Search Grants & Funding

The Short to Feature Fast Track Initiative combines funding for the production of a short film or proof of concept, as well as script development funds for a low budget feature film. 

The aim of this initiative is for emerging to mid-level NSW creative teams with fresh voices to have an opportunity to create a short film or proof of concept alongside script development funding on a feature film to accelerate the project towards financing and production. The feature film script does not have to be the same story or a long version of the short film but should be connected, for example, by creative voice, genre, tone or stylistic approach.  

The formats can include live action and animation for both the short/proof of concept and feature. All drama genres are eligible. There is no restriction on subject matter or style, but Screen NSW is looking for scripts that are compelling, distinctive and have a strong sense of their audience. 

The initiative will identify and track fresh NSW filmmaking talent and invest in developing and establishing their strong and distinctive creative voices. Supporting creative teams in producing a short film or proof of concept will act as a calling card for the feature film and armed with an advanced-stage draft of the feature film will enable teams to leverage further development support or marketplace finance.  

The initiative will build networks and relationships between emerging to mid-level creative teams and experienced practitioners, as well as with experienced industry professionals from the distribution sector in order to develop the teams’ understanding and awareness of the intended audience. This initiative will also assist in honing craft skills for both above the line and below the line practitioners through funding short film production. 

Matched Funding for Organisations – Beginner supports arts and cultural organisations to build and embed private sector fundraising skills, knowledge and confidence over time.

It is designed for small to medium organisations at an early stage of fundraising, who are ready to move from informal fundraising activity to a more structured and sustainable approach.  

This opportunity provides matched funding over two years, alongside structured capability development support to help organisations build and embed fundraising practice across the whole organisation. Matched funding is provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis for eligible private sector income raised, up to $25,000 per year for two years. 

Matched funding is used as a catalyst for change, helping organisations at an early stage of their fundraising development to move from ad hoc fundraising activity to planned, consistent and sustainable fundraising practice. 

The fund aims to help organisations: 

• build core fundraising systems, skills and processes
• develop and test repeatable fundraising approaches
• expand and deepen supporter relationships
• continue to grow private sector income. 

This opportunity is delivered over two years with an integrated suite of capability development activities, alongside matched funding. 

This supports organisations to develop, apply and embed fundraising practice across a two-year period, focusing on:

• planning and alignment – developing fundraising goals, campaigns, systems and internal readiness
• fundraising delivery – implementing fundraising activity, engaging supporters and generating private sector income
• consolidation and embedding – strengthening supporter stewardship, retention and organisational practice so fundraising can continue beyond the campaign.

Across this two-year framework: 

• organisations build and apply fundraising capability in real time
• capability development supports each stage of the process
• fundraising is embedded across the organisation, including leadership and/or directors/Board
• delivery and learning happen together, rather than as separate activities.

Participation requires: 

• commitment over the full two-year period
• active involvement from leadership and/or directors/Board
• integration of fundraising across the organisation.

Matched Funding for Artists and Artist Groups – Intermediate supports artists to build on existing private sector fundraising experience and strengthen their practice over time.

It is designed for artists and artist groups who have some private sector fundraising experience and are ready to develop more consistent and strategic approaches to private sector support. 

This opportunity provides matched funding alongside fundraising capability development through group training, peer-to peer learning and one on one support and advice. Matched funding is provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis for eligible private sector income raised, up to $10,000.  

The aims of the fund are for artists and artist groups to move beyond one-off or informal fundraising activity and develop consistent, strategic approaches to generating private sector support. 

Through participation, artists and artist groups will: 

• build on existing private sector fundraising experience
• refine how they plan and deliver fundraising activity
• strengthen relationships with supporters
• increase confidence and independence as fundraisers.

For the purposes of this application, an artist group is defined as two or more individuals who work together but do not form a legally constituted organisation. This can include co-collaborators and collectives. 

Matched Funding for Artists and Artist Groups – Intermediate is delivered through a structured fundraising capability development approach alongside matched funding. 

Matched Funding for Organisations – Advanced supports small to medium arts and cultural organisations to lead and evolve sophisticated private sector fundraising practice and embed it for long-term sustainability within their organisation.

This opportunity provides matched funding over two years, alongside a structured approach to support ambitious fundraising innovation and future-proofing. Matched funding is provided on a dollar-for-dollar basis for eligible private sector income raised, up to $50,000 per year, for two years. 

Matched funding is used as a catalyst to help Advanced organisations pursue transformational private sector fundraising opportunities.  

The fund aims to help organisations: 

• deliver ambitious, multi-year fundraising strategies aligned with organisational priorities
• strengthen and extend established fundraising systems and practice
• grow and develop significant private sector income, including new or higher value private income streams
• deepen and strategically manage complex supporter relationships
• pursue transformational fundraising opportunities that would not be achievable without this support. 

This opportunity is delivered over two years with an integrated suite of capability development activities, alongside matched funding. 

