Grants Hub

Strengthening Rural Communities - Small & Vital

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and assessed quarterly. 

The IOOF Foundation provides grants that support Australian not-for-profit organisations working with disadvantaged families, children and youth. The general grant program is for funding on average for $75,000 per year for up to two years. Please ensure you provide as much budget information as possible to enable us to evaluate the grant amount requested against funds available to distribute. Whilst our initial general grants are on average $75,000, we do have current grants ranging from $10,000 - $150,000 pa.

The Mental Awareness Foundation has made a goal of trying to support grass-root charities and organisations in the mental health sector that perhaps the public has not heard of.  The Mental Awareness Foundation has the following grants on offer:

• Large Grants - 7 x $25,000
• Small Grants - $5,000 and $10,000 to the value of $25,000
• Total Funding requested must not exceed $25,000.

Applications must be submitted online. Applications can be submitted throughout the year.

The Foundation is responsive to requests that contribute to increasing access to opportunities and is dedicated to supporting charities, non-profit organisations, and social enterprises that work within the four primary focus areas:

• Education
• Medical Research & Health
• Disadvantage Youth
• Arts & Culture

The EV fleets incentive is a payment scheme that helps eligible organisations procure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and smart chargers. The funding is designed to cover part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) gap between a BEV and an equivalent internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), hybrid electric (HEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).  

Eligible applicants to the kick-start funding include:

• any organisation that operates a fleet of at least 3 vehicles (ICE vehicles or hybrid, or PHEV, or BEV) in NSW to support their operations or
• any organisation or individual that owns at least one licensed taxi in NSW.

Organisations can apply to kick-start funding for a maximum of 10 vehicles and smart charging ports total across all rounds.

The aim of the Return to Work Pathways Program is to reduce barriers for women wanting to enter or re-enter the workforce.

The Return to Work Pathways Program will fund a variety of models and funding will vary according to the proposed model and corresponding extent of services to be provided, in response to focus communities’ needs. Projects should provide a model delivering some or all the following components. Supports can include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Tailored wraparound supports - Supported referrals to services, career coaching and guidance, other activities, and programs to build confidents. Time-limited support following participant's employment.
• Mentoring - Provide mentoring using a suitable mentoring model, this may include peer and volunteer mentoring.
• Training - Provide appropriate training programs in a variety of formats responding to participants needs.
• Work Readiness - Pre-employment training, work readiness skills training and coaching to build participant's capability and confidence. 
• Pathways to employment - Facilitated employment opportunities using models such as work experience, job placement, paid traineeships and other programs that offer established pipelines to employment.
• Engagement of employers - Partnering with employers to facilitate employment options for participants and for employers to create supportive environments.

Eligible families can now apply for a second $50 voucher to use towards sport, recreation, creative or cultural activities with a registered provider.

Any eligible families who applied for voucher 1 and have not yet redeemed it, can apply for voucher 2 and combine these to save $100 on the cost of activities for their child.

Vouchers are available to families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A, Part B or both.

The RASF invites ideas that deliver strong community benefits and result in enhanced economic and social outcomes for your community. Projects that involve collaboration between people in your town and deliver sustained and broad community benefits will be highly regarded. Applicants will be passionate about rural and regional NSW and have a good understanding of any issues affecting their community. Infrastructure for local showgrounds and Show Societies are eligible. The improvements must demonstrate that they go beyond benefiting just the local Show Society in running the local Show, but rather enabling broader use by other community groups to run on-going projects or programs. Taking part is easy:

• Identify a need in your rural NSW community
• Partner with a local community organisation 
• Create a project plan for your initiative

The Boating Infrastructure for Communities Grants Program aims to improve access to waterways for boaters of all abilities, particularly focusing on boaters with limited mobility.

