Search Grants & Funding

The Regional Achievement and Community Awards, and are designed to encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions that individuals, communities and businesses make throughout regional and rural NSW & The ACT. These awards aim to recognise their success and achievements, which contribute to making regional NSW & The ACT a better place.

Awards are presented in the following categories:

• Awards Australia Foundation Health and Wellbeing Award
• Community Group Award
• Council Crown Land Management Excellence Award
• Crown Land Management Excellence Award
• Konica Minolta Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Community Achievement Award
• Leadership Award
• Local Legend Award
• Small Business Award

Development & Operations grants aim to support community media station resilience by strengthening governance, building community, sustainable operations and technical capacity.

Applications must clearly demonstrate how the proposed activities address one or more of the areas listed below:

• Governance – strategic planning, technology planning, developing open and transparent governance policies and procedures, recruiting and maintaining a governance team with diverse skills and experiences
• Sustainable operations – improving the financial sustainability, and/or reducing the environmental impact of community media
• Building community – engaging the diverse members of your community.

Grants for Development & Operations are distributed twice per year, with the greater portion allocated in Round 1.

Content grants increase and diversify the voices heard in Australian media by supporting the creation of compelling content.

The objectives of Content grants are to support community media organisations to:

• Increase community participation and engagement in community media that is inclusive and accessible to all
• Amplify and reflect the voices, cultures and languages of Australia's diverse communities 
• Build audiences by supporting creativity, excellence and innovation in community media content production  
• Expand partnerships to explore new forms of storytelling across topics and platforms 

You can apply for a Content grant if you are a current or prospective community broadcaster who is producing content for broadcast by a recognised community media organisation.

This funding support is designed to encourage stations to carry specialist radio programming. It assists with the development, production and broadcast costs of specialist programming content to meet the needs of particular communities. Funding is available for Specialist Radio Programming as below:

• • *First Nations Australians programs, in accordance with the specific conditions outlined in section 3.
  • Radio reading (formerly RPH) programs to serve people with a print disability, in accordance with the specific conditions outlined in section 3.
  • *Ethnic programs to serve a defined local ethnic community, in accordance with the specific conditions outlined in section 3.

Recreational fishing clubs and associated organisations are now invited to apply for fishing packages or grants to help run community fishing events and activities in their own local area on or around the NSW Gone Fishing Day, which will be held Sunday, 19 October 2025.

The following options are available:

1) a fishing package consisting of rod and reel sets, bags, giveaways and advisory information for participants attending events, or

2) a grant* of up to $2,000 to purchase items required to run their own Gone Fishing Day fishing events, such as casting and fishing activities and information sessions.

*Important: To receive a funding grant, successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding deed with the NSW Government and submit a written report and evidence of grant expenditure following completion of events. Organisations will also need to submit invoices as a condition of receiving grant payments.

ANZ Seeds of Renewal is a small grants program designed to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.

The program demonstrates ANZ’s ongoing commitment to shape a world where people and communities thrive. It is built on two key tenets:

• Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and

• Sustainable communities innovate, expand, and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.

 Who can apply?

Applications are invited from not-for-profit, community based organisations (with an ABN or Incorporation Certificate), including social enterprises, who will deliver projects with a demonstrable medium to long term benefit to a regional community of 15,000 people or less.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Community Grants is a small grants program aiming to contribute to the success, vibrancy and wellbeing of rural and regional communities nationwide.

This grant is open to all communities in remote, rural and regional Australia. Organisations wanting to apply will need to have their project endorsed by a Nutrien Ag Solutions Branch Manager. Please contact FRRR if you do not know where your local Nutrien Ag Solutions branded store is located.

A broad range of charitable projects are considered under this program, including:

• Delivering, or providing activities, events, programs and services;
• Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
• Community infrastructure projects such as community facility upgrades;
• Organisational capacity building such as strategic planning; and
• Developing community resources such as volunteer programs, community gardens or providing access to training and skills development

The Tim Fischer Fellowship (TFF) is a prestigious program designed to support individuals passionate about making a difference in rural and regional Australia. Inspired by Tim Fischer’s honesty, integrity, and selflessness, this Fellowship supports a recipient with up to $50,000 in funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help turn their bold ideas into reality.

Recipients of this fellowship will receive:

• Up to $50,000 for education, professional development, or research.
• A personalised mentoring program to advance your leadership skills and expand your network.
• Invitations to key events and networking opportunities.
• Support to share your insights and inspire change in rural and regional Australia.

The Tim Fischer Fellowship is open to individuals from all fields and career stages. To be eligible, you must:

• Be 18 years or older and an Australian resident.
• Be passionate about supporting regional and rural communities.
• Be willing to represent Country Education Foundation (CEF) as an ambassador.
• Have a strong vision and commitment to your area of study, work, or interest.

