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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?

COVID-19 Grants and Support
Grants closing in March 2024
Grants closing in April 2024
More grant opportunities
Awards, Scholarships and more
Where to find grants

 

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.

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Grants closing in March 2024

Traceability Grants Program – Round 3
The Traceability Grants Program objectives are to support industry projects that enhance our agricultural supply chain traceability systems, provide an advantage for exporters in overseas markets to assist them to maintain their competitive edge and Increase opportunities to export Australian commodities – Closes 18 March 2024

Festivals Australia – Round 18
Festivals Australia provides funding to support individual art projects in regional or remote locations – Closes 18 March 2024

NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program Stage 1 EOI
The Justice Reinvestment grant program has been created to provide funding for community-led programs that focus on reinvesting in Aboriginal communities to reduce contact with the criminal justice system – Closes 18 March 2024

Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock – Stage 3: Validation and Demonstration Round 2
The purpose of this grant opportunity is to validate and demonstrate technologies to deliver methane-reducing livestock feed supplements to grazing animals and other solutions to reduce methane emissions from grazing livestock (beef and dairy cattle, and sheep) at large scale – Closes 20 March 2024

Kitchen Garden Kickstart Grants
The Kitchen Garden Kickstart Grants support under-resourced schools to support the purchase of key infrastructure and are often spent on items such as garden beds, ovens, accessible work top benches, greenhouses and outdoor learning spaces – Closes 20 March 2024

Housing Australia Future Fund
Housing Australia is now seeking applications for funding from Eligible Applicants for HAFFF and NHAF financing through Funding Round One – Closes 22 March 2024

Groundswell Core Funding Grants
Groundswell supports organisations creating the social, economic and political conditions to reduce emissions to levels that will avoid the worst impacts of climate change – Closes 25 March 2024

Copyright Agency Create Grants
Create Grants provide a living allowance for writers and visual artists at key stages of their careers – Closes 25 March 2024

Maitri Research Grants Program 2024
The grants will fund research describing opportunities and challenges of navigating Indian markets and highlighting the successful strategies deployed by businesses and other entities to facilitate commercial success – Closes 26 March 2024

Telstra’s Connected Communities Program
Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program will boost support for communities across remote, rural and regional Australia to enhance liveability with digital solutions that harness the power of connection – Closes 27 March 2024

Building Trust in Australian Agricultural Traceability and Credentials in Southeast Asia Grant Round
The purpose of the grant round is to strengthen trust in Australia’s commercial agricultural traceability systems and robust credentials in our region by funding activities that increase supply chain transparency, build regional capability business-to-business and support development of sustainable, resilient and data enabled supply chains – Closes 27 March 2024

At Home Care Grants
Youngcare’s At Home Care Grants provide funding for equipment, home modifications and essential support that is unable to be funded through other means Closes 27 March 2024

Climate-Smart Agriculture Program Capacity Building Grants Round 1
The Capacity Building grants will contribute to the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program’s outcomes by supporting farmers to increase their awareness, knowledge and skills of best practice climate-smart sustainable agriculture approaches – Closes 28 March 2024

Electronic National Residential Medication Chart – Round 2
The grant opportunity is designed to help defray the costs associated with implementing a conformant eNRMC product, such as software and hardware costs, change management processes and staff training – Closes 28 March 2024

Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance (AGIEI) program 2024
The Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance (AGIEI) program is a funding program designed to offset insurance costs for touring major exhibitions of cultural material – Closes 28 March 2024

Australian Geographic Awards for Nature
This flagship Australian Geographic conservation program will offer competitive grants annually and each of the grants, known as awards, are worth either $20,000, $30,000 or $50,000 each – Closes 28 March 2024

Natural Hazards STEM Support Program
The Program aims to enhance the STEM education and skill development of students in kindergarten through to Year 12, through the implementation of program/s that focus on technologies directly relevant to the management and response of natural hazards – Closes 28 March 2024

National Road Safety Action Grants Program
This grant opportunity was announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget to provide non-infrastructure grants to help implement the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25 with a focus on five key areas of activity – Closes 31 March 2024

