RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2020–21              Updated 15 September 2020

Community grants: a quick guide to key internet links

Matthew Thomas

Social Policy Section

This quick guide provides links to select sources of financial assistance to community groups. It does not include links to scholarships, fellowships or research grants.

•        Australian Government grants

•        State-based grants—New South Wales

•        State government grants—Victoria

•        State-based grants—Queensland

•        State government grants—Western Australia

•        State government grants—South Australia

•        State government grants—Tasmania

•        Territory government grants—Northern Territory

•        Territory government grants—Australian Capital Territory

•        Non-government grants

Australian Government grants

•        GrantConnect is a guide to grants available from the Commonwealth Government. GrantConnect includes a list of all current grant opportunities open for application.

State-based grants—New South Wales

•        Create NSW Arts, Screen and Culture offers a range of grants to cultural and community groups involved in artistic activities.

•        The community development website has links to funding sources for community groups and projects from federal, state and local government, as well as some philanthropic funds and companies.

•        The NSW Community Building Partnership program awards grants for community infrastructure projects.

•        The ClubGRANTS scheme is funded by gaming machine revenue from NSW clubs. This website provides information on the scheme and guidelines for applications.

•        The Department of Education and Training’s Community Grants Programs include funding for groups involved in promoting community languages, education, Aboriginal community projects, and programs assisting disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities.

•        The Multicultural NSW Grants Program provides funding for projects and activities that promote community engagement, build community harmony and social cohesion, and celebrate cultural diversity.

•        The NSW Environmental Trust offers grants for projects that involve rehabilitating or regenerating the environment or promoting environmental education and sustainability.

•        The Office of Sport provides sport and recreation grants to ‘nurture sporting talent, help build sports facilities and develop the industry as a whole’.

State government grants—Victoria

•        Grants Victoria lists Victorian Government grants. Grants are available for a wide range of groups and projects including volunteers, sporting groups, community infrastructure and multicultural events.

•        Creative Victoria lists funding for individuals and arts organisations.

•        The Local History Grants Program is administered by the Public Record Office, Victoria.

•        Multicultural Affairs provides community grants.

•        Grants, vouchers and assistance programs are administered by Business Victoria.

State-based grants—Queensland

•        The Queensland Government grants finder contains links and information on a variety of state government grants.

•        The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation provides information and links to a number of community benefit programs that are funded by gaming revenue and provide grants to local organisations.

•        Arts Queensland provides a list of funding opportunities for community groups and individuals engaged in artistic and cultural activities.

•        The Queensland Government offers funding programs to sport and recreation organisations, and artists and art organisations.

•        Tourism and Events Queensland provides a Grants Guide to assist organisations whose work involves attracting visitors to the state.

•        The Brisbane City Council community grants program offers funding for local community groups.

•        The Celebrating Multicultural Queensland Grants Program provides funding to events and projects that promote cultural diversity and inclusiveness in the community.

•        The Queensland Community Foundation is a public charitable trust set up to serve the state’s communities by providing a permanent funding source for charity.

State government grants—Western Australia

•        The Department of Communities provides grants to community organisations ‘to plan and implement projects, events and initiatives that help to improve the lives of West Australians’.

•        The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries administers a number of grants programs for individuals and organisations.

•        Lotterywest distributes profits from lotteries to community groups in Western Australia through various grants programs.

•        The Office of Multicultural Interests provides community grants to culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities in Western Australia.

State government grants—South Australia

•        Grantassist is a guide to assistance and programs relevant to ‘communities, clubs and individuals’.

•        Grants SA is ‘a one-off project-funding program that provides grants to not-for-profit community organisations to improve community participation, wellbeing and quality of life for people living and working in South Australia’.

•        Arts South Australia provides funding for community groups involved in artistic and cultural activities.

•        The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing offers a range of sport-related grants and scholarships for individuals and organisations.

State government grants—Tasmania

•        The Tasmanian Community Fund makes general grants to community organisations as well as to particular initiatives that improve the wellbeing, or assist in the social, environmental and economic development, of Tasmanian communities.

•        The Department of State Growth provides loans and grants to businesses and individuals to support professional and sector development.

•        A percentage of gaming profits in Tasmania is paid into the Community Support Levy through which grants are made to assist sport and recreation clubs and charitable organisations.

•        Arts Tasmania funding and investment programs provide ‘grant programs for professional artists, arts businesses and arts organisations’.

•        The Department of Communities Tasmania administers a range of community, sports and recreation grant programs that support community development and engagement.

•        Business Tasmania provides links to a range of grants, funding and assistance.

Territory government grants—Northern Territory

•        NT.GOV.AU provides links and details on a wide range of government grants.

•        Alice Springs Town Council community grants and sponsorship are offered for both community organisations and specific initiatives.

Territory government grants—Australian Capital Territory

•        ACT Government Grants list a wide range of grant programs under two streams:

      Health and Community Wellbeing Grants support, among other things, health promotion; adult and community education; community infrastructure; people with disability; the community participation of older people; and cultural diversity, social harmony and inclusion.

      City and Territory Services Grants support a range of arts, environmental, heritage, sports and recreation activities.

Non-government grants

•        The ANZ Community Foundation offers grants to support projects run by charitable organisations for the benefit of local communities.

•        Aurizon offers grants to community groups that provide support in the areas of health and wellbeing, community safety and environment and education.

•        The CommBank Staff Foundation aims specifically to assist community groups with youth programs focused on health, education and social inclusion.

•        The Community Enterprise Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group.

•        The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal provides a broad range of grant programs, each with the requirement ‘that funds be used for a charitable purpose that benefits the residents of Australia’s rural, regional or remote communities’.

•        Good2Give allows charitable organisations to be placed on a registry to be matched with corporate donors and sponsors.

•        The Ian Potter Foundation makes grants nationally to support charitable organisations working to benefit the community across a wide range of sectors and endeavours.

•        Landcare Australia offers grants through a number of programs.

•        The Macquarie Group Foundation supports community groups and activities in Australia and overseas.

•        The Mercy Foundation provides support for organisations involved in reducing inequality and poverty in Australia.

•        National Australia Bank provides community grants to organisations nominated by employees. The NAB Foundation is not currently seeking applications and does not take unsolicited proposals for funding.

•        The National Foundation for Australian Women runs a program through which other women’s groups can receive tax deductible donations and grants through their preferred donor fund.

•        The National Library of Australia offers grants to community organisations to assist with the preservation of locally-owned but nationally significant collections of materials that are publicly accessible.

•        The Optus Future Makers program provides grants to organisations to help develop technological applications aimed at supporting disadvantaged youth.

•        The Peter Brock Foundation assists individuals in crisis and supports community events and educational programs.

•        Propel Youth Arts WA provides arts grants for young people in Western Australia aged between 12 and 26 years.

•        The Reichstein Foundation funds projects aimed at advancing social justice and social change.

•        The Sidney Myer Fund & the Myer Foundation provide grants in four key areas: the arts and humanities; education; poverty and disadvantage; and sustainability and the environment.

•        The Telstra Foundation provides community development grants for technological innovation projects aimed at children and young people.

•        The Woolworths Group provides support to local community organisations and charities.

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