Essential Grants - 2026

Essential Grants empowers regional communities across their network area to “spark change” and deliver initiatives that create meaningful social impact, accelerate the transition to a sustainable future, and strengthen climate resilience.

In 2026 Essential Grants will continue with a strong focus on sustainability and resilience. The program aims to:

1. Advance energy transition and climate resilience: Enable community organisations and not-for profits in the Essential Energy footprint to deliver initiatives that align with the Program Focus Areas: Energy transition; and sustainability and climate adaptation.
2. Deliver social impact for vulnerable communities: Fund initiatives that provide clear benefits for vulnerable populations, help to improve wellbeing, reduce energy hardship, and enhance climate resilience.

The Essential Grants Program funds initiatives that align with one or both of the following focus areas:

Energy Transition

Projects that help communities shift towards a cleaner, more efficient energy use, such as:

• installations of solar panels, batteries and other technologies that enable greater use of renewable energy
• upgrades that improve energy efficiency and/or reduce energy consumption such as insulation, smart thermostats, energy efficient appliances, and energy audits
• programs that build energy literacy to empower communities to make informed energy choices
• low emissions transport solutions for communal use or use by vulnerable communities, such as EV charging infrastructure, e-bikes or community transport powered by renewables
• initiatives that promote fair access to clean energy technologies and address energy poverty in regional and remote communities.

Sustainability and Climate Adaptation

Projects that strengthen climate resilience and reduce environmental impacts, such as:

• projects that help organisations and communities prepare for and respond to climate-related events (e.g. bushfires, floods, heatwaves)
• projects that integrate sustainable materials, reduce waste or promote reuse and recycling.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants are eligible for the program if they:

• are located in Essential Energy’s network area and provide support to communities within the network area; and
• are a charity, not-for-profit/non-profit organisation, Non-Governmental Organisation or community group/event; and
• are undertaking activities, programs, projects or events will benefit the community and align with initiatives that help communities shift towards a cleaner, more efficient energy use, and/or strengthen climate resilience and reduce environmental impacts.