Search Grants & Funding

The Telstra Best of Business Awards were created to give small and medium-sized businesses a platform to celebrate achievements and stories with their peers, and opportunities to learn from Australia’s best business minds. The goal of these awards is to recognise and reward businesses moving Australia forward and inspiring the next generation through their ingenuity and resilience. The program is designed to celebrate the success stories, diversity and brilliance of Australia's small and medium-sized businesses.

There are seven categories in the awards:

• Accelerating Women
• Building Communities
• Championing Health
• Embracing Innovation
• Indigenous Excellence
• Outstanding Growth
• Promoting Sustainability

The Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants 2024 will recognise applicants who embody qualities that make an exceptional plumber. An independent judging panel will be looking for applicants who are passionate about what they do, how they’ve overcome challenges in their career to get where they are now, and how they contribute to their local community.

This year there are 20 grants on offer, each valued at $3,000. Each grant includes $2,000 to go towards TAFE/RTO fees and textbooks, and a $1,000 tool voucher to help build your toolbox.

To be eligible, you must be an apprentice plumber or gas fitter in Australia, either current or starting in 2024*.

*Grant recipients from previous years are not eligible to enter. If you have previously entered but were unsuccessful, you are still eligible to enter in 2024.

The Physical Sciences Fund (PSF) is a $3.5 million, competitive technology development and commercialisation program funded by the NSW Government. 

The objectives of the PSF are:

• improve commercialisation opportunities for NSW-based start-ups and businesses
• provide financial support to progress the development of new and innovative devices and systems across the branches of the physical sciences and engineering, including physics, chemistry, astronomy and the earth sciences.
• to realise benefits from innovation in NSW

The intended outcomes of the PSF are:

• help promising start-ups develop their technologies, to the point they attract future funding and investment
• support the growth of innovative global companies headquartered in NSW.
• deliver social, economic, and/or environmental benefits in NSW.

The Australian Government’s Housing Support Program (HSP) is one of a range of programs designed to help achieve National Housing Accord’s target of building 1.2 million new, well-located homes over 5 years from 1 July 2024. The HSP will support the delivery of increased housing supply by funding projects that seek to deliver enabling infrastructure, provide amenities to support new housing development or improve building planning capability.

This first Stream (HSP 1) is designed to provide resources to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of planning process, so that housing construction can commence sooner, support increasing housing in well-located areas, or encourage development in line with the national blueprint.

Applications can only be made by a state government, territory government or local government authority (LGA). Applications in partnership with other government and non-government entities are eligible to apply, but the lead applicant must be a state, territory or local government authority.

To be eligible, the project must improve planning capability. Examples of eligible projects could include, but are not limited to:

• New pathways for planners and related professions to enter the industry
• Tools to streamline planning systems and improve efficient decision making
• Sharing of resources between local governments
• Resources to support master planning and planning reform.

Planning capability projects can support the delivery of housing outcomes either directly (for example by increasing the efficiency of the development approval process) or indirectly (for example by increasing the workforce trained to do planning and related work).

The Play Our Way Program Grant Opportunity is an open competitive opportunity that will provide funding of up to $200 million (inclusive of government administration costs) over three years from 2024-25. 

This Grant Opportunity aims to address the barriers women and girls face when participating in sport and physical activity by delivering quality facilities and sport participation experiences where the need is greatest, and in a manner that is safe, equitable, accessible, inclusive, sustainable and enduring. 

This Grant Opportunity will fund projects across two Streams: 

Stream 1: Facilities 

Applicants will be able to apply for a minimum of $50,000 up to a maximum of $1,500,000 for projects that support new and upgraded facilities, playing areas and spaces for sport and physical activity specifically for women and girls.

For Facility projects in small rural towns, remote communities or very remote communities as defined by the Modified Monash Model (MMM 5-78), the maximum will be $2,000,000 to reflect increased costs in rural and remote areas. Projects may be assessed and offered a lower amount than applied for.

Stream 2: Participation and equipment 

Applicants will be able to apply for a minimum of $50,000 up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for projects that support modifying and/or developing sustainable and enduring programs to promote women and girls’ participation in sport and physical activity, and/or new or upgraded equipment, specifically for women and girls. Projects may be assessed and offered a lower amount than applied for.

This program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.

Between $500 and $750 is available towards the cost of attending their championships as follows:.

• Base Grant: $500
• Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100
• Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2000km to their nominated championships: + $200
• Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50

These grants help cover community language school operating costs such as teaching materials, staff wages and new equipment.

The amount of the grant is based on the number of students who have enrolled in your community language school. You can apply for this grant after 12 months of operating your school. You can also apply for a Specific project grant at the same time.