Volunteer Museum Grants
These grants are specifically designed to provide assistance to NSW volunteer community museums and Aboriginal cultural centres – Closes 31 March 2024

Mazda Foundation Grants
Funding for community-based organisations with projects supporting primary producers facing hardship and programs targeting literacy and numeracy for primary school aged children in disadvantaged areas Closes 31 March 2024

Small Grants 2024 Round 1
Museums and Galleries of NSW funding to meet the short-term, collection-based requirements of community museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces – Closes 31 March 2024

National Road Safety Action Grants Program Streams 3 – 5
Funding to improve national road safety data, and strengthen the evidence base for decisions, new road safety technologies, as well as innovative solutions that meet the road safety challenges arising from new technologies, and local solutions for First Nations communities, and also support culturally relevant road safety messaging – Closes 31 March 2024

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Grants closing in April 2024

2023 COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program
The purpose of the 2023 COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program grant opportunity is to assist providers to transition towards managing the costs of COVID-19 outbreaks as part of their business-as-usual arrangements – Closes 3 April 2024

Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII) – Renewables and Low Emissions Round – Feasibility grant
The three challenges in this round of BRII focus on renewables and low emissions practices. The purpose of the Feasibility grant is to test the technical and commercial viability of your proposed solutions – Closes 3 April 2024

Sponsorship Grants for Student Science Engagement and International Competitions 2024
This grant opportunity provides organisations, such as schools and community groups, with funds to sponsor a student or group of students to participate in STEM engagement events, activities and competitions that are hosted in-person or online, within Australia or overseas – Closes 4 April 2024

Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages – Postgraduate Psychology Incentive Program – Round 1
The Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages – Postgraduate Psychology Incentive Program aims to support higher education providers who have created additional postgraduate psychology places in courses which lead to general registration and can lead to relevant areas of practice endorsement – Closes 4 April 2024

National Mental Health Consumer Peak Body
This grant opportunity will fund an organisation/s for the establishment and early operations of a National Mental Health Consumer Peak Body to support and represent mental health consumer perspectives at a national level – Closes 5 April 2024

National Mental Health Carer, Family and Kin Peak Body
This grant opportunity will fund an organisation/s for the establishment and early operations of a National Mental Health Consumer Peak Body to support and represent mental health consumer perspectives at a national level – Closes 5 April 2024

Level Crossing Safety Research and Innovation Project – Round 2
This Level Crossing Safety Research and Innovation Project grant opportunity is part of the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program – Closes 5 April 2024

Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Round 2
The Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Round 2 will support businesses to upgrade or replace inefficient equipment to improve their energy efficiency – Closes 8 April 2024

Climate-Smart Agriculture Program – Partnerships and Innovation Grants
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Program – Partnerships and Innovation grants will foster sustainable agricultural and natural resource management innovation – Closes 8 April 2024

The Copyright Agency Cultural Fund – Grants for Organisations
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund supports leading Australian creative organisations and key industry stakeholders with grants to create and deliver exceptional opportunities for Australian writers, journalists, editors, publishers, English and literacy teachers, and visual artists, and especially for those from First Nations and diverse backgrounds – Closes 15 April 2024

Small Business Cyber Resilience Service
The intended outcomes of the Small Business Cyber Resilience program are to improve the cyber security of small businesses and their ability to recover from a cyber incidentCloses 26 April 2024 

Community Energy Upgrades fund
The Community Energy Upgrades program will co-fund energy efficiency and electrification upgrades for local governments to deliver reduced energy bills and emissions from local government owned and/or operated facilities – Closes 30 April 2024 

Clarence Valley Council Special Event Sponsorship
The Clarence Valley Council’s annual Special Event Sponsorship funding is open for applications from event organisersCloses 30 April 2024 

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More grant opportunities

‘Lights on Door Open’ Stipend Program
The ‘Lights on Door Open’ stipend program aims to support eligible organisations, reduce the burden of constant fundraising, and allow them to focus on collections, maintenance, and best practices – Closes when all funds ($226,000) expended

BTL Next Step stage 1
BTL Next Step is a credit springboard and career accelerator program to support established mid-career below-the-line (BTL) practitioners to step up into senior crew and leadership roles that have been identified as experiencing shortages – Closes 2 May 2024

