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
Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants
The Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants end date has been extended and minor amendments made to the program guidelines. There are two funding streams which, together, will support events, concerts, festivals and visitor attractions in fire-affected regions to assist with recovery efforts and encourage international and domestic visitors to come back to the regions – Stream 1 closes 18 December 2020, Stream two is now closed
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
Small Business Bushfire Recovery Grants
Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available to eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations that have suffered direct damage to their premises or equipment from the bushfires and intend to re-establish in the community – Closes 31 December 2020
Grants closing in October 2020
Festivals Australia funds high-quality arts projects that invite community participation and audience engagement – Closes 16 October 2020
M&G NSW Skills Development Grants
Skills Development Grants provide funding to volunteer museums and museum networks for regional or state focused skill development training and networking events – Closes 25 October 2020 or when funds are exhausted
RAF Recovery Grants
The Regional Arts Fund Recovery Grants are designed to meet the medium-term recovery needs of artists, organisations and communities. Various streams are available – Closes 29 October 2020
Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants
This program is designed to preserve Australia’s wartime heritage, involve people around the nation in a wide range of projects and activities that highlight the service and sacrifice of Australia’s service personnel in wars, conflicts and peace operations, and promote appreciation and understanding of the experiences of service and the roles that those who served have played in shaping the nation – Closes 29 October 2020
M&G NSW Leg Up Grants
Leg Up Grants are quick response skill development grants for workers in volunteer managed museums throughout NSW. These grants fund various skill development projects including hosting or attending workshops, conferences or seminars in NSW, in addition to networking activities – Closes 25 October 2020 or when funds are exhausted
Grants closing in November 2020
Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund
Support for the vast community-led bushfire recovery continues with Phase 2 of the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund, with 2 streams ready to promote community well-being, social and broader recovery and future disaster resilience – Stream 2 closes 10 November 2020
Damien Greer Lawyers Community Grants
The Damien Greer Lawyers Community Grant program recognises and celebrates organisations that strive to make a positive impact within their local community. This year there are 5 opportunities for up to $1,000 grants – Closes 15 November 2020
Regional Connectivity Grants
The Regional Connectivity Program (RCP) is an $83 million competitive grant opportunity to expand the economic, social and public safety benefits of improved digital connectivity to regional, rural and remote Australian communities – Closes 17 November 2020
Strengthening Rural Communities
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s flagship grant, Strengthening Rural Communities is open for applications in two streams, Small and Vital and Bushfire Recovery – Closes 24 November 2020.
More grant opportunities
Before and After School Care Equipment and Facilities Grant Program
The Equipment and Facilities Grant Program supports schools and services to fund equipment and facilities that enable new services to establish and existing services to expand – Closes 31 January 2021
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
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 Documentary, Feature and TV Drama Development
This program seeks to provide practitioners with the opportunity to create appropriate written and/or visual materials to ensure that projects are as strong as possible when competing for production finance – Various dates up to 14 January 2021
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