This program aims to enhance the boating experience by upgrading infrastructure, such as boat ramps, pontoons, and amenities, ensuring the safe and enjoyable use of NSW waterways for both recreational and commercial boating communities. This program also seeks to address environmental sustainability and safety improvements, with an emphasis on projects that align with local community needs. Types of projects funded under this grant:

• Disability and mobility access improvements - Projects may include the installation of wheelchair hoists, handrail upgrades to pontoons and installation of accessibility compliant pontoons.
• Boating Access improvements - Projects may include development of or upgrades for boat ramps, wharves, jetties, pontoons, and non-powered vessel access facilities.
• Boating amenity and service improvements - projects may include sewage pump-out facilities, fuel and water services, toilets, car and trailer parking, dinghy storage, vessel wash-down facilities, lighting and signage.
• Local dredging projects - projects that provide navigable access to local boating facilities.
• Strategic plans, detailed designs and feasibility studies - Projects may include investigations that prioritise and identify long term boating infrastructure needs and support future boating infrastructure investment.
• Priority infrastructure needs at key investment locations - Eligible project are those that support priority infrastructure outcomes within the Maritime Infrastructure Plan.

This funding category supports the better management, maintenance, conservation, and activation of the State Heritage Register listed items.

Heritage NSW is looking for projects that support better management, maintenance, conservation and activation of declared Aboriginal Places under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

The NSW Government is continuing its responsibility in safeguarding Aboriginal heritage through the 2025-27 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Grants program. This program aligns with the Government’s broader commitment to ensure Aboriginal cultural heritage is conserved and maintained.

This is a competitive funding round and eligible applicants can apply for up to:

• $30,000 (ex GST) for a declared Aboriginal Place management document, or
• $80,000 (ex GST) for works to a declared Aboriginal Place.

Successful projects must be delivered between July 2025 and May 2027.

This program provides financial and in-kind support to encourage and assist community groups and organisations to make a positive and ongoing contribution to the community’s wellbeing, cultural life and environmental sustainability.

Each financial year there will be a maximum of $100,000 available for projects that will assist organisations to make a positive and ongoing contribution to the community’s wellbeing, cultural life, economic development and environmental sustainability. $50,000 will be available in each of two assessment rounds, with funding available for projects in four categories:

• Culture and the Arts
• Sport and Recreation
• Community Services
• Rural Village Enhancement

Eligible community groups and organisations can apply for up to $5,000 per project for:

• Funding Assistance: direct cash contribution towards undertaking a project or running an activity or event;
• In-kind Assistance: contributions of physical Council resources (such as waiving of Council's fees and charges, venue or plant hire and labour).
• Combination of funding assistance and in-kind assistance (with an estimated total of $5,000 or less.)

The Rural Bank university scholarship program aims to assist students who have been offered a place at an Australian university or College to study at Bachelor’s degree level for the first time in 2024 and are experiencing challenging circumstances. 

The scholarship supports accommodation costs and/or other expenses directly related to the study of successful applicants e.g. - course costs, study related materials/equipment, text books, tutoring and educational travel within Australia.

The scholarship award value is $6,000 per year for 2 years for each successful recipient, subject to the criteria specified above and satisfactory academic performance.

The Rural Bank TAFE scholarship program aims to assist students who have been offered a place at an Australian TAFE to study for the first time in 2024 and are experiencing challenging circumstances.

The Scholarship program supports the following study related expenses – accommodation costs, course costs (excluding HELP fees and/or HELP loans), study-related materials/equipment, textbooks, tutoring and /or education related travel (within Australia).The scholarship award value is $3,000 per year for 1 year for each successful recipient, subject to the criteria specified above and satisfactory academic performance.

Applications are encouraged from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those who identify as LGBTQA+.

The scholarship program aims to financially support disadvantaged, community minded students from a rural or regional area, who have been offered a full-time place at an Australian TAFE.