Electric Vehicle Destination Charging Grants
The NSW Government are investing $20 million to assist eligible regional NSW businesses and councils by co-funding the purchase and installation of EV chargers at their site – Closes 3 May 2024

Qantas Regional Grants
The Qantas Regional Grants program is offering $2 million in support to Australian-based communities and projects that are looking to benefit our country’s regional areas – Closes 10 May 2024

Professional Development and Paid Practicum Subsidy Program
The objective of the program is to support up to 22,000 early childhood educators, early childhood teachers and directors (centre managers) to undertake professional development for up to two days – Closes 10 May 2024

Small Project Grants (Quick Response) – Individuals and Groups
These grants support professional development opportunities for NSW-based professional artists, groups and arts and cultural workers (including museum workers) – Closes 20 May 2024

Regional and Remote Airports Security Awareness Program
Reimbursement-based funding to support regional and remote airports to meet requirements of the Screener Accreditation Scheme – Closes 30 May 2024 

On-Farm Connectivity Program
The On-Farm Connectivity Program provides eligible Equipment Suppliers with up to $30,000 rebate for sales of digital farming technology to eligible Primary Producers to help improve their connectivity and productivity – Closes 31 May 2024

Strengthening Rural Communities – Small and Vital Round 21
The Strengthening Rural Communities Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities – Closes 5 June 2024

Support Plantation Establishment 2024–25 (Round 2)
The Australian Government is inviting organisations via a Demand Driven (eligibility-based) process to apply to deliver services under the Support Plantation Establishment 2024–25 Program (Round 2) – Closes 30 June 2024

Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) Transition Fund
This Grant Opportunity is to assist Providers who may need financial support to adjust to the new funding arrangements under the AN-ACC without impacting on their ability to provide personal and clinical care to their residents – Closes 27 June 2024

Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System
As an employer of an Australian Apprentice, you may be eligible for financial support from the Australian Government to help offset the cost of taking on an apprentice – Closes 30 June 2024

Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant
The Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant (EDAEG) adopts a number of strategies to develop and support Aboriginal people through the creation of training and employment opportunities – Closes 30 June 2024

Small business technology investment boost
Small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will be allowed an additional 20% tax deduction to support their digital operations and digitise their operations – Closes 30 June 2024 

Small business skills and training boost 
Small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will be allowed an additional 20% tax deduction for external training courses delivered to employees by registered training providers – Closes 30 June 2024 

Workforce Support and Wellbeing Program
Local primary healthcare services are invited to submit application for round 2 grant funding under the Workforce Support and Wellbeing program, part of Healthy North Coast’s disaster recovery response – Closes 30 June 2024

Medical Research Future Fund 2024 BioMedTech Incubator grant opportunity
This opportunity looks to fund suitable organisations to identify, select and support Australian SMEs undertaking early-stage medical research and medical innovation projects that have commercial potential – Closes 31 July 2024

National Justice Reinvestment Program – Round 2
The objective of this grant opportunity is to support the development and delivery of community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led justice reinvestment initiatives across Australia, by supporting the development, implementation, and evaluation of local justice reinvestment strategies and activities, and local project teams and leadership structures to undertake the work of developing, implementing and evaluating justice reinvestment strategies – Closes 10 September 2024

Skills Development Grants
Skills Development Grants provide funding to volunteer museums, museum networks, and Aboriginal cultural spaces for regional or state-focused skill development training and networking events involving more than one organisation – Closes 27 October 2024

Leg Up Grants
Leg Up Grants are quick response skill development grants for workers in volunteer managed museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces throughout NSW – Closes 27 October 2024

Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program
The program is designed to provide funding for projects that promote appreciation and understanding of the experiences of service and the roles that those who served have played, and to preserve, add to the sum knowledge on, or provide access to information about Australia’s wartime heritage – Closes 5 February 2025

Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program – Phase 4
Funding under Phase 4 of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program is available from 1 July 2023 to support Eligible Funding Recipients to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia – Closes 30 June 2026