While preference is given to individuals from rural and regional areas, this is not a requirement.

The Grid Enhancing Technologies program aims to accelerate the development, trialling and application of grid enhancing technologies, to maximise capacity and utilisation of existing infrastructure in Australian electricity networks. This program is a part of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)'s goal to deliver secure, reliable and affordable energy to consumers.

The program aims to achieve its objectives by:

• demonstrating and testing the effectiveness of grid enhancing technologies being applied to Australian electricity networks
• identifying costs and benefits of key technologies and pathways for wider application in Australian electricity networks.

The intended outcome of the program is to apply grid enhancing technology to Australia’s electricity network infrastructure resulting in:

• greater utilisation and productivity of existing network infrastructure allowing more renewable energy to flow to consumers more rapidly, helping put downward pressure on wholesale power prices
• addressing congestion “black spots” in existing networks reducing curtailment of renewable energy generation, while improving reliability and capacity within and at the edges of the grid
• reducing or delaying the need for additional network infrastructure lowering the network cost component of energy bills, with lower impact on the environment and communities hosting infrastructure relative to greenfield transmission
• improving network visibility and control, leading to enhanced resilience and safety for bushfire, extreme weather events, cyber security and other system security, reliability and recovery benefits.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• are registered for GST
• are non-income tax exempt

And are one of the following entities:

• an entity incorporated in Australia
• a university
• a publicly funded research organisation (PFRO) as defined in section 14 of the guidelines
• a Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body (including government business enterprises).

The purpose of the grant opportunity is to increase existing specialist and community support services’ capacity and capability to deliver better practice, trauma-informed, culturally safe, evidence and knowledge based services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, and children who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours.

The grants are intended to be accessed by services aimed at delivering early intervention, response, healing and recovery to stop the intergenerational cycle of violence.

Applications can only be accepted from applicants who, at the time of submitting an application or within 12 months prior, delivered services to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and/or children who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are:

• to expand the capacity of services responding to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse
• to expand the capacity of services responding to children (up to age 18) who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours
• to enhance the capability of these services by supporting greater alignment with frameworks, standards and knowledge relating to better practice supporting victims and survivors and children who have displayed concerning or harmful sexual behaviours.

The Low Carbon Landscapes grant program aims to scale up high quality carbon abatement from the primary industries and land sector, by supporting the development of financially viable projects which can attract investment. 

The objectives of the program are to:

• Support a range of ambitious, landscape-scale, high quality carbon abatement projects in the primary industries and land sector through the initial stages of project development, up to the point where they can secure investment
• Develop a range of financially viable models for project delivery
• Increase private sector investment in high quality carbon abatement projects in the primary industries and land sector.

Eligible applicants include:

• farmers or agribusinesses
• Aboriginal landholders or land managers including Traditional Owner groups, land councils or Registered Native Title Body Corporates
• not-for-profit organisations
• government entities, including NSW Government agencies and local government
• natural resource management/conservation organisations
• peak bodies or industry organisations
• producer associations
• co-operative/mutual organisations.

For-profit carbon service providers are not eligible to be applicants. 

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 Next Chapter program elevates Australian stories that aren’t being told and nurtures a new wave of writers to tell them.   

In 2025, The Next Chapter will select a group of ten writers and provide each of them with a stipend of $15,000, a handpicked mentor to work closely with them on bringing their writing to life and opportunities to connect with peers, agents, publishers and readers.  

Participants will also receive the opportunity to attend a residency at Varuna, The National Writers’ House, and attend an end-of-year publishing intensive at The Wheeler Centre. 

Of the ten writers selected, there will be one fellowship place dedicated specifically to a humour writer, The John Clarke Fellowship, and one fellowship place dedicated to a poet, The Malcolm Robertson Fellowship. 

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.

Backing the Future gives 20 individuals or groups of individuals* across NSW and QLD $50,000 to advance an idea to support rural and regional young people aged 12-30 to:

• Access Decent Work; or
• Care for the Environment; or
• Contribute to Society; or
• Explore Christian Faith and Values.

Backing the future is delivered in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR). Each year, VFFF and FRRR will open applications for both a NSW and QLD round. 

They are eager to support early-stage work that might not otherwise be eligible for philanthropic funding. For this reason, Backing the Future does not accept applications from registered charities or organisations.

Other exclusions include: individuals seeking support for scholarships, public fundraising appeals, disaster appeals, political projects, litigation and/or political lobby groups.

* Groups of individuals will need to nominate one primary applicant to undergo the selection process and lead the project.