Search Grants & Funding

Organisations with specialist expertise in LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing are invited to apply for one-off competitive grants to support new and existing initiatives at the local, regional and national level that will foster access to appropriate, culturally sound and inclusive health care. The LHP will contain multiple funding rounds, and the design of future rounds may be refined based on the outcomes and feedback of previous rounds.

Specific objectives of the LHP are:

• building the capacity and capability of organisations to enhance accessibility, availability and safety of healthcare services for LGBTIQA+ people.
• building the capacity in communities through strengthened partnerships to enhance preventive health, protective factors and build health literacy for LGBTIQA+ communities.
• growing the evidence base to inform decision making and enhance future action and support for LGBTIQA+ communities.

The intended outcomes of the LHP are:

• improved health and wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ people through access to safe, respectful, high-quality, and inclusive services.
• reduced preventable mortality and morbidity via health promotion, improved health literacy, disease prevention, and early intervention.
• better outcomes for priority subpopulations at greatest risk, including First Nations people, those in regional and remote areas, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, those experiencing mental ill-health, and people impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence.
• enhanced delivery of care that is safe, high-quality, affirming, trauma-informed, and person-centred.
• increased understanding of LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing experiences through robust data collection, analysis, and evaluation of policies, programs, and services.

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

1. To be eligible, you must demonstrate the application is on behalf of an organisation where the service is:
   1. an LGBTIQA+ community-led health and wellbeing service (see definition in glossary on page 25), or
   2. a partnership between an LGBTIQA+ community-led health and wellbeing service and other health and wellbeing service, where shared resourcing and decision-making is demonstrated, or
   3. delivered by a generalist organisation but primarily intended to improve the health or wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people and this service has been running within the past 3 years (i.e. was operating for any amount of time between January 2023 to now).

Please note, organisations eligible under option b or c will need to provide specific information supporting their application, including evidence of partnership arrangements and letters of support from LGBTIQA+ community-led organisations.

2. The organisation’s proposed program must address one or more actions of Focus Area 2 or 3 from the National Action Plan.
3. Additionally, applications must be from, or auspiced by, organisations that:
   1. are a non-government organisation
   2. are registered with the ACNC
   3. have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
   4. are registered for the purposes of GST
   5. have an account with an Australian financial institution
   6. are a legal entity with the capacity to enter into a legally binding agreement or contract
   7. hold current public liability insurance appropriate for the proposed activities (evidence required at application stage)
   8. have a governing body (e.g., board or management committee) responsible for organisational decision-making
   9. maintain financial controls, including authorised signatories for expenditure
   10. have processes in place to manage conflicts of interest and complaints appropriate to the size of the organisation 

The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards that showcase best practice in vocational education and training (VET).  The Awards recognise and celebrate excellence and are an important mechanism for promoting the benefits of VET.

Winners from each state and territory training awards compete for a national award title. Direct entry is also available for some award categories.

Categories include:

Individual

• The Outstanding Achievement in the VET and Skills Sector Award (Direct Entry)
• Australian School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Vocational Student of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Trainee of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Apprentice of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award (Direct Entry)

Business

• Small Employer of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Large Employer of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Australian Apprenticeships Employer Award (Direct Entry)
• Industry Collaboration Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Innovation in VET Award (Direct Entry)

Registered Training Organisation

• Small Training Provider of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• Large Training Provider of the Year Award (State/Territory Entry)
• School Pathways to VET Award (Direct Entry)

The award recognises research in the physical and biological sciences, allowing interdisciplinary and sociocultural research that could straddle the social sciences and humanities, by outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD students and early- and mid-career scientists. It aims to support their research and/or the expansion and growth of their research networks and international knowledge exchange through visits to relevant international centres of research.

Awards will be for up to $20,000, with additional support provided to attend the Academy's biennial Science at the Shine Dome event.

The purpose of the 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards is to acknowledge, encourage and most importantly promote the positive achievements of all young people in NSW & the ACT, 30 years of age and under, as of 31st December each year.

The purpose of the Collier Charitable Fund is to continue the legacies of Alice, Annette and Edith Collier by striving to improve the lives of Victorians and other Australians by assisting those in need.

The Wills of the Collier sisters stipulate the areas to be funded and the proportion of income to be applied to each of the areas. The support provided focuses on Victorians in some instances, and in other instances it encompasses the wider Australian community.

The following provides an overview of the areas that are funded for the wider Australian community.

