegate) approves funding under the Program Guidelines based on an assessment by the Department and independent assessors.

To be eligible you must:

• be an Australian incorporated organisation
• have as your principal purpose the arts and/or cultural heritage (usually defined in the organisation’s Constitution or Articles of Association, and reflected in the Annual Report and Business Plans)
• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST), if required by the Australian Tax Office
• not have any outstanding reports, acquittals or serious breaches relating to any Commonwealth funding.

Unincorporated groups with an arts or cultural heritage purpose may seek funding but must be auspiced by an organisation that meets the above criteria and applies on their behalf. Individual business units and entities of local government or state government authorities with an arts or cultural heritage purpose (such as art galleries, museums or performing arts centres) are eligible to apply.

To be eligible for funding, any proposed tour must include at least three venues located outside of the applicant’s state or territory, with consecutive exhibition dates. Tours originating in metropolitan areas may include metropolitan venues but projects should include at least one regional/remote venue.

Tour applications must include venue confirmation forms from each venue. Development applications must include expressions of interest forms from each venue.

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.

Australia Pacific QBE Foundation local grants are a way for us to provide meaningful support for community initiatives addressing specific areas of need.

To be eligible for a QBE Foundation local grant, the organisation:

• Must be a registered ‘not-for-profit’ (or non-profit) with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC)
• Must have Australian Tax Office endorsement of DGR 1 or 2 status
• Must not be affiliated with a political party or union, or take an overtly political stance in the focus of their work
• May have a religious basis, but any program or initiative supported by QBE must not incorporate religious teaching into the delivery of the program or initiative
• Must be based in Australia, but initiatives working in Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Fiji and Solomon Islands will be considered.

Note: Australia Pacific QBE Foundation charity partners and 2025 local grant recipients are not eligible to apply.

Application suitability and alignment

• Only applications working to address issues in our local grant categories will be considered. You will need to clearly demonstrate the relevance of your initiative to the category, so please consider this before applying
• You can only apply once per project or initiative. Please do not submit multiple applications for the same project or initiative across different categories
• QBE Foundation local grants are intended for high impact community initiatives. Requests for funding for "business as usual" activities will be considered less favourably than specific initiatives
• We understand that some initiatives require support from multiple funders. If this is the case, please outline clearly in your application where other funding is coming from, any funding expected in the future or due to end in the coming 12 months, and how you plan to report on the QBE Foundation portion of the total funding
• The organisation must be based in Australia, but initiatives working in Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Fiji and Solomon Islands will be considered.

The Mercy Foundation’s Social Justice Small Grants Program provides seed funding to assist communities and organisations to build capacity that will help create structural change and bring about greater social justice in Australia.

Projects that focus on bringing about greater inclusion for marginalised groups will be prioritised. 

Priority will be given to small organisations and those groups that receive no other funding.

Youngcare’s At Home Care Grants (AHCG) provide funding for equipment, home modifications and essential support that is unable to be funded through other means (eg. NDIS). This funding is to both enhance the quality of life for young people with high physical care needs and assist them to remain living in their own home with loved ones.

The grants provide one-off funding of up to $10,000 to help those aged 16-65 with high physical care needs who are living at home, and are at risk of entering inappropriate housing.

Grants are offered nationwide.

The Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) Governance, Resilience, Opportunities and Workforce (GROW) Grant Program aims to encourage sustainable growth and support building capacity of the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector.

The objectives of the grant are to:

- Strengthen workforce capability

• Support ACCOs to enhance workforce skills and capacity.
• Build leadership capacity within Aboriginal organisations to support succession planning and career pathways.

- Enhance governance and strategic partnerships

• Improve governance practices that reflect Aboriginal values and community accountability.
• Foster strategic partnerships that support collaboration, shared learning, and sustainability

- Support business strategy and financial sustainability

• Enable ACCOs to strengthen business planning, financial management, and revenue diversification.
• Build resilience and adaptability in response to changing funding environments and community needs.

- Improve data capability and outcomes measurement

• Support ACCOs to collect, analyse, and use data to demonstrate outcomes, inform decision-making, and advocate for community needs.

