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 November 2024
Grants closing in December 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.
Grants closing in November 2024
Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program, Open Competitive Grant Round 2024-25 and 2025-26
Funding will be provided to organisations for activities that best contribute to delivery of a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry that features strong participation by, and provides economic opportunities for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the continued production, exhibition, critique, purchase and collection of Indigenous visual art – Closes 17 November 2024
Regional Airports Program – Round 4
The Regional Airports Program – Round 4 provides regional airports or aerodromes with up to $7.5 million in funding to enhance aviation safety, accessibility and climate resilience – Closes 18 November 2024
Competitive Digital Mental Health Program (2025 to 2028)
This grant opportunity will enable all people living in Australia to access mental health supports via digital and online channels at a time and place that suits their personal needs and preferences – Closes 18 November 2024
Organ and Tissue Authority Community Awareness Grants Program
The program seeks to encourage Australians to talk about donation, register as organ and tissue donors, and to let their families know they want to be a donor – Closes 18 November 2024
Future Drought Fund Resilient Landscapes Program
The focus and objectives of the Program is to demonstrate how the implementation and scaling of practices, technologies or approaches that manage natural resources on farm, build drought and climate resilience through improving landscape function and ecosystem services – Closes 19 November 2024
Future Drought Fund Long Term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Round 2
The program will fund innovative and transformational practices that have the potential to build the economic, environmental, and social resilience of Australian farms to drought and climate variability – Closes 19 November 2024
First Nations International Fellowships and Partnerships
The opportunity comprises two complementary grant programs, one to enhance the number of First Nations Australians participating in international meetings, the second to enhance capacity of First Nations Australians to build sustainable partnerships across the Indo-Pacific – Closes 22 November 2024
Crown Reserves Improvement Fund
The Crown Reserves Improvement Fund supports Crown land managers by providing funding for repairs, maintenance and improvements on Crown reserves – Closes 22 November 2024
Responsible Wood Community Grants Program 2024-25
The Responsible Wood Community Grants Program provides funding for a wide range of forest-based initiatives, including the construction or upgrade of recreational facilities, forest rehabilitation projects, habitat for significant biodiversity values, and even forest-based art installations – Closes 22 November 2024
Club Grants Category 3 – Infrastructure Grants: Arts and Culture
The objective of the Clubgrants Category 3 Infrastructure Grants program is to fund the costs of construction, alteration, renovation, completion and fit-out of buildings and community infrastructure to deliver outcomes for disadvantaged NSW communities including regional, remote and drought-affected areas, culturally and linguistically diverse, disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and disaster-affected communities – Closes 25 November 2024
Indigenous Languages and Arts – Open Competitive Grant Opportunity 2025
The Indigenous Languages and Arts Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to express, preserve and maintain their cultures through Indigenous languages and arts activities – Closes 25 November 2024
Grants closing in December 2024
Arts and Cultural Funding Program
Create NSW’s annual Arts and Cultural Funding Program provides funding for individuals and organisations across 4 programs: Multiyear Funding, Regional Arts Touring, Project Funding, and National Partnerships – Closes 2 December 2024
Cultural Access – Priority Area Projects for Individuals and Organisations
This funding supports individuals and organisations that are led by and/or support specific communities to develop and deliver a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences for artists, arts workers, communities, and audiences – Closes 2 December 2024
Creative Nations
The purpose of this funding is to strengthen First Nations artists, organisations and communities by supporting artistic expression to sustain and grow First Nations arts and culture in NSW – Closes 2 December 2024
Building Women’s Careers Program
The Building Women’s Careers Program seeks to sustainably address structural and cultural barriers to women’s participation in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and employment – Closes 2 December 2024
Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity – Commonwealth Financial Counselling and Financial Capability
The Commonwealth Financial Counselling and Financial Capability services contribute to FWC Activity outcomes by helping eligible people to address their financial problems, make informed choices and build longer-term financial capability – Closes 2 December 2024
Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity – Food Relief