• Progressing Education & Training 
in Australia

  Funding in this area aims to progress education and training in Australia. The Will refers to "Public Educational Purposes in the Commonwealth of Australia". The area of public education and training is broad and the Fund supports schools, universities, research institutes and vocational training bodies.

• Furthering Faith and Religious
endeavours in Australia

  Funding in this area aims to further faith and religious endeavours in Australia. The Will refers to "Religious Purposes in the Commonwealth of Australia".

• Aiding OTHER Australian Charitable Causes
  Funding in this area aims to aid other Australian charitable causes. The Will refers to "the Relief of Poverty in Australia, the Australian Red Cross, the Education of children of deceased or incapacitated Sailors, Soldiers, or Airmen and any other charitable purposes". This area provides scope to fund areas not specifically identified in the Will.

The general funding practices currently adopted by the trustees are:

• To encourage organisations to seek funding that meets their own priorities, not those that may be thought to be favoured by the trustees.
• To be broad and flexible in their approach, within the scope of the focus areas.
• To fund a variety of organisations and initiatives rather than to make very large grants to fewer organisations.
• To be open to making limited multi-year grants.
• To be open to supporting organisations in collaboration with other grantmakers to maximise impact and eliminate duplication.
• To be open to supporting organisations that collaborate with other like-minded organisations to maximise impact and eliminate duplication.
• To be supportive of applications to build organisational capacity. This may include:
  • staff costs
  • staff training
  • costs to improve effectiveness through the use of technology, and
  • developing strategic capacity.

• Where funds available permit, being open to out-of-round applications for emergency relief or genuinely urgent matters.
• To limit each organisation to one application per sub-Fund.
• To limit the number of larger grants. The average grant over recent years has been in the $30,000 to $35,000 range.
• From time to time to make grants on the Trustees’ own initiative.
• Not to support the following applications:
  • initiatives that only benefit an individual or an individual's family
  • that seek contributions for the corpus of another grant making organisation.

The STEM Equity and Access Program (SEAP), previously known as the Supporting Young Scientists Equity and Access Program (SYSEAP), supports high school students wishing to further their STEM education through a related competition, event, or course either within Australia or internationally.

The Program aims to maximise STEM education opportunities for NSW high school students who are:

• experiencing financial hardship
• from a low socio-economic background
• from regional or remote locations
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• living with a disability or disorder
• from any other backgrounds that might need support

Funding is provided on an open competitive basis and will be offered through a bi-annual program.

The BEST Program forms part of the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting the role of ex-service organisation (ESO) compensation and wellbeing advocates, who provide advice and assistance to the veteran and defence communities.

The BEST Program has been updated and simplified in response to the recommendations from the Senate Standing Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee Inquiry into issues relating to advocacy services for veterans accessing compensation and income support, and recommendation 99 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide final report.

The objectives of the BEST Program are to assist ESOs to:

• provide free advocacy services to veterans and families of veterans
• improve the quality of claims received by DVA at the primary determining level
• promote the provision of wellbeing services to the veteran and defence communities.

The intended outcomes of the BEST Program are to ensure:

• the veteran and defence communities have access to free compensation and wellbeing advocacy services
• the veteran and defence communities benefit from ESO advocates who can lodge claims with DVA that are of a high standard and contain all required information to enable timely and quality decisions at no cost to the veteran
• ESO advocates can assist in improving claims assessment efficiency.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply in your own right, you must be an ESO and one of the following entity types:

• Company
• Cooperative
• Corporate State or Territory Entity
• Incorporated Association
• Indigenous Corporation
• Statutory Entity.

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

If you are an ESO but not an eligible entity type (as listed above), another ESO with an eligible entity type can apply on your behalf as a sponsor. The sponsor MUST complete and submit the application, not the sponsored ESO.

If you are not an ESO, you are not eligible to apply for a grant (either in your own right, or if you have a sponsor apply on your behalf).

Additional eligibility requirements apply, please see section 4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.

Per capita grants help cover school operating costs such as teaching materials, staff wages and new equipment for community language schools. The amount of the grant is based on the number of students who have enrolled in your community language school.

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

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

You can use the grant for:

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

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

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

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

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

Community Small Grants and Community Support Grants support groups and services within the local government area.

Community groups, not-for-profit organisations, arts and cultural organisations, sporting clubs, and individuals are encouraged to apply for these grants which are offered regularly:

• Community Small Grants ($0-$2000)
• Community Support Grants ($2000-$5000)

Residents of Armidale region's villages can apply for:

• Armidale Regional Village Grants – up to $3500

The Royal Freemasons Benevolent Institution (RFBI) Benevolence Grant Program supports community-led initiatives that help improve the health and well-being of older people, particularly in areas where RFBI operates. It will run from July 2026 to June 2030.

