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.
Need 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.
RDA Sydney are host to two grant writing webinars that provide more insight into the grant writing process. You can access the recording of the first webinar here and download documents from both webinars on the Successful Grant Writing Toolkit page.
What’s on this page?
Flood Recovery Grants
COVID-19 Grants and Support
Featured Grants
Grants closing in July 2022
Grants closing in August 2022
More grant opportunities
Awards, Scholarships and more
Where to find grants
February – March Flood Grants and Support
February and March 2022 storm and flood disaster recovery small business grant
The disaster recovery grant of up to $50,000 is to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of a small business or not-for-profit organisation’s operations. Small businesses and not-for-profits in defined disaster areas are eligible.
Northern Rivers Medium Sized Business Grant
Up to $200,000 is available for medium sized businesses and not for profits with 21 to 200 employees to help pay for the costs of flood clean-up and reinstatement of operations.
$10,000 Small Business Grant
If your small business or not-for-profit organisation in northern NSW was impacted by storms and floods in February and March 2022, you may be eligible for a one-off $10,000 small business northern flood grant.
Special Disaster Grants – NSW Severe Weather & Flooding February 2022 onwards
Flood affected primary producers are encouraged to apply for Special Disaster Grants to access financial assistance to get back operating as soon as possible.
Small Business Northern Flood Grant
This grant is to help pay for businesses operating costs during the immediate recovery period.
Lismore City Council Flood Appeal Grants
Lismore City Council is accepting applications from residents who have experienced loss or damages due to the February/March floods for Round 1 grants from the Lismore Flood Appeal – Closes: 11 July 2022
Disaster Recovery Allowance (Top-up) grants
An extra $350 per week for up to 13 weeks to individuals who have been granted Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) or New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance (NZ DRA) in locations declared eligible for the additional DRA top-up payment – Closes 29 September 2022
Community Wellbeing and Resilience Initiative
Local organisations can apply for $150,000 to $250,000 through Healthy North Coast to deliver community wellbeing and resilience-building initiatives in locations that have been impacted by natural disaster – Closes 31 December 2022
Visit your Flood Recovery Centre, call the Service NSW Hotline on 13 77 88 or use the Disaster Assistance Finder to check your eligibility.
COVID-19 Grants and Support
The NSW Government has a range of financial support available for businesses and industries affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. Information is available from the NSW Government website.
A complete list of grants, loans and financial assistance available to NSW businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is available on the Service NSW website.
Workplace Legal Advice Program
The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Workplace Legal Advice Program provides eligible employers and employees with independent legal help to deal with workplace issues arising from the coronavirus outbreak.
2021 Land Tax COVID-19 Relief
The NSW Government Department of Revenue is providing relief to commercial and residential landowners, who provide a reduction in rent to a tenant who is experiencing financial distress as a result of COVID-19 – Ongoing
Grants closing in July 2022
Disaster Risk Reduction Fund – Local and Regional Risk Reduction Stream
Resilience NSW is administering funding to local and regional projects that deliver locally-based risk reduction and mitigation solutions to improve disaster resilience across NSW communities – Closes 1 July 2022
Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII): Regulatory Technology Round – Proof of Concept Grants
The purpose of the Proof of Concept grants is to support you to build on your feasibility study and produce working prototypes or demonstrations of the innovative solutions that address one of the 4 challenges – Closes 4 July 2022
Pride Foundation Australia Small Grants
Supports projects that assist, involve and benefit LGBTQIA+ people and promote positive social outcomes and mental health in the community – Current round closes 11 July 2022
Tourism Grants for Indigenous Business – Round 2
Supports Indigenous-owned tourism businesses and Indigenous-owned community organisations to plan for or grow their tourism businesses –
Closes 12 July 2022
Deaf Children Australia Youth Grants
Supports youth aged between 15 and 23 years old who are deaf or hard of hearing to achieve a personal goal or project – Closes 12 July 2022
Growing Good Gardens
These grants are aimed at encouraging young people to get gardening, growing edible plants and learning healthy eating habits or creating a healthy class room environment with indoor plants – Closes 15 July 2022
Koala Critical Habitat Protection Community Grants – Round 1
The intended outcomes of the program are to improve the nationally listed koala’s habitat, increase understanding and management of disease and injury and lift capability in on-ground care, treatment and triage of koalas, and improve data and knowledge of koala populations – Closes 15 July 2022
Richmond Valley 2022/2023 Local Heritage Grants Scheme
Applications for small grants under the 2022/23 Local Heritage Grants Scheme are being accepted for projects to undertake maintenance and repairs to heritage listed items in the Richmond Valley Council area – Closes 15 July 2022
NHMRC Development Grants 2022 for funding in 2023
NHMRC Development Grants aim to increased rates of translation of health and medical research into commercial outcomes, resulting in improved health and medical knowledge – Closes 15 July 2022
Audience Development Fund
The Audience Development Fund (ADF) offers public galleries in NSW assistance in targeting and developing new audiences – Closes 18 July 2022
Heywire Youth Innovation Grants
FRRR and donor partners collaborate with ABC Heywire to help communities take action on the ideas generated by young Australians who attend the annual Heywire Regional Youth Summit – Closes 18 July 2022
Active Australia Innovation Challenge
Support for new, innovative projects that get more people moving in schools, universities or local community groups – Closes 18 July 2022
Club Grants Infrastructure Grants – Arts and Culture
Support arts and culture infrastructure such as museums, art galleries or cultural centres – Closes 18 July 2022
Club Grants Infrastructure Grants – Community Infrastructure
Support community infrastructure such as a multipurpose community hub or a service for an eligible community group – Closes 18 July 2022