To be eligible to apply for the grant program you must be:

• a not-for-profit Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) in NSW as set out in the Clause 44 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control is an act of self-determination. Under this Agreement, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisation delivers services, including land and resource management that builds the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people and is:

• incorporated under relevant legislation and not-for-profit
• controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
• connected to the community, or communities, in which they deliver the services
• governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body.
• delivering or wanting to deliver programs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families in NSW
• have an Australian Business Number and be registered for GST

Aboriginal Affairs NSW supports the holding of events and activities in NSW to celebrate the 2026 NAIDOC week (5 July 2026 to 12 July 2026) that

• Celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and achievements
• Align with the theme of NAIDOC Week in 2026, 50 Years of Deadly
• Promote a greater awareness and understanding of Aboriginal histories and/or cultures within the broader local or regional community

Who can apply

You must deliver services to Aboriginal communities in NSW and be a not-for-profit organisation that is one of the following categories:

• An Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) 

• An unincorporated Aboriginal group that has entered into an agreement with an eligible organisation to auspice the funding   

• A not-for-profit organisation incorporated under the relevant State or Federal legislation and able to demonstrate the delivery of culturally safe projects in collaboration with Aboriginal organisations and/or communities   

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).

FRRR’s Small & Vital program supports thriving, resilient, and sustainable remote, rural and regional communities across Australia. In particular, priority will be given to projects that:

• Support communities to implement generational transition;
• Invest in outback, remote, and less resourced communities;
• Build capacity and resourcing for a just and equitable energy transition;
• Support First Nations-led initiatives that strengthen culture, country, economic participation, and reconciliation.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and assessed quarterly.

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster.

The program recognise that remote, rural and regional communities across Australia are vulnerable to climate change and disasters, experience capacity challenges in responding to and preparing for disasters where often existing disadvantage is exacerbated.

Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives that focus on community-led resilience building in recovery or preparedness to strengthen the capacity and  capability of local people and systems, especially to manage the impact of future disasters. 

Projects that focus on strengthening local inclusion, networks, communication, information sharing, self-organising systems, local decision making, resourcing, tools and support will be prioritised.

Demonstration of project need must reference a specific climate impact or event, either historic or likely to occur in the future.

The Visa Vibe Grants Program supports innovative, inclusive, and community-focused night-time economy projects across Australia.

Informed by insights from the Visa Vibe Economy Report, the program could help grow night-time activity that meets changing consumer behaviours – including Gen Z’s demand for affordable, creative, and community-driven experiences after dark – while strengthening local economies, precincts, and community connection.

They’re looking for projects that:

• Improve safety, affordability, and accessibility after dark
• Champion Gen Z and emerging demographics
• Foster innovation and vibrancy in the night-time economy
• Create measurable impact and legacy beyond the grant period
• Strengthen partnerships and place-based outcomes

Eligible Project Types

The Visa Vibe Grants Program welcomes diverse ideas that contribute to vibrant, safe, and inclusive night-time experiences. Eligible projects are:

• Night Markets, Festivals & Events
  Projects that create vibrant, affordable and repeatable after-dark experiences.
• Creative, Cultural & Community Activations
  Projects that bring arts, culture, sport and community together after dark.
• Safety, Accessibility & Streetscape Improvements
  Projects that improve real or perceived safety and accessibility in night-time environments through design, activation or infrastructure.
• Affordable & Accessible Night-time Experiences
  Projects that reduce cost barriers and expand participation in night-time activity.
• Retail, Hospitality & Mixed-Use Night Activations
  Projects that diversify night-time activity beyond traditional bars and clubs.
• Precinct-Wide or Collaborative Projects
  Projects that involve multiple businesses or partners and strengthen place-based outcomes.
• Innovation, Pilots & Scalable Concepts
  Projects that trial new ideas and can be repeated, scaled or adapted in other locations.

Building Digital Skills grants help organisations deliver free Be Connected digital literacy programs to older Australians in their community.

Building Digital Skills grants of up to $20,500 help organisations to support older Australians aged 50+ through free digital mentoring sessions. A range of resources and support materials are available to help organisations to deliver this program, including the learning courses available on the Be Connected learning site.

The grant opportunity aims to deliver health workforce training to ensure inclusive, culturally safe healthcare for LGBTIQA+ people in Australia, and a network of accredited primary care providers. The anticipated approach for LGBTIQA+ affirming care needs to be suitable for a broad range of population intersectional sub-groups.

