Search Grants & Funding

Energy Consumers Australia (ECA)’s Grants Program supports work that provides a strong, evidence base for positive system changes that benefit households and small businesses.

Influence Grants: these grants are designed to target immediate influence on a specific and achievable goal regarding matters of material significance to residential and small business energy consumers. Influence Grants projects tend to be less complex than Collaboration Grants and are typically 12-18 months in duration.

Collaboration Grants: these grants support complex, multi-year projects and often involve more than one project partner. Collaboration Grants will focus on contributing to policy or advocacy outcomes and will involve close cooperation with advocates and other stakeholders. These projects will answer key questions identified in their 3-Year Plan and will involve ECA as a collaborator. As these programs fund projects, successful applications will outline a clear project structure with a beginning, middle and end. Funding will not be provided for ongoing activity or an organisation’s BAU.

To be eligible you must be either:

• A not-for profit organisation within Australia, with a purpose or a mandate that permits you to carry out advocacy for household and small business energy consumers. This can include a social enterprise that is registered as a not-for-profit within Australia; or
• A bonafide research organisation with a public purpose.

Further requirements for all grantees:

• An Australian Business Number (ABN)
• A legal entity with the capacity to enter into a legally binding funding agreement

Ineligible applicants include councils, government agencies, an unincorporated association, or an overseas organisation.

Participation Grants provide up to $20,000 to enable residential or small business consumer advocacy by participation in current or forthcoming government, regulatory, or industry decision-making processes.

Examples of activities that may be funded include engaging a consultant to provide technical or specialist expertise for a submission; undertaking research; hosting workshops; and funding for reasonable travel costs (flights, accommodation, transfers) to engage in government, regulatory and industry forums relating to that process.

Successful applications will demonstrate a clear outcome and can describe the positive impact you are aiming to achieve by engaging in this policy/ regulatory process.