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

Lights on Doors Open stipend program to support volunteer-led museums and galleries
The ‘Lights On, Doors Open’ stipend program has been established to relieve the pressures faced by volunteer-led museums and Aboriginal cultural spaces in NSW – Closes when funds are exhausted 

Oral History Regional Engagement Grants  
This grant aims to raise the profile of oral history in regional areas and extend its expertise and use throughout New South Wales – Closing date to be announced in 2024 

Industry Growth Program
The program supports innovative small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation and/or growth projects within the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas through advisory services and opportunities for matched grant funding – Ongoing

Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program: Precinct Development and Planning
The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to plan and deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how the precinct connects to the region – Ongoing

Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program: Precinct Delivery
This program will bring together governments and communities to plan and deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how that precinct connects to the region – Ongoing

Regional Investment Activation Fund
This grant supports projects that are time-sensitive and strategically significant for a priority industry or location. Projects may be recommended for funding support under the Regional Investment Activation Fund – Ongoing

Producer Offset – Screen Australia  
The Producer Offset is a refundable tax offset (rebate) for producers of Australian feature films, television and other projects – Ongoing 

Return to Work – Phase 3
The Return to Work Program is for women who have been unemployed for one month or more and intend to return to work as an employee within 6 months – Ongoing

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

Accelerating Commercialisation
Accelerating Commercialisation is a service under the AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Programme that provides you with advice and funding to get your novel product, process or service to market – 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

Airservices Australia Enroute Charges Payment Scheme
The Airservices Australia Enroute Charges Payment Scheme (program) commenced on 1 January 2002 and was introduced against the background of the collapse of Ansett on September 12, 2001 to assist in ensuring the continuation of air services to regional Australia – Ongoing

Australian Government’s Youth Job PaTH
Trial and hire a young person and get help with wage and training costs – Ongoing

Bridges Renewal Program and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program
The Bridges Renewal Program (BRP) and the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) are complementary programs designed to provide funding to State, Territory and Local Governments for projects which will upgrade and replace bridges to enhance access for local communities and facilitate higher productivity vehicle access (BRP) and increase the productivity and safety of heavy vehicle operations (HVSPP) – 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

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

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

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

NSW Heritage Emergency Works Grant
These grants support the protection or repairs to declared Aboriginal Places, items listed on the State Heritage Register, or items with a current interim heritage order that have been damaged by unexpected events (such as an extreme storm or accident) and where your insurance does not cover this cost – 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

Performers Trust Foundation
The PPCA Performers’ Trust Foundation provides grants to promote and encourage music and the music-related performing arts – Ongoing

Regional Event Fund – Event Development Stream
The Event Development stream supports the strategic growth of proven events that demonstrate a clear rationale for the continued development of its tourism potential – 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

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

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

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Awards, scholarships and opportunities

State and Territory Landcare Awards
The State & Territory Landcare Awards honours outstanding individuals and groups for their contributions across the nation who are tirelessly preserving, collaborating, and innovating to restore and protect the natural environmentCloses 1 March 2024

First Nations Landcare Collaborations Award
Honouring First Nations Partnerships with Landcare to care for Country. This new category First Nations Landcare Collaboration Award is now open for nominations. To make your nomination visit the 2023/2024 State & Territory Landcare Awards website and register – Closes 1 March 2024

National NAIDOC Week Awards
The National NAIDOC Week Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions and excellence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across ten award categories, including art, culture, education and training, sport, environment and leadershipCloses 8 March 2024

NSW Training Awards – Individuals
The NSW Training Awards are conducted annually by Training Services NSW within the NSW Department of Education to recognise outstanding achievement in the vocational education and training sectorCloses 17 March 2024

National Awards for Local Government
Entries are now open for the 2024 National Awards for Local Government, which recognise outstanding innovation implemented by councils that have enhanced local communitiesCloses 18 March 2024

Australian Business Awards
Recognises organisations that demonstrate the core values of business innovation, product innovation, technological achievement and employee engagement via a set of established business and product award categoriesCloses 21 March 2024

NSW Traning wards – Organisations
These awards honour and reward the achievements of students, teachers, training organisations and employersCloses 31 March 2024

Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships
The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program aims to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, through increasing access to, and participation of, up to 600 employed women to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) – Onoing

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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

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