Grants Hub

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 Westpac Youth Impact Challenge is a nationwide initiative open to all Australian students aged 7 to 21. The Challenge aims to help students solve problems in their local communities. To take part in the Challenge, participants must identify a local problem and brainstorm an innovative business or social change idea to solve it. Participants can choose to work individually, or in a group of up to 3. 

Selected winners will receive an Exclusive Prize Pack which will include a Microsoft Surface laptop from partner Microsoft, a 12-month Membership to ‘The Academy’ by the Australian School of Entrepreneurship which will provide them with access to eLearning content, resources and exclusive members perks and discounts, a Spill the Beans Pitch Opportunity, access to financial education mentoring support for your business or social change idea from Westpac’s Davidson Institute and an invitation to their Young Entrepreneurs Advisory Council and an opportunity to pitch at the final Challenge event!

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.

Community organisations have the opportunity to share in a total of $520,000 in grants, aimed at supporting programs that contribute positively to mentally healthy and sustainable societies. 

Funding of up to $10,000 is available for initiatives that align to one or more of the Bupa Foundation’s focus areas:

• Healthy minds - building mentally healthy and resilient communities
• Healthy planet, healthy people - supporting a healthy planet for healthy people

Applications demonstrating a meaningful connection to Bupa will be highly considered.

The NSW Seniors Festival Grants program provides $200,000 in funding for community events and opportunities that enable older Australians to remain, active, healthy and engaged during the NSW Seniors Festival. 

The NSW Seniors Festival Grant program encourages seniors in NSW to enjoy new experiences, continue learning, stay active and connect to their communities. It does this by:

• supporting a broad range of local community organisations
• supporting programs and activities in regional NSW
• fostering partnerships with community groups and services
• providing programs and activities for diverse communities in NSW
• supporting projects that empower older people to stay connected
• assisting organisations to increase capacity of current programs and activities.

Funding amounts:

The total allocated funding for the 2025 Seniors Festival Grant Program is $200,000 across NSW. There are two funding levels that applicants can apply for:

• $1,000 to $5,000 for local community programs and activities
• $5,001 to $10,000 to local government organisations for large scale community and regional programs and activities

Ansvar’s Community Education Program provides a range of grants to organisations supporting Australian youth through programs that fall under two categories – Empowerment and Education, and Outreach and Support.

Ansvar’s Community Education Program provides grants up to $50,000 for programs supporting Australian youth which fall under two categories:

1. Empowerment and Education Programs which provide opportunities to develop positive values that lead to healthy lifestyle choices and a positive contribution to our community.

2. Outreach and Support Programs that support youths who are at risk or are already experiencing difficulties (such as drug and alcohol abuse) through rehabilitation and/or skills training.

 This grant opportunity is for digital businesses in regional and remote Australia who live and breathe technology and are:

Harnessing the benefits of the nbn® network to enable regional Australians to live, learn and work in a digital society

• Innovative digital businesses challenging the traditional markets in regional Australia
• Businesses who are lifting digital participation and stimulating regional economics
• Champions of digital adoption for regional and remote communities

The program will award one grant of $15,000 to an organisation or business project aligned with each of the below categories.

• Indigenous Business
• Education
• Agriculture
• Women in Regional Business
• Health
• Tourism

Additionally, one regional/remote business will be recognised and awarded with the ‘Innovate with nbn® Champion award’ worth an additional $20,000. 

CWA of NSW offers a variety of Education Grants to students from NSW. Please see website for details on each grant.

Applications open for CWA Education Grants on 1st August and close on 30th September annually. They will be considered at the November Executive Meeting each year and must be received at State Office no later than 30th September.

Please note: An applicant can only apply for one grant. Successful applicants may only apply every third year eg If successful in 2019 they cannot apply again until 2022.              

The NAB Foundation Community Grants program provides funding of up to $25,000 for local projects that help communities withstand and recover from natural disasters.

Australian communities are being hit harder by natural disasters more often. It takes many hands to get communities back up and running after a disaster and to build resilience for the next one. NAB award $1 million in Community Grants each year, with additional $200,000 available in Impact Grants, for projects with big potential. These Impact Grants provide a further $25,000 to recipients to maximise the impact they have on their communities. NAB Foundation Community Grants support community-led projects that relate to:

• Training and planning: Educational workshops, practical and strategic planning that help communities prepare for a natural disaster.
• Community recovery: Programs to enhance community connection, resilience and wellbeing post natural disaster.
• Environment and wildlife: Restoration of damaged vegetation and habitat, and rehabilitation of injured wildlife.
• Equipment and infrastructure: Tools, equipment and infrastructure improvements that help communities withstand natural disasters or recover in their aftermath.

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 Facility Enhancement Fund (FEF) is an initiative established by Tennis NSW which aims to stimulate investment in community tennis facilities to support the growth of the sport by making tennis venues more sustainable and accessible.

The FEF is for small to medium sized facility upgrades or enhancements typically between $10,000 and $250,000 in total value. The FEF may fund up to 25% of eligible total project value or between $2,500 to a maximum of $50,000.

Two streams of the Facility Enhancement Fund will operate:

• Stream 1 - Main Round - All information in this listing is for Stream 1
• Stream 2 - Future In-Principle Funding - by invitation only

The key objectives of the FEF are to support facility upgrades or development which will:

• Increase the number of people who participate;
• Improve the quality of the participation environment which will support improved participation numbers, experience and other outcomes that benefit tennis;
• Increase the type of tennis activities that can be delivered; 
• Enhance venue sustainability;
• and Address barriers to participation.

The grant amount requested by an applicant must be a minimum of $2,500 and cannot exceed $50,000 – and reflect no more than 25% of the total project value. As such projects will typically be a minimum of $10,000 through to $250,000 in total project value (but may be higher).

 17 October 2024

Arts OutWest Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is a small annual funding round supporting arts activities in the NSW Central West that offer exciting outcomes for communities and creatives. CASP funds the payment of artists and arts workers to undertake or manage arts activities in local communities.

Funded activities could include (but are not limited to) workshops, classes, performances, installations, exhibitions, tours, screen / film making, writing or composition, development of new work, tours or talks, artist-in-residence programs, recordings or podcasts, experimental arts, and new arts activities attached to festivals or events – as long as they have some element of public outcome.

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.

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.

This grant program aims to support and celebrate the many groups that have and continue to make a significant contribution to caring for the environment across Australia. 

Applications are open to projects that address priority issues, and may include educational workshops, restoring essential wildlife habitat, shelter belts and fences, protecting our waterways, managing weeds and feral animals, working with Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, hosting local community workshops, or purchasing plants and equipment, creating signage, amongst other landcare activities.

A total funding pool of $300,000 ex GST is available, made possible by the generous contributions to Landcare Australia’s fundraising activities.

Grant applications for a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $20,000 (excluding GST) are available.

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 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 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.