Club Grants Infrastructure Grants – Disaster Readiness
Supports disaster readiness infrastructure such as evacuation centres, capital equipment or a multipurpose community facility – Closes 18 July 2022
Club Grants Infrastructure Grants – Sports and Recreation
Supports sport and recreation infrastructure such as sports centres, playgrounds and swimming pools – Closes 18 July 2022
Council on Australia Latin America Relations Grants Round 2022-23
the COALAR 2022-23 grant program supports projects that enhance and strengthen links between Australia and Latin America, support closer corporate engagement and increase awareness between Australia and Latin America – Closes 25 July 2022
Community War Memorial Fund
Funding to conserve, repair and protect community war memorials in NSW – Closes 25 July 2022
Holiday Break Program – Spring 2022
Funds new or enhanced social or recreational activities, events, services or programs for young people (12-24) in the spring holidays – Closes 29 July 2022
Grants closing in August 2022
ANZ Seeds of Renewal
Helps build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia – Closes 3 August 2022
The Harcourts Foundation
Provides grants to reputable community-based charitable organisations which need funding for projects and initiatives designed to benefit as many people as possible – Current Round Closes 3 August 2022
NSW Small Business Month November 2022 grants
Grants of up to $5,000 for chambers of commerce, industry associations, not-for-profit organisations and NSW local councils are available to help them organise events for the sixth NSW Small Business Month in November 2022 – Closes 5 August 2022
The Honda Foundation
The Honda Foundation acts as a charitable trust, providing financial assistance to charities and organisations doing amazing work across a range of social and environmental issues – Current Round Closes 5 August 2022
NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grants 2022 for funding mid-2023
The objectives of the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant scheme is to support high-quality clinical trials and cohort studies that address important gaps in knowledge, leading to relevant and implementable findings for the benefit of human health – Closes 24 August 2022
More grant opportunities
MRFF – 2022 Clinician Researchers: Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Grant Opportunity
The objective of Streams 1 and 2 of this grant opportunity is to provide grants of financial assistance to support medical research projects led by nurses, midwives and allied health professionals that validate and implement new approaches for improving the quality of patient care – Closes 10 August 2022
MRFF 2022 National Critical Research Infrastructure Grant Opportunity
This 3 stream program will fund organisations to undertake innovative project solutions to complex health problems in areas of unmet need to improve Australian’s quality of life and the health system sustainability – Closes 7 Sep 2022
MRFF 2022 Quality Safety and Effectiveness of Medicine Use and Medicine Intervention by Pharmacists
This 4 stream program will fund organisations to undertake research to support innovative approaches to improve the quality and cost?effectiveness of preventive healthcare interventions – Closes 7 Sep 2022
Strengthening Rural Communities
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program aims to give the thousands of small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia an opportunity to access funding to support broad community needs – Closes 30 August 2022
NSW Volunteer Museum Grants
Museums and Galleries NSW’s Volunteer Museum grants are open.
- Skills Development Grants up to $4000 for the development and delivery of skill development training and networking events. Closes 30 October 2022.
- Leg Up Grants provide Matched funding of $50 – $500 for volunteers to attend or host development activities in NSW. Closes 30 October 2022.
Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund
The RISE Fund is delivered to support artists and organisations affected by COVID-19 through the delivery and presentation of activities across all art forms to audiences across Australia – Closes when all available funds have been allocated
MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Initiative – 2022 International Clinical Trial Collaborations Grant Opportunity
Applications to this Grant Opportunity must propose a single clinical trial in Australia in collaboration with international counterparts – Closes 22 February 2023
1,000 Jobs Package Grant Funding
Tranche Two provides a subsidy for new jobs for Community Development Program participants in remote Australia to support economic development – Closes 30 June 2023 or when exhausted
COVID-19 Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program – Phase 3
Supports Local Councils to create jobs by delivering priority local road and community infrastructure projects – Closes 30 June 2023
Regional and Remote Airports Security Awareness Program
Re-imbursement based funding to support regional and remote airports to meet requirements of the Screener Accreditation Scheme – Closes 30 May 2024
Regional Australia Microgrids Pilot Program
In October 2020, the Australian Government announced the $50 million Regional Australia Microgrid Pilots Program (RAMPP) to support pilot demonstrations of microgrids in regional and remote areas – Closes 31 December 2026
Advancing Renewables Program
Supports a broad range of development, demonstration and pre-commercial deployment projects that can deliver affordable and reliable renewable energy for Australian families and businesses – Ongoing
Bushfire Legal Aid Scheme
Funding to support legal assistance for small business and primary producers affected by the 2019/2020 bushfires – Ongoing
Riparian and Habitat Recovery funding
Funding of up to $18,000 is available to help landholders and community groups protect and enhance waterways, wetlands and habitat in the North Coast region of NSW – Ongoing
Digital Lift
Digital Lift is the philanthropic arm of tech company Monday.com. They are supporting not-for-profits to get digitally connected with volunteer support, software licenses, training and grants – 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
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
Awards, scholarships and opportunities
McKinsey Young Leaders Forum Scholarships – 2022
Provides emerging leaders from the not-for-profit sector the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to attend McKinsey’s Young Leaders Forum –
Closes 3 July 2022
Where To Find Grants
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 Business Grants support small businesses 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
Screen NSW
Create NSW
Arts NSW
Smarty Grants
Museums & Galleries NSW
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
