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.

Featured Grants

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 closes 8 May 2020

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 – Closing date not yet advised

Emergency bushfire support for primary producers
Up to $75,000 is available to farmers, fishers and foresters located in declared bushfire disaster areas. This is to cover costs for immediate and emergency needs not covered by existing insurance policies – Closing date not yet advised

Grants closing in July 2020

Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) Round 13 – COVID-19 Collaborative Research Projects
for Round 13 of the AISRF, your project must involve research in a COVID-19 focused priority area and must be mutually beneficial for Australia and India with outcomes that contribute to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic – Closes 2 July 2020

Destination Australia Program 2021
The objective of the Destination Australia Program 2021 is to attract and support international and domestic students to study in regional Australia, to grow and develop regional Australian tertiary education providers and offer students a high quality learning experience – Closes 7 July 2020

Make the Difference
Make the Difference supports programs to address the needs of disadvantaged young Australians aged between 12 and 25 – Closes 20 July 2020

Regional Engagement Grant
The Regional Engagement Grant aims to raise the profile of oral history in regional areas and extend its expertise and use throughout New South Wales – Closes 24 July 2020

Audience Development Fund
The Audience Development Fund offers public galleries in NSW assistance in targeting and developing new audiences – Closes 29 July 2020

Special Disaster Grant – Bushfires
Up to $75,000 for primary producers and $50,000 for small business and non-profit organisation sis available the the NSW Special Disaster Grant – Closes 31 July 2020

Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Scheme
Promoting diversity, innovation and service responsiveness in the NSW workforce, the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant subsidises the salary, development and support costs of Aboriginal employees in public service agencies and local government authorities –  Closes 31 July 2020

Grants closing in August 2020

Small Business Recovery Grants
A new Small Business Recovery Grant, for up to $3,000 is now available to help small businesses affected by COVID-19 safely relaunch their operations – Closes 16 August 2020

More grant opportunities

Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost
The Recovery Boost is a one-off targeted investment provided by the Australian Government. The funding recognises that the creative industries are central to thriving and healthy communities across regional, rural and remote Australia and that arts and culture activities are vital in the recovery and renewal process – Closing date not advised

Dobell Exhibition Grant
The Dobell Exhibition Grant, supported by the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, offers $40,000 in funding to one regional NSW gallery per annum – Closes 2 September 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

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

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

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

Strategic Opportunities Program
The Strategic Opportunities Program supports individual initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry – 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 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 – 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

Museums & GalleriesNSW Leg Up Grants
Matched funding of $50 – $500 for volunteers to attend or host development activities in NSW. The grants can cover the cost of attending a workshop, conference or course, bringing a presenter to your museum or the travel costs of a group of volunteers visiting another museum – Applications accepted until funding expended

Regional Investment Attraction Fund
A range of funding and opportunities are available under the NSW Government’s Regional Investment Attraction Fund, including financial incentives, relocation assistance for workers and special activation precincts – Ongoing

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

Strategic Opportunities Program
The Strategic Opportunities Program supports individual initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry – Ongoing

Inspiring Australia – Science Engagement Programme
Inspiring Australia seeks to engage the wider community with science, raise awareness of the achievements of our best scientists and build skill and capability in STEM in Australian schools and community – Closes when available funding for 18-19 is exhausted

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

Supply Chain Facilitation
Supply Chain Facilitation offers eligible businesses practical ways to connect with and supply new and existing markets, and project opportunities – Ongoing

Go NSW Equity Fund
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

Building Partnerships NSW
Provides NSW technology startups with up to 35% of approved project costs to a maximum of $100,000 to create marketing opportunities for an enabling technology which addresses a compelling industry need or market gap – 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