Grants and Opportunities
RDA Northern Rivers seeks to support the Northern Rivers business community by featuring available grants and opportunities for the benefit of our local economy and community. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of the grants that are available, instead, it is a list of featured grants, primarily for organisations.
There are many more grants available and we have provided some useful links below to help you find them. RDA Northern Rivers can support your application through access to regional data, application assistance and support letters. Needs some guidance to help write your application? RDA Northern Rivers Successful Grant Writing Toolkit provides a step by step guide to help you write winning grants.
Featured Grants and Opportunities
Local Bushfire Economic Recovery Fund
Jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments, this package will support social and economic recovery in regional communities most affected by the 2019 -2020 bushfires – Closes 28 January 2021
Building Better Regions Fund Round Five
The Infrastructure Projects and Community Investments Streams are both open for applications with $100 million of funding directed into tourism infrastructure projects. The Australian Government has made a series of fact sheets available to provide information about the program. Copies of the fact sheets can be downloaded here and are also available from the BBRF Infrastructure Projects Stream and Community Investments Stream web pages. – Closes 5 March 2021
2020 Resilience Fund – Adapt
Adapt grants are available to individuals, groups and organisations to adapt their practice and explore new ways of working. This could include skills and career development, business development, developing artistic practice, exploring new ways of connecting and collaborating inclusively, and increasing your digital capability – Ongoing
Grants closing in January 2021
Traceability Grants Program
The Traceability Grant Program provides support to industry projects that will enhance agricultural supply chain traceability systems. Round 2 is now open – Closes 21 January 2021
Local Bushfire Economic Recovery Fund
Jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments, this package will support social and economic recovery in regional communities most affected by the 2019 -2020 bushfires – Closes 28 January 2021
Grants closing in February 2021
Aboriginal Lands Bushfire Recovery Funding
This initiative focuses on supporting Local Aboriginal Land Councils and Aboriginal land managers with the clean-up of bushfire impacted lands and determine the impacts following the 2019–20 NSW bushfires – Closes 1 February 2021
DVA Supporting Younger Veterans Grant Program 2020-21
The Australian Government’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs SYV grants support the development of well researched and tailored services for the younger veterans’ community, with a particular focus on services supporting those at risk of experiencing poor mental health – Closes 5 February 2021
NSW Heritage Grants
The NSW Heritage Grants Program, provides grants to heritage owners and custodians, local government and the community, to deliver a broad range of heritage outcomes – Closes 8 February 2021
Highways and Byways – Healing the Land – Healing Ourselves – Together
The 2021 Highways and Byways Grants program will help communities through initiatives that focus on healing the land in holistic ways and increasing opportunities to build community through practical projects, skills acquisition and knowledge transfer – Closes 9 February 2021
Cancer Institute NSW Aboriginal Cancer Grants
Funding is available to build and strengthen effective partnerships for registered not-for-profit, government and non-government organisations in NSW to develop culturally safe cancer services for Aboriginal people – Closes 12 February 2021
Ecstra Women’s Economic Security Project Grants
The Women’s Economic Security Project Grants support charities and social enterprises building financial wellbeing through innovative employment opportunities and tailored financial capability support for women across Australia – Closes 12 February 2021
Live Music Australia – Round 2
The Live Music Australia program will provide support to the live music sector, with a focus on small to medium venues that support high quality original Australian live music that is professionally staged – Closes 18 February 2021
Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support 2020/21 Grant Round
The Australian Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support 2020/21 Grant funding will be provided to organisations for activities projects that deliver a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry that features strong participation and provides economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and the continued production, exhibition, critique, purchase and collection of Indigenous visual art – Closes 19 February 2021
Australia Council for the Arts Re-imagine: Sector Recovery Initiatives Fund
The Re-imagine: Sector Recovery Initiatives Fund is offered in acknowledgement of the significant forces of change and evolution facing the cultural and creative industries – Closes 23 February 2021
Strengthening Rural Communities – Small & Vital
Gives small rural, regional and remote communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds that can benefit and help secure their future prosperity – Closes 23 February 2021
More grant opportunities