Applications from consortia are strongly encouraged, providing there is a lead organisation that is solely accountable to the Commonwealth (see section 7.2 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines).

The objectives of the grant opportunity are:

• to improve cultural safety in primary care settings for LGBTIQA+ individuals through workforce training that is evidence-based and patient-centred, guided by evidence-based best practice and the Action Plan.
• to reduce financial barriers for primary care providers and organisations to develop skills and be formally recognised as competent in providing health care that is safe and appropriate for LGBTIQA+ clients.
• for LGBTIQA+ people to be able to readily identify and access safe and inclusive mainstream primary care services.
• to increase prevention and early intervention care episodes and improve overall health and wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ people.
• to establish a financially sustainable plan for ongoing provision of the program beyond the cessation of this grant opportunity.

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

• Company
• Cooperative
• Indigenous Corporation (registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)
• Incorporated Association
• Corporate State or Territory Entity
• Partnership
• Statutory Entity

You can also apply for this grant opportunity if you are a university that has an entity type listed above.

If you are applying as a Trustee on behalf of a Trust, the Trustee must have an eligible entity type as listed above.

Applications from consortia are strongly encouraged, providing there is a lead organisation that is solely accountable to the Commonwealth for the delivery of grant activities and is an eligible entity as per the list above. Only the lead organisation can submit the application form and enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth.

The Regional NSW Strategic Partnership Program aims to establish partnerships that strengthen the arts, culture and creative industries in regional NSW through programs for the following focus areas:

• skills development
• organisational capacity building
• audience development
• development of partnerships
• investment sourcing
• creative activation of spaces.

Through partnerships and delivery of targeted programs, the Program will address gaps in the above focus areas for regional NSW creative organisations and workers.

The intended long-term outcomes of the Program are:

• A more connected sector in regional NSW through partnerships
• Development of artists and creative workers’ practices in regional NSW
• Improved or new income streams for organisations
• Increased capacity of organisations to retain staff, deliver impactful programs and enhance community engagement.

The Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program supports Aboriginal community organisations and groups across NSW to celebrate Aboriginal cultures and hold key cultural events and activities.

The AANSW Cultural Grants Program:

• Supports Aboriginal communities to strengthen, protect and maintain traditional and contemporary expressions of Aboriginal culture
• Supports Aboriginal cultural events and activities
• Contributes to Aboriginal community wellbeing and healing through Aboriginal culture and community connection
• Supports sharing of Aboriginal cultural knowledge and skills between generations.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be one of the following:

1. A not-for-profit organisation, and one of the following:
   • An Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO)
   • An Aboriginal not-for-profit organisation
2. An unincorporated Aboriginal community group with an eligible Auspice
3. An Aboriginal Sole Trader or Business whose primary business activity relates to cultural expression or revitalisation

Applicants or their Auspice must also:

1. Be a legal entity located in NSW or in a bordering community that delivers services to Aboriginal communities in NSW
2. Propose a project to be delivered in NSW
3. Have public liability of at least $10 million per claim (or be willing to purchase as part of the application to support the project)
4. Have no outstanding requirements relating to previous funding from AANSW

The Waratah Education Public Ancillary Fund mission is to support underprivileged or disadvantaged families, children, teenagers and young adults so that they have access to educational instruction and to support and fund activities to help break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.

Waratah Education are offering grants between $10,000-$20,000 to organisations who provide front line support to disadvantaged youth in Australia. 

Organisation eligibility:

• The organisation is not-for-profit and has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Item 1 status.

• Must reside in Australia and undertake operations in Australia.

• Annual Turnover < $1.5mil

• The organisation’s mission and operations, and the proposed program, are consistent with the mission of the Waratah Education Public Ancillary Fund​

Project eligibility:

• Provide direct support to disadvantaged students by providing school resources and essentials to students experiencing financial disadvantage, which could prevent the student from realising their potential at school and/or lead to school refusal.

• Support would include providing financial support for school uniforms, books and stationery resources, and digital access.

• The organisation can demonstrate the knowledge and the expertise necessary to implement the project as well as the skills necessary for the sustainable management of the program and the responsible stewardship of resources.

• The organisation can clearly define the project, the need for the project and the impact on the beneficiaries.

• Projects that involve mentoring, tutoring, or educational programs for schools or communities may also be considered, particularly those that focus on removing barriers to school attendance.