Fast facts:

• How much? The scholarship award value is $5,000 per year for a maximum of 2 years/or for the duration of the successful recipient's course (up to a maximum of 2 years, whichever is the lesser).
• Accommodation? Yes, its covered. This scholarship supports accommodation costs, reducing the financial burden of paying rent.
• Study resources? Books and computers are a must for you to get through your studies, so it makes sense for these must-have items to be covered.
• Course Fee? Yes, this scholarship can be used to cover course fees.
• Deferring? Scholarship funds cannot be put on lay-by so if you're planning a gap year you'll have to wait to apply.

The objective of the Community War Memorials Fund is to help conserve, repair and protect war memorials across NSW to support community commemoration.

Two application rounds are run each year. The rounds open on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. Applications to the CWMF must align with and be submitted under one of the below category descriptions: 

• Category A - Engaging heritage or other relevant specialists (such as engineers) to produce reports relating to the repair, protection and/or conservation of existing war memorials. 
• Category B - Physical works relating to the repair, protection and/or conservation of existing war memorials. Reminder: The CWMF supports projects for existing war memorials. Applications cannot be submitted for the construction of new war memorials.

Opens 28 January 2025

Closes 21 February 2025

The NSW Government is investing in infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes, while also promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.

• Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and local councils will be eligible to apply for grants of between $10,000 and $100,000.
• Grants can be for building, refurbishing or repairing community infrastructure, or for buying freestanding equipment or vehicles.
• Each state electorate receives a maximum of $450,000 in funding and applications are assessed against other proposed projects within the same electorate.
• A total of $41,850,000 in grants will be available for local infrastructure projects through the CBP program.

The Building Early Learning Places program (the program) is a new, single-round grants program designed to increase the number of early childhood education and care (ECEC) places for communities with the greatest immediate need, through capital works.

Eligible services can apply for funding to support capital works projects that will create extra spaces for children aged 0 to 6 for these priority groups. Services must also show they can start building within 12 months of receiving a successful outcome letter. Applicants can submit more than one application, as long as they propose different projects in eligible areas.

The program offers uncapped grant awards, subject to value for money considerations. Grant recipients will be required to contribute a percentage of the total project cost.

The Resilient Homes Program helps communities recover from disasters. It also makes eligible homes in high-risk areas more resilient to the impacts of future disasters. This program is being delivered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA).

What help can I get?

• Home Buyback – a buyback of the property whereby the homeowner receives a payment for the purchase of the property
• Home Raising  – a grant payment of up to $100,000 including GST towards the cost of elevating the liveable areas of the home and associated consequential works
• Home Rebuild – a grant payment of up to $100,000 including GST towards the cost of rebuilding a more resilient home where the property was destroyed or uninhabitable
• Home Relocation – a grant of up to $100,000 including GST to help homeowners relocate their current home to a safer location on their property, or to another property in the region
• Home Retrofit – a grant payment up to $50,000 including GST towards the cost of retrofitting and/or repair work of on the home to incorporate flood resilient design and materials in eligible areas.

Where the estimated costs for the Resilient Measures (i.e. Home Raising, Home Rebuild, Home Relocation and Home Retrofit) is more than the available grant value, RA will match financial contributions provided by the homeowner for eligible activities (co-contribution) up to a maximum of 100% of the available grant value.

 The maximum for a single home is:

• Home Raising or Home Rebuild - $100,000 including GST plus $100,000 in co-contribution up to the maximum grant value of $200,000 in total including GST.
• Home Retrofit - $50,000 including GST plus $50,000 in co-contribution up to a maximum grant value of $100,000 in total. 

Free Home Assessments are also available for homeowners who may be eligible for Resilient Measures. In the Central West, homeowners within the Home Assessment stream will also eligible for a Home Assessment.  

 The Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards encourages submissions from established, mid-career and emerging Indigenous artists from across the country.