Australian charities and not-for-profit organisations that can enter into a legal agreement and hold an Australian bank account are welcome to apply. Those not eligible for a grant include individuals, unincorporated groups, government agencies and overseas organisations.

Funding can be used for operational or service‑delivery costs that directly support the project, including staff time.

RFBI can fund up to 80% of project costs. Applicants are asked to contribute at least 20% through either financial or in-kind support. This helps strengthen the long-term sustainability of projects.

Co-funding supports shared ownership and helps ensure projects have a strong foundation beyond the grant period. The program focuses on charities and not-for-profits that are best placed to deliver community-level outcomes, complementing existing government funding pathways.

Pride Foundation Australia (PFA) is proud to announce their first large grant round for 2026 with a total funding pool of $20,000, with a focus on supporting sexuality, sex, and gender diverse (LGBTQIA+) people who have been forcibly displaced and residing in Australia.

Commonly the Large Grants Are Suited to Projects Including:

• Community development
• Education initiatives
• Applied, community-led research with tangible outcomes in the field
• Events or conferences

The grants are not intended to support capital and building works, vehicles, furniture or equipment, general fund-raising, travel, books or religious activities.

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Organisational status that is recognised through incorporation, who are registered as a business or association with an ABN (charity registration and DGR status is not required),
• Organisations who have received a previous grant from PFA are eligible to re-apply for an extension or new project but is required to submit an acquittal for the previously funded project,
• Individuals cannot apply.

The Universal Charitable Fund (UCF) makes grants to small and medium sized Australian charities making a big difference in the lives of people in need both in Australia and overseas. Their focus is on community projects that positively contribute to the alleviation of poverty, disadvantage, marginalisation and distress while building both individual and community capacity. They want their contribution to inspire others to share in making a difference by supporting people in need and building a better future for all.

UCF focuses its grant making on supporting the work of small and medium sized charities (e.g. income up to $1m pa) which are registered with the ACNC and endorsed by the ATO with Deductible Gift Recipient status (DGR1).

Their priority is to fund charities which fit into one (or more) of the following areas and with a focus on alleviation of poverty, distress, disadvantage or marginalisation.

• Education
• Health
• Building self-sufficient communities (sustainable)
• Children and youth

Any programme asking for funding must be able to be completed within 12 months and have a clear charitable purpose consistent with its tax-deductible gift status.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Funding is also available for:

• Collection management training projects

The ETREA Foundation is committed to making a positive difference in our world. They exist to provide financial support that bridges the gap between self-empowerment ideals and existing community support. The projects, initiatives and activities funded by the ETREA Foundation create outcomes to empower humanity through emotional health. They enable people to become equipped in order to strive towards their goals and achieve their inner potential. Their aim is to encourage, support and cultivate the essence of personal empowerment and life-balance.

Is your project the right fit?
Make sure you/your organisation and your project align to the ETREA Foundation:

• Located and facilitated within Australia
• Aligned with ETREA Foundation purpose, values and guiding principles
• Addresses the emotional and mental trauma of project participants
• Participants are given a ‘hand-up’ not a ‘hand-out’.

Types of projects they fund

• Facilitating a project (e.g. workshop, mentoring, small group therapy, personal development course)
• Development of a workshop, personal development course, therapy group, mentoring

Eligible grant activities
To be eligible your grant project or activity must include or address most of the following:

• Work with individuals or groups
• Have the purpose of providing personal guidance, growth and self-understanding
• Address core internal beliefs and thoughts, emotions and behaviours that have caused emotional distress or poor emotional health.
• Provide practical mental skills and strategies
• Aim to break negative cycles of disempowerment
• Activities directly related to the project and can include:
  • Mentoring
  • Small group workshops / seminars
  • Education / information to develop participants knowledge
  • Development of collaborative plans for the individual
  • Coaching
  • Counselling
  • Retreats
  • Other activities that enable the participant to achieve understanding of mental and emotional causes

Types of projects they DON’T fund
The application for your project will be ineligible if it is for or part of any of the following:

• Associated, affiliated, run, part of or otherwise linked to a religion
• Associated with gambling, unethical behaviours, are harmful to people including Indigenous people, or are harmful to the environment
• Individual persons
• Overseas resident/organisation
• Fundraising
• Development of a website
• Purchase of equipment, food, clothing, etc
• Training for individuals, volunteers 5
• Marketing or Research