Search Grants & Funding

A range of allowances and scholarships are available for students in rural and remote locations who live away from the family home to attend school.

Living away from home allowance

The Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA) assists eligible NSW families whose children must board away from home to access secondary education. Pre-conditions for eligibility relate to income and distance from the nearest public secondary school or school of preferred religion. Applicants must also meet further criteria such as a medical condition or impassable roads.

Boarding scholarships for isolated students

Boarding Scholarships for Isolated Students (BSIS) assist eligible students from rural areas who are required to board to attend NSW public specialist high schools – including agricultural boarding schools – or those required to board at a school term hostel to access a NSW public secondary school. Scholarships are available for students in Years 7 to 12 who are disadvantaged by a low family income and geographical isolation.

Australian Government assistance

The Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme (AIC) is an Australian Government program that targets students who cannot attend a public school because the family home is geographically isolated or the students have a disability or special needs.

These grants provide financial assistance for landholders managing conservation agreement areas to improve the biodiversity value of their properties.

The grants are available on an on-going basis for landholders who are not seeking or are ineligible for conservation management payments under the Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s Conservation Management Program.

There are four levels of funding available:

1. Up to $15,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with in-perpetuity conservation agreements, Trust Agreements, Registered Property Agreements.
2. Up to $8,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with a term Registered Property Agreement.
3. Up to $2,000 per year for up to three years for landholders with a wildlife refuge or wildlife refuge agreement or who are members of Wildlife Land Trust.
4. Landholders with Land For Wildlife agreements can apply to the Community Environment Network (CEN) for conservation partners grants of up to $2,000 per year.

In-perpetuity agreements greater than 1,000 Ha in size may be eligible for up to $30,000/year for up to three years. Investment at this level is at the discretion of the BCT and subject to case-by-case assessment.

Non-profit organisations directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for a low interest loan of up to $25,000 to support recovery.

The objective of the program is to provide a concessional interest rate loan to eligible non-profit organisations to assist with the costs associated with restoring essential facilities, equipment or other assets damaged or destroyed and/or temporary storage or leasing of alternate premises required as a result of the declared natural disaster. 

Natural Disaster Relief Loans are only provided to eligible non-profit organisations following the declaration of a natural disaster by the NSW Government.

This grant funding supports opportunities for quality improvement activities within Aboriginal Medical Services to contribute to a cancer system that is responsive to the needs of Aboriginal people.

The objective of this grant is to enable collaborative efforts between Aboriginal Medical Services and Primary Health Networks to contribute to a cancer system that is responsive to the needs of Aboriginal people. 

This grant will enable workshop hosting, attendance, travel, accommodation and the development of cancer quality improvement initiatives.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be employed at a NSW- based Primary Health Network
  The Project Lead must be employed at a Primary Health Network within NSW. Grant funding provided by the Cancer Institute NSW must be used toward enabling the quality collaborative within NSW-based Aboriginal Medical Services.
   
• Be endorsed by a Primary Health Network
  Applications must nominate a single Primary Health Network who will be responsible for the management of the grant and will enter into a Competitive Grants Agreement – Short Form. 
  The Institution must have in place policies and procedures for the administration of public funds; for the management of Intellectual Property; and for proper conduct of research in relation to ethics.
  At the time of grant application submission, an Endorsement Letter from the relevant Institution Contact (e.g., Chief Executive Officer) on an institutional letterhead must be included.
   
• Demonstrate appropriate Aboriginal representation in the development and delivery of the grant
  The Primary Health Network must provide the funding directly to the Aboriginal Medical Service/s in the region. Each application must demonstrate appropriate engagement with their local Aboriginal Medical Service/s across the funding period.

Primary producers directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for a low interest loan of up to $130,000 to support recovery.

The objective of the program is to provide a concessional interest rate loan to eligible primary producers and primary production enterprises to assist with the costs associated with essential working capital for up to 12 months from the date of the declared natural disaster to continue farming operations until normal income resumes or until the next major income is received and/or replacement and/or repair of property damaged as a result of the declared natural disaster. 

This assistance measure is only provided to eligible primary producers following the declaration of a natural disaster by the NSW Government.