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.

This one-off establishment grant helps organisations that are setting up language classes for the first time by helping them in their first year.

You may receive an establishment grant if your community language school:

• is located more than two kilometres away from any other community language school which teaches the same language
• has been operating for at least two months using a teaching program
• 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
• 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.

If your community is small or isolated and cannot meet teacher or syllabus requirements immediately, you may be granted an exemption for up to 12 months. During this time your school can work with a program education officer to try to meet these requirements.

The grant can be used for:

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

This program will co-fund energy efficiency and electrification upgrades for local governments to deliver reduced energy bills and emissions from local government owned and/or operated facilities.

The objectives of the program are to support:

• the Government’s broader efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy performance and contribute to Australia meeting its emission reduction targets of 43 percent by 2030, Net-Zero emissions by 2050 and 82% renewable electricity generation by 2030
• local governments to decarbonise their operations and reduce energy bills through energy efficiency and load flexibility upgrades and electrification of their facilities
• the improvement in energy performance necessary to more easily utilise renewable electricity and improve system reliability.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• reduced energy bills and emissions from local government owned and/or operated facilities
• installed energy efficiency, load flexibility and electrification technology that is commercially available
• improved capability of local governments and the wider community to implement energy upgrades and electrification projects in their facilities.
• increased capacity of domestic supply chains and labour force to support significant future investment in energy efficiency upgrades
• improved workforce skills in delivering and operating energy transition projects.

The Local Para Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-24 participating in state, national or international championships for athletes with a disability.

If successful, applicants will receive $750-$1000 towards the cost of attending their championships

• Base Grant: $750
• Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100
• Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2000km to their nominated championships: + $200
• Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50

Since 2019, our sponsorships and donations program has benefitted more than 300 community projects in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria with grants worth more than $1 million.

In 2023, as per the updated Ministerial Interim Statement of Expectations, Inland Rail is now focused on building the Beveridge to Parkes section of the alignment while planning and approvals work will continue north of Parkes to Kagaru.

Whilst ARTC will continue to offer funding between $1000–$4000 for individuals and organisations in regional areas along the Inland Rail route, applications from areas where construction is underway will constitute a greater focus for the Community Sponsorships and Donations Program.

Funding will be available to short-term projects and activities that contribute to local and regional prosperity, wellbeing and sustainability, such as upgrading community facilities and equipment, implementing unique STEM projects in schools, mentoring and developing local business communities, and hosting community events.

Ski for Life Inc is a group of people committed to raising awareness and promoting mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention. Members share compassion and empathy for those impacted by suicide and passion and commitment to reducing the frightening statistics we find before them.

To help acheive this, they support projects for rural and remote communities throughout Australia that would benefit from awareness, promotion of mental health, wellbeing, and suicide prevention.

The Open Streets Program is a $4.5 million grant program that will provide successful councils with funding of up to $150,000 to temporarily close streets to cars and open them on a day, or series of days, for placemaking events and activations. The program purpose is to encourage collaboration between government, business and community to improve the vibrancy of local streets and centres.

The Open Streets Program aims to meet these objectives:

• Temporarily close streets to vehicles and open them for people, with projects over a day, or series of days, and provide safe spaces for community events and activities.
• Bring vibrancy to our streets by creating a sense of excitement and discovery with creative events and activations that are inviting and inclusive to all the community.
• Support job creation in local businesses and the cultural sector.
• Support the development of longer-term place management outcomes, through projects that encourage private-public partnerships.

Established in 2019, Mable Community Grants is a philanthropic initiative of The Mable Foundation Limited (Mable or Foundation).

In 2024, four grants of $10,000 each are available for projects specifically aimed at championing independence and inclusion for people with disability and older people.

Eligible organisations or groups (with an ABN or ACN) in Australia are:

• Charities
• Not-for-profit organisations
• Incorporated associations
• Community organisations
• Social or sporting associations or groups

The Mable Community Grants must be explicitly used for projects or programs that relieve poverty, sickness, suffering, distress, misfortune, helplessness or disability in the lives of people in Australia who are living with a disability or who are ageing to improve their independence and inclusion within their community. The grants must be targeted or directed to organisations or groups in Australia (with an ABN or ACN).

As the foundation's purpose is “To provide support that helps, grows, and enriches our communities”, they have a clear focus on providing grants to reputable community-based charitable organisations which need funding for projects and initiatives designed to benefit as many people as possible.

Because most of the funding for The Harcourts Foundation is generously provided by Harcourts offices, they will only consider applications from groups for a specific event, project, item, or initiative where Harcourts has an office.