NAB Foundation Community Grants 2021
The NAB Foundation is currently seeking applications for Community Grants. Grants are for projects that help communities prepare for natural disasters, support long-term recovery and build resilience to future disasters. Closes 31 March 2021
Regional Job Creation Fund
The A$100 million Regional Job Creation Fund supports existing businesses in regional NSW to grow and encourages interstate or overseas businesses to invest in regional NSW – Closes 14 May 2021 or when program funding has been fully allocated
Quick Response Grants
Made available under the Regional Arts Fund allocation for NSW, Quick Response Grants are intended to assist regional artists, arts organisations and communities to take up professional or skills development or small project opportunities – Closes 30 June 2021
Bushfire Legal Aid Scheme
Funding to support legal assistance for small business and primary producers affected by the 2019/2020 bushfires – Closes Ongoing
Strategic Opportunities Program
The Strategic Opportunities Program supports individual initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry – Ongoing
Australian Government’s Youth Job PaTH
Trial and hire a young person and get help with wage and training costs – Ongoing
Performers Trust Foundation
The PPCA Performers’ Trust Foundation provides grants to promote and encourage music and the music-related performing arts – Ongoing
Indigenous Travel Grants
The Travel Grants program is designed to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers in travelling to key international and Australian events. Professional development is a key objective – Applications can generally be made at any time at least five weeks before the event
NSW Emergency Drought Relief Package 2019-20
On 11 June 2019 the NSW Government announced additional drought assistance measures for farmers including a $350 million increase in the Farm Innovation Fund and $70 million to continue rebates on the Drought Transport Subsidy – Ongoing or until funds exhausted
Employer Incentives for Apprentices
The Australian Government offers a range of incentives to employers who hire apprentices, ranging from additional support for identified skill shortages, adult Australian apprentices, Australian apprentices with a disability and wage subsidies – Ongoing
Regional Filming Fund
The Regional Filming Fund offsets costs associated with shooting in regional areas of NSW. Regional NSW is defined as all areas in NSW outside the Sydney Metro area (excluding the ACT) – Ongoing with applications being accepted up to 4 weeks prior to the start of filming in regional NSW
Support for Startups
An initiative under the NSW Government’s Jobs for NSW program to provides capital funding through investment to support growing businesses – Ongoing
NSW Trade Missions & Exhibitions
Provides export ready NSW companies with industry exhibitions, specialist advice and networking opportunities to help them succeed in the export market – Ongoing
Export Capability Building Program NSW
Provides NSW businesses exporting or looking to export with access to workshops to improve their export readiness – Ongoing
Early Development NSW
Provides key creatives for NSW based screen projects with funding of up to $50,000 to support screen content in the early stage of development with pre-draft and early draft costs – Ongoing
Advanced Development NSW
Provides NSW-based key creatives with funding of up to $50,000 to support screen content in an advanced stage of development including feature films, documentaries, adult and children?s TV drama – Ongoing
Government Grants
Australian Government
Grants & Programs is the assistance portal on the Australian Government’s business.gov.au site. The search feature provides access to over 600 grants that support business, local government and community. It includes incentives for research and development, support for small businesses, tax and duty concessions, and assistance for industries in transition.
GrantConnect provides centralised publication of forecast and current Australian Government grants and opportunities and grants awarded
Community Grants Hub is the Australian Government’s site for community-related grants. This can include grants for health, agriculture and landcare. Other sources of Australian Government grants
Indigenous Advancement Strategy Department of Social Services Department of Environment and Energy Australia Council for the Arts Screen Australia Community Grants Hub
NSW Government
The NSW Small Business Grant supports small business to hire new employees and expand their business.
Community Builders NSW is a program which provides funding for a range of services to strengthen communities and build their capacity and is provided by NSW Family and Community Services.
Other sources of NSW Government grants
Multicultural NSW
Screen NSW
Create NSW
Arts NSW
Smarty Grants
Museums & Galleries NSW
Infrastructure Grants
Northern Rivers Regional Councils
Funding for a range of community projects is available through Northern Rivers local councils. Information about community funding programs can be found on council websites.
Ballina Shire Council
Byron Shire Council
Clarence Valley Council
Lismore City Council
Richmond Valley Council
Tweed Shire Council
Kyogle Council
Other Grant Opportunities
Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal
Australian Communities Foundation
Club Grants
Northern Rivers Community Foundation
Community Broadcasting Foundation
Business Australia – Guide to NSW Small Business Grants