This supports organisations to strengthen, apply and stretch advanced fundraising practice across a two-year period, focusing on:

• planning and alignment – refining or extending fundraising strategy in line with organisational priorities, growth opportunities and long-term sustainability
• fundraising delivery – delivering multi-stream or multi-year fundraising activity, strengthening supporter engagement and growing private sector income
• consolidation and embedding – integrating fundraising leadership, governance and decision-making across the organisation to scale private sector growth, diversify income and sustain advanced fundraising performance over time.

Across this two-year framework: 

• organisations are expected to build on existing capability and apply it strategically
• fundraising is expected to be established and embedded, with this opportunity supporting organisations to extend, strengthen and scale this practice across the organisation, including directors/Board, leadership and staff engagement
• delivery and capability development occur concurrently, rather than as separate activities. 

Participation requires: 

• commitment over the full two-year period
• active director/Board and leadership ownership of fundraising, including clear involvement and accountability
• a whole-of-organisation approach to fundraising delivery and retention of skills.

Writers’ festivals play a vital role in strengthening Australia’s literary community. They provide space for ideas, dialogue and discovery, while promoting Australian writers to a wide range of readers. This investment will support writers’ festivals in regional areas and capital cities to connect authors with readers and peers.  

The fund prioritises authors travelling from or to regional locations, First Nations authors, children’s authors and illustrators, and early to mid-career writers, while encouraging a broad mix of voices and festivals.  

Investments of $10,000 to $30,000 are available to support festivals to cover travel, accommodation, appearance fees and per diems.

Variety – the Children’s Charity, offer support to children who have experienced permanent hair loss due to conditions such as Alopecia or other medical conditions, helping them access a wig that restores confidence and a sense of self.

Specialised wigs can cost up to $6,000 and may only last two to three years, making them out of reach for many families. Through the Wigs Grant, Variety can provide up to $5,000 towards the cost of a human or synthetic hair wig to help make this support more accessible.

Families are welcome to choose a wig supplier that best suits their child’s needs, and are also encouraged to check with their GP or specialist about any available government subsidies in their state or territory.

Wig Grant applications are open all year for families across Australia with applications managed nationally through the Variety office in NSW/ACT.

Ski for Life provides grants to community groups and organisations delivering practical mental health and suicide prevention initiatives across rural and regional Australia. They support projects that strengthen wellbeing, promote connection, and deliver measurable impact where it’s needed most.

Applications are welcome for projects that:

• Are community-led and locally delivered

• Focus on mental health, well-being, and suicide prevention

• Support rural and regional communities

• Create practical, measurable outcomes

The annual PILA Goalpost Subsidy Program provides kick-start financial assistance for grassroots clubs to purchase safe, high-quality, regulation-compliant goalposts.

This national program is open to clubs in all states and territories.

• Applicants must demonstrate a need to enhance their field.
• Only one (1) subsidy per recipient per application period.
• The subsidy is applicable only to PILA goalposts.
• Any combination of subsidised products listed may be ordered.
• Goals must be ordered in pairs (2) to accommodate one (1) field.
• The subsidy excludes all non-listed products and services.

Special consideration may be given to applicants outside of clubs who require financial assistance. If applicable, please indicate this on your application form.

The Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBC) Strategic Projects grant opportunity provides funding to PBCs and other eligible organisations to pursue strategic and economic opportunities that support PBCs, Traditional Owner Group Entities (TOGEs) and Traditional Owner Corporations (TOCs) to have capacity to maximise social, cultural and economic outcomes for their Native Title holding groups and improve land use decision making.

The objectives of the PBC Strategic Projects grant opportunity are to support PBCs, TOGEs and TOCs to:

• take advantage of strategic and economic opportunities
• support effective Native Title agreement-making and partnerships with governments and industry.

The outcomes of the PBC Strategic Projects grant opportunity are for PBCs, TOGES and TOCs to: 

• have capacity to maximise the social, cultural and economic aspirations of their Native Title holding group
• promote greater efficiency in land use decision-making.

The Scanlon Foundation provides support to organisations working to improve Australia’s social cohesion in areas where there is the greatest need. Since 2001, the Scanlon Foundation has been distributing grants to build Australia’s social cohesion and to support the transition of those who come to make Australia home.

At present the Foundation offers three categories of grants.

• Annual Community Grants Program

  With an aim to foster connections and strengthen communities by engaging local businesses with potential employees living in their area, applicants must address the four key criteria outlined below in their application:

  • Employment pathways
  • Local business engagement
  • Mentors
  • Community Input

• Direct to Community Grants
  Funding for projects and initiatives that contribute to social cohesion across Australia, supporting initiatives that enhance the Foundations vision and mission, available to any community organisations, associations or groups that are actively working in this space.

• African Australian Creative Media Grants
  Supports African Australian platforms, individuals and organisations that operate in screen media, visual arts, podcasting, radio and written media. Through this grant they seek to amplify the voices and stories of African Australia creatives.

The Early Childhood Development program seeks to improve learning and development outcomes for Australian children (aged 0-8 years) by supporting targeted and universal programs.