The following Award Categories offer the Award recipient $15,000 (excl. GST) and are chosen by the judges:

1. Telstra General Painting Award
2. Telstra Bark Painting Award
3. Telstra Work on Paper Award
4. Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (sponsored by Telstra)
5. Telstra Multimedia Award
6. Telstra Emerging Artist Award

 In addition to the above award categories is the Telstra People’s Choice Award, which is a non-monetary Award, chosen by popular vote. The People’s Choice Award will be open for voting for the run of the exhibition.

Playing Australia Project Investment supports organisations to undertake performing arts tours to reach regional and remote communities across Australia.

Wettenhall Environment Trust are providing support for people undertaking projects that will make a positive difference to the natural living environment, in land, sea or air, rural or urban. The Trust support grassroots organisations and individuals, and academics who are working with on-ground community groups. The Trust are looking for projects around about flora and fauna conservation around Australia. These projects should involve any of the following: monitoring, recording and sharing data; delivering community education; providing community capacity building (e.g. training); research and science. 

Grants are usually under $10,000. Wettenhall also grants on behalf of donors, and sometimes these programs can be over $10,000. If you have a project over $10,000, check with the Executive Director. Universities and academics can only apply for up to $5,000.

To provide funding that will enhance recreational fishing.

Deliver a wide range of projects and programs using funds from the Trusts to boost recreational fishing opportunities in NSW. The following grant platforms are the areas in which projects fall under:

•  Fishing infrastructure
•  Improving fishing access
•  Recreational fishing education and participation
•  Research on fish and recreational fishing
•  Aquatic habitat rehabilitation and protection
•  Recreational fishing enhancement
•  Fishing for mental health and well-being
•  Enforcement of fishing rules

The Bob Hawke Landcare Award is a prestigious national award that publicly recognises an individual, group or organisation that has been involved in championing landcare and inspiring others to take action on their property or in their community.

The Bob Hawke Landcare Award recipient will be awarded a grant package to the value of $30,000 (ex GST) for further development of their knowledge and skills in sustainable land management to enable an even stronger contribution to landcare.

Each nomination will be judged against all of the following criteria:

Landcare Champion (write up to 300 words)

• Is actively involved in landcare
• Shows a remarkable commitment to caring for the land
• Has an outstanding commitment to local communities and drives community activity for the benefit of the environment and landcare.

Remarkable Leadership (write up to 300 words)

• Inspires, educates and encourages others to take action on their own properties or through their involvement in a landcare group
• Champions the uptake of more sustainable agricultural practices and can demonstrate the adoption of improved practices among landholders as a consequence of this action

Sustainable Farm Practice Innovator (write up to 300 words)

• Actively pursues, introduces and shapes innovative farming systems to improve sustainability, productivity, profitability, and the quality of our natural resources.

The Australian Government’s Off-farm Efficiency Program is an initiative to upgrade water infrastructure to reduce water losses and increase water available for the environment. Projects funded under the program will provide long-term benefits through improved water infrastructure and reduced water losses. Water users and the community will also benefit from increased water reliability and the creation of job opportunities.

The NSW Government has committed $250 million to establish the Drought Ready and Resilient Fund, an initiative designed to bolster the resilience of NSW farmers to future adverse weather events and climatic conditions, such as drought. Through the Drought Ready and Resilient Fund, eligible primary producers can access a low interest loan up to $250,000 to help prepare for, manage and recover from drought. The loan can be used for products, activities and services relating to animal welfare, farm preparedness, income diversification, environmental improvements as well as training and business development. The Drought Ready and Resilient Fund loan facility has been designed to complement the existing Drought Infrastructure Fund loan product, formerly known as the Farm Innovation Fund.  (See Drought Infrastructure Fund here) The current interest rate for Drought Ready and Resilient Fund loans is: 5.10% per annum for a 5-year loan; 5.60% per annum for a 10-year loan

Customers will be provided with an indicative interest rate at the point of application, however the rate applied to the loan will not be determined until the date of first drawn down.  The interest rate applied to the loan is fixed for the term of the loan. Applications are now open and will continue to be accepted until program funding is exhausted.

The AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship is awarded to students studying an agriculture-related undergraduate degree or a Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths/Finance (STEM) degree with relevant majors which align to agriculture.

In partnership with industry sponsors, the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship is an initiative supporting students enrolled in full time study at an Australian university by providing:

• A bursary of $5000 per year for the final two year of your degree
• Professional development workshops
• Annual industry work placements aligned with the scholar's areas of interest and their sponsor's industry
• Opportunities to network and gain knowledge at a range of industry events.

The Australian Government’s Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program builds on and replaces the former Off-farm Efficiency Program and supports the delivery of the 450 GL of water recovery target under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. The new program is a $494 million initiative over four years to fund projects improving and modernising water delivery infrastructure and assisting to recover water for the environment. Projects funded under the program will improve the efficiency of water delivery infrastructure on-property/on-farm as well as off-farm, including in urban, industrial and mining settings. Water saving will then be used to increase the volume of water available for environmental purposes by up to 450 GL a year. The program aims to:

• increase water recovery by improving water use, increasing the volume of Murray-Darling Basin water resources available for environmental use
• invest in infrastructure providing longer-term benefits and helping to recover water for the environment
• support climate-resilient primary production over the long-term

The On Farm Connectivity Program Round 2 provides eligible Primary Producers up to $30,000 rebate for sales of smart farming technology through an Approved Supplier.

Eligible Primary Producers can only access the program (and rebate) through an Approved Supplier.

The grant (rebate) amount will be up to 50% of the cost of eligible equipment item/s listed at Appendix B of the grant opportunity guidelines.

• The minimum grant (rebate) amount is $1,000 (GST exclusive).
• The maximum grant (rebate) amount is $30,000 (GST exclusive)

As an Approved Supplier listed at Appendix A, you can claim up to the maximum rebate amount for each eligible Primary Producer with an Australian Business Number (ABN).

The FNTMP can support you to grow your tourism business by connecting you with expert advice, tailored learning and access to culturally respectful industry specialists. If you are a First Nations tourism business and you have aspirations to grow, the FNTMP will give you access to free one-on-one mentoring, delivered in a way which suits your needs. 

The FNTMP can support you to grow your tourism business by: connecting you with industry professionals who can provide free, one-on-one advice; and culturally respectful support; providing access to a suite of learning supports and resources developed for and tailored to the First Nations tourism sector.

The mentoring will be delivered by industry specialists who have: tourism industry knowledge and experience including understanding of local tourism opportunities; experience working in a culturally appropriate and respectful manner with First Nations businesses and/or communities; previous experience providing business advice and support (including mentoring) and/or owning and operating a business.

It is a flexible program and the mentoring will be a mixture of face to face and online as preferred. Mentees will have an initial, one-on-one meeting with their mentor to discuss the current state of their business, their goals and objectives and to agree on the duration and frequency of mentoring as per the table below. 

The Department of Regional NSW has recently announced in Orange through the Regional Development Trust Fund, a $5m investment into engine and emerging industries in regional NSW centred on the food & beverage (F&B) industry. The Engine and Emerging Industries Loan Pilot provides low interest loans of between $100,000 and $1 million are now available to eligible regional enterprises to fund activities that support investment in new technologies and equipment that will increase efficiency and productivity.

This is a particularly important for our Central West footprint as the F&B industry provides significant contribution to our GVA. Applicants can apply for funding for activities that commenced on or after 1 April 2024.

• The loan can be used to fund investments that will result in:
• implementation of advanced manufacturing techniques and technology
• expansion of existing advanced manufacturing capabilities
• access to external expertise that is directly related to delivery of the project
• purchase and/or installation of specialist equipment and/or infrastructure necessary to progress the project including mobile equipment
• intellectual property protection or advice
• increased capabilities/efficiencies of pre or post-production phases, for example, implementation of pre-market and/or after-market service activities.