Small business operators directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for a low interest loan of up to $130,000 to support recovery.

The objective of the program is to provide a concessional interest rate loan to eligible small businesses to assist with the costs associated with essential working capital for up to 12 months from the date of the declared natural disaster to continue business operations until normal income resumes or until the next major income is received and/or to replace and/or to repair property damaged as a result of the declared natural disaster. 

Natural Disaster Relief Loans are only provided to eligible small business operators following the declaration of a natural disaster by the NSW Government.

Community benefit payments are intended to benefit local communities and to offset the potential harm of increased gaming machines in a local government area.

Community benefit payments are generally given to local not for profit and charitable organisations to support communities in the local government area where the funding is generated.

Potential grant recipients may include, but are not limited to, organisations that provide services and support relating to health, mental health, youth, housing, domestic and family violence, social or financial disadvantage and Aboriginal or culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Funded organisations incorporate gambling harm minimisation strategies into their usual activities in a way that contributes to the support they provide to local communities.

This program provides funding assistance to organisations that donate and transport donated fodder to a central location within NSW for the benefit of three or more primary producers with livestock, in the event of a natural disaster. This contributes to an outcome of quicker recovery from natural disaster.

The scheme will pay for the costs of donating and transporting donated fodder to affected properties or storage facilities in a central location up to a maximum of distance of 1,500 kilometres.

Eligibility:

• The subsidy on transport of donated fodder is available to organisations* that donate and transport donated fodder for the benefit of three or more primary producers, whose property has been affected by a natural disaster.
• Pre-approval for the transport of the donated fodder must be obtained from the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) by the organisation including agreement on estimates for the amount of fodder to be transported, the number of trips to be completed and the total distance to be travelled.
• The donated fodder must be delivered to a central location within the declared natural disaster area.
• The central location receiving donated fodder must be in an area of NSW that has been declared a Natural Disaster.
• Payment of any assistance can only occur upon production of tax invoices for expenses incurred.
• Payment of any assistance is contingent on recipients acknowledging this financial support in annual reports, media releases, digital and printed materials, web pages and online documents, advertising, plaques and signs.
• Claims must be made within three months of the RAA's approval to the transport of the donated fodder.
• As part of the application process, the applicant must agree to relevant details from the proposed application being provided to the regional Rural Financial Counsellor, Rural Resilience Officers or other co-ordinating entity so as to promote coordination of effort

Exclusions:

• Small volumes of fodder (i.e. under one tonne per load).
• Poor quality fodder, including fodder found to include weeds or other invasive species. The RAA must refuse to approve movements from regions with known or suspected biosecurity concerns. Under the Biosecurity Act 2015, the RAA cannot approve movements that present a known biosecurity risk
• In circumstances where the RAA receives notification of poor quality fodder, or fodder with weeds or other invasive species, the RAA is required to report this to NSW Biosecurity. Application and claims from organisations involved will be put on hold until a review of the operator’s movements can be completed.
• Transport of donated fodder from individual donors to individual farmers.
• Transport of donated fodder to commercial feedlots and/or feed processors.

The subsidy is available to eligible primary producers for the transport of fodder and/or water to a property, stock to/from agistment, stock to sale or slaughter, or bee or oyster movements following a declared natural disaster.

The objective of the program is to provide a subsidy to eligible primary producers and primary production enterprises for the transport of fodder and/or water to a property, stock to/from agistment, stock to sale or slaughter, or bee or oyster movements following a declared natural disaster. 

The Narrative Content Short Film Production Funding Program supports a team of content makers that must include Director, Writer, Producer and, where applicable, Animator, to make a Narrative Content Short Film intended for theatrical festivals.   

The aims of Narrative Content Short Film Production Program are to support:

• Australian live action or animated Narrative Short Films for a first and primary window of a theatrical festival outcome;

• talent who are connected to the stories they tell and reflect the breadth of Australia in service of cultural, creative and economic benefits; and
• talent and stories with viable pathways to festival audiences locally and/or globally.

The program will have two application rounds per financial year.