The early years are a critical period for brain development. During that time children learn social, interpersonal, and cognitive skills that help them lead healthy, happy lives and participate in learning and work. Each year one in five Australian children start school developmentally vulnerable. For children who do not receive early childhood education and care (ECEC) it’s two in five. Once children start school behind it is difficult for them to catch up.

Early interventions are both cost-effective in that they reduce long-term costs to society, have the benefit of early mitigation of problems that can cause significant lifelong anguish and enhance the chances of children thriving throughout their lives.

Program Objectives:

• To support innovative projects that target vulnerable communities that seek to improve child development outcomes and have potential for scale.
• To scale and consolidate successful evidence programs to a point of sustainability.
• To support initiatives that seek to better integrate fractured services/systems in early childhood, improve access to and quality of ECEC and/or strengthen the ECEC workforce.
• To develop shared measurement tools and or resources for the early childhood sector.

• To evaluate large scale interventions (particularly randomised control trials) that contribute to enhancing the evidence base for early years intervention.

The Foundation has a particular interest in programs that recognise and foster parental engagement in their children’s learning and development and prioritise support for programs that engage with or target parents. 

The National Australia Day Council offers grant funding to community groups, government entities and councils to support Australia Day events that bring communities together and encourage participation in Australia Day activities.

In 2027, the National Australia Day Council will provide funding of up to $15,000 through its Australia Day Community Events Grant Program to help communities reflect, respect and celebrate on Australia Day.

From community barbeques and concerts to citizenship ceremonies, flag raising ceremonies and parades, the community events grant program has helped deliver almost 4,000 community events across Australia since 2021.

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.

The Dobell Exhibition Grant program provides financial assistance towards the development of new, curated exhibitions of visual arts at regional and public galleries in New South Wales.

The program aims to support high quality exhibitions that speak to a broad audience across NSW. To assist in expanding appreciation for the visual arts, the proposed exhibition should be supported by innovative public and education programs that creatively engage both artists and the community.

Exhibitions supported previously include Grafton Regional Gallery, Bundjalung Weavers: Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali… we weave together, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Small Museum, Lismore Regional Gallery, From Here to There: Australian art and walking, Newcastle Art Gallery for their exhibition SODEISHA: Connected to Australia, Blue Mountains City Art Gallery for Sensorial and Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s exhibition Shadow Boxer.

The Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) First Nations capability building Grants provide support for First Nations enterprises to strengthen their capability, expand their operations and increase their social and economic impact.

Grants are valued at between $50,000 and $120,000 each. Grant funds are to be used to purchase capability services from Capability Providers and other businesses, such as financial services, evaluation and impact measurement, business consulting and legal advice. Up to 20% of grant funds can be used to cover internal costs that are necessary to purchase these services.

The grants support First Nations enterprises that are trading Indigenous owned or controlled enterprises across all states and territories that are delivering services to improve social and economic outcomes for First Nations communities and Australians in a range of social outcome areas, including: employment and education.

Grant eligibility

An eligible SEDI First Nations Grant applicant:

Is an Indigenous community-controlled organisation: an organisation that is at least 51% Indigenous owned and controlled, incorporated and not-for-profit
or
Is an owned and operated Indigenous organisation: an organisation that is at least 51% Indigenous owned and controlled
or
‘Other’ Indigenous organisation: an organisation that is at least 50% Indigenous owned or controlled.

Note: If your organisation does not fit one of the above definitions, you are considered a non-Indigenous organisation and not eligible to apply for a SEDI First Nations Grant. You may be eligible for a SEDI grant.

• Is a First Nations social enterprise defined as a trading Indigenous owned or controlled organisation with a social benefit. This may include, but is not limited to:
  • Profit is utilised for its defined key purpose, that includes social, cultural, environmental or community benefit and change
  • Invests efforts and resources into their purpose
  • Creates employment and training opportunities for First Nations people
  • Delivers products and services to meet community needs
  • Profit re-distribution where some profits or revenue are re-invested into a community benefit
• Is owned and operated in Australia with beneficiaries who primarily reside in Australia.
• Has a business model that includes entrepreneurial or commercial trade activity. This may include an ‘entrepreneurial business’ or new revenue stream within an existing organisation, as long as it meets the trade revenue requirements (see description of trading revenue further below).
• Has progressed beyond the startup phase. This means you are already trading and are able to meet the annual trade revenue requirement. If your enterprise is a new revenue stream within an existing organisation, you must be able to show how the enterprise enables you to scale your impact in an approved outcome area and/or diversify your commercial revenue.
• Is seeking capability building support to scale impact in one or more of the approved outcome areas (see next point). Scale means to substantially increase the impact your enterprise delivers. This might mean increasing the number of beneficiaries your enterprise can reach (wide), or better supporting the needs of your enterprise’s existing beneficiaries (deep). Please read the Department of Social Services’ outcome areas for information on the approved outcome areas.
• Has a revenue that exceeds $50,000 and a trading revenue that exceeds $35,000 per year. Trading revenue is considered as income derived from the sale of goods or services to different customers in a repeatable way. Trading revenue does not include donations, philanthropic grants, gifts or short-term government grants. Government contracts awarded through competitive tenders or procurements can be considered as trade.