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

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

Regional Event Fund
The Regional Event Fund identifies and supports events in regional NSW that have the potential to act as a ‘cornerstone’ or flagship tourism event for their area by attracting overnight visitation and delivering long-term benefits to the region.

The new Micro Event Fund stream has been introduced this year to support community based events in bushfire and drought affected regions. The value is $10,000 for events with total budgets of $75,000 or less.

The Flagship Event Fund is also open, with a value of $20,000 – Both streams close 25 March 2020

Grants closing in February 2020

Tackling Tough Times Together
The Tackling Tough Times Together grant program helps communities access the resources they need to support one another through the ongoing effects of the drought – Round 16 closes 25 February 2020 (NOTE EOIs for the $150K tier must be received by 12 Dec 2019.)

Grants-in-Aid
The Grants-in-Aid program aims to fund discrete projects or activities by national ex‑service organisations (ESOs) that address a specific problem or issue and will achieve a clear benefit to the ex-service and Defence community – Closes 27 February 2020

Veteran and Community Grants
The objective of the program is to maintain and improve the independence and quality of life for members of the Australian veteran community by providing funding for projects that sustain or enhance health and wellbeing – Closes 27 February 2020

Package Assisting Small Exporters
Under the Package Assisting Small Exporters program, grants are available to organisations and individuals for projects that support small exporters in the dairy, fish, eggs, grain, plant, horticulture, meat and animal products industries to overcome barriers to market access – Closes 28 February 2020

Our Marine Parks Round Two
The second round of the Program is dedicated to the many groups and sectors that have an interest in how Australian Marine Parks are managed and the capability and capacity to assist the Director of National Parks with this important task – Closes 28 February 2020

Grants closing in March 2020

Rural, Regional & Remote Clinical Trial Enabling Infrastructure Grant
Provides funding for new and innovative approaches to enhancing and improving clinical trial infrastructure (including facilities, research equipment, systems and services), to extend existing or provide new clinical trials into rural, regional and remote areas – Closes 3 March 2020

Celebrating Diversity Grants – Events
The Multicultural NSW Celebrating Diversity Grants Program invests in community projects, events and activities that foster community harmony and celebrate cultural diversity as a precious part of our identity and way of life – Closes 13 March 2020

Strengthening Rural Communities – Small & Vital
The Strengthening Rural Communities program gives small rural, regional and remote communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds that can benefit and help secure their future prosperity. Grants are available for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities – Closes 24 March  2020

Regional Event Fund
The Regional Event Fund identifies and supports events in regional NSW that have the potential to act as a ‘cornerstone’ or flagship tourism event for their area by attracting overnight visitation and delivering long-term benefits to the region – Closes 25 March 2020

Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program
The program aims to preserve Australia’s wartime heritage and 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 – Closes 31 March 2020

Sisters of Charity Community Grants Program
The Sisters of Charity Foundation provides charity grants of up to $10,000 to organisations that use clever ways to fight poverty, loneliness, suffering and oppression, but struggle to find funding – Closes 31 March 2020

More grant opportunities

Volunteer Grants Activity – 2019-20 Volunteer Grants
The Volunteer Grants Activity is an element of the Families and Communities Program and aims to strengthen relationships, support families, improve well being of children and young people, reduce the cost of family breakdown and strengthen family and community functioning. – Closes 6 April 2020

Australia Council Fellowships
The Australia Council offers one grant round each year for Fellowships – Closes 2 June 2020

Local Government Authorities (LGA) Arts & Cultural Programs Multi-Year funding
Local Government Authority Arts & Cultural Programs funding supports Local Government to deliver activities over a period of up to three years – Closes 5 March 2020

Emergency Water Infrastructure Grants
Eligible Primary Producers can claim a rebate of 25% of the cost of purchase, delivery and if applicable, the labour cost to engage a person to install water infrastructure for animal welfare needs – Closes 30th of June 2021 or when the $12 Million funding allocation is exhausted

Small Project Grants (Quick Response)
Small Project Grants support the creation, development and presentation of new work and professional development or promotion for NSW-based professional artists and arts and cultural workers – Closes 30 June 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

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

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 & Assistance 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