Communities, families and students value the NSW Community Languages Schools Program. The program helps students learn and use another language and connects young Australians to the language, heritage and culture of their community. It also helps build strong communities and it helps build respect in Australia for our many different cultures.

Schools may be eligible for a government grant to support a community language program.

There are three types of grants:

Establishment grant

This is a one-off grant of $2,500 for organisations that are setting up language classes for the first time. The aim of the grant is to help new community language schools in their first year.

Note: All organisations must submit an EOI by 1 April if applying for an Establishment Grant in the same year.

Per capita grant

This grant is used to help cover school operating costs such as teaching materials, staff wages and new equipment. The funding amount is based on the number of eligible students enrolled during term one. You can apply for this grant after you have been operating for more than 12 months.

Specific project grant

This grant of up to $10,000 is available to develop teaching materials or run training activities. The project should benefit other community language schools that use the same language.

No Interest Loans (NILs) are 0% interest and with no fees or charges. Submit your quote with your application and NILs will pay it straight to the supplier / vendor. Loans cannot be used for cash, bills, debts or rent.

Borrow up to $2000 for essentials such as appliances or furniture, car repairs, a new computer or laptop, or medical, dental or vet expenses. Borrow up to $3000 for bond on a new rental property or for recovery from a natural disaster.

Eligibility

• have a Health Care Card / Pension Card
• OR earn less than $70,000 (before tax) as a single
• OR earn less than $100,000 (before tax) if you have a partner or dependents
• OR have experienced family or domestic violence in the last 10 years
• AND you have lived at your current address for a minimum of three months
• AND you can show you can afford to repay the loan (Centrepay and direct debit available)

No Interest Loans are offered by more than 170 local community not-for-profit organisations in over 600 locations.

The Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) provides a payment to help reduce the costs of buying continence products from a supplier of your choice.

To get CAPS you need to meet all the eligibility requirements. The basic requirements are that you:

• have permanent and severe incontinence
• have an eligible neurological condition or eligible other condition that is the cause of your permanent and severe incontinence
• be 5 years or older
• be an Australian citizen.

The CAPS payment rate for 2025–26 is $717.10. The payment may increase or decrease a little every year following the Government’s budget process.

In early 2011, Bowls Australia, in partnership with its state and territory associations, established the Bowls Disaster Relief Fund to aid its clubs in times of need.

With natural disasters regularly threatening Australia, clubs will be able to access the funds via an application process through Bowls Australia, with 100% of all sums to be redirected to those clubs in need.

Applications for the Bowls Disaster Relief Fund are open for clubs who have been affected by recent natural disasters.

Clubs can apply for up to $3,000 which will be assessed by Bowls Australia, depending on the circumstances and the details contained within the application.

Categories

• Restoring social networks and functioning
  Funding can be used to hold a community event or social activity, keep communities informed, record the disaster event as part of local history, or to develop skills and networks that build capacity for the future.
• Restoring community facilities
  Funding can be used to repair or reinstate the structure of a damaged facility, or to repair or replace damaged fittings and equipment integral to the function of a facility.
• Replenishing loss of equipment
  Funding can be used to replace bowls equipment lost or damaged during the natural disaster.

The Indigenous Youth Mobility Pathways Project (IYMP) is an innovative project which supports young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from regional and remote communities across the nation to Dream, Learn and Lead.

Help through the project includes:

• Tailored support young Indigenous Australians need to pursue their dreams and achieve their long-term career goals. 
• Addresses and removes the barriers to education and employment providing holistic support to young Indigenous people whilst engaged in the project.
• Provides support to over 230 young Indigenous people per year across Australia.
• Indigenous youth are supported to move to an IYMP host location to participate in vocational training, University and Australian Apprenticeships. 
• Participants are supported in every aspect of life. IYMP aspires to teach all the life skills required to live an independent and meaningful life beyond IYMP support.
• IYMP cultivate First Nation leaders who inspire other young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to chase their dreams, take skills back to their home community and build the capacity of remote communities across the country.

To apply under this project, a young Indigenous person must be:

• From a remote or regional community.
• Aged between 16 and 24 years upon commencement of the project.
• Willing to commit to a suitable career pathway, work hard to achieve set goals and become a future leader.