Food Relief contributes to the FWC Activity outcomes by increasing Commonwealth-funded Emergency Relief providers’ access to a cost-effective supply of food and material aid, for provision to eligible clients experiencing financial crisis – Closes 2 December 2024
Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity – Financial Counselling for Gambling
Commonwealth Financial Counselling services contribute to the FWC Activity outcomes by helping eligible people to address their financial problems, make informed choices and build longer-term financial capability – Closes 2 December 2024
Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity – Emergency Relief
The Emergency Relief program contributes to the FWC Activity outcomes by providing immediate financial or material aid to eligible people in financial stress or hardship and who have limited means or resources to help them alleviate their financial crisis – Closes 2 December 2024
Aged Care Nursing Scholarships Program
Under this program the organisation to deliver the grant will provide 1050 scholarships in a range of nursing study opportunities for aged care workers over three years from 2024-25 – Closes 5 December 2024
Financial Wellbeing and Capability Activity – Financial Wellbeing Hubs
Financial Wellbeing Hubs will provide integrated, co-located financial counselling, financial capability and emergency relief (material and financial aid) services, and access to safe and affordable financial products in areas with high levels of financial vulnerability such as socio-economic disadvantage – Closes 9 December 2024
eSafety Commissioner: Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program – Round 2
The Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program aims to improve the safety of Australian women and their children through the prevention of technology-facilitated gender-based violence – Closes 16 December 2024
Veteran Wellbeing Grants Program 2024-25
The Veteran Wellbeing Grants program provides funding for ex-service organisations (ESOs) or non-ESOs in a consortium with at least one ESO and be an eligible entity type to undertake projects and activities that sustain or enhance health and social wellbeing, build community capacity, potentially expand on existing projects and raise awareness of important issues faced by the veteran community – Closes 17 December 2024
Business Research and Innovation Initiative – Australian Cyber Security Strategy Challenge
The purpose of Stage 1 – Feasibility grant is to test the technical and commercial viability of proposed solutions to the challenge – Closes 18 December 2024
Mobile Network Hardening Program – Round 3
The Program provides co-funding to Mobile Network Operators, Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers and Network Management Providers to increase the resilience of mobile telecommunications infrastructure to assist communities during and after a natural disaster or emergency – Closes 20 December 2024
Energy Consumer Australia Participation Grants
Participation Grants provide up to $15,000 to enable residential or small business consumer advocacy by participation in current or forthcoming government, regulatory, or industry decision-making processes, or for small, targeted research projects – Closes 31 December 2024
Rural Procedural Grants Program
This program offers grants to Rural Generalists (RGs), rural General Practitioners (GPs) and eligible locum GPs for approved professional development, subsidising costs to maintain and enhance procedural and emergency medicine skills tailored to their location and community needs – Closes 31 December 2024
More grant opportunities
Export Market Development Grants
The EMDG program provides grants to Australian small and medium enterprises and their representative bodies to market and promote their goods and services globally, and undertake export training – Closes when all funds expended
‘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
Electric Vehicle Fleets Incentive – Kick Start
This fixed incentive funding option of the electric vehicle fleets incentive is designed to support eligible organisations to test electric vehicles in the early stage of their fleet transition and has a streamlined option for smaller fleets – Closes when all funds allocated
National Justice Reinvestment Program – Round 3
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 – Closes 13 January 2025
Active Transport Fund
The aim of the program is to encourage an increase in active transport through the upgrade of existing and construction of new bicycle and walking pathways across Australia – Closes 13 January 2025
NSW Heritage Grants
Heritage funding is available across 4 categories: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, Activating State Heritage, Caring for State Heritage and Local Government Heritage – Closes 30 January 2025
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
MVP (Minimal Viable Product) Ventures 2024-2025
The MVP Ventures Program supports startups and innovative SMEs in the product lifecycle between early-stage research and mature investment opportunities, through grants to drive the commercialisation of highly innovative and new products – Closes 28 February 2025
On Farm Connectivity Program Round 2
The objectives of the program are to extend digital connectivity and take advantage of advanced farm tech, enhance primary producers’ capacity to take up digital agriculture solutions and support access to new communications equipment – Closes 30 April 2024
Creative Australia Arts Project Grants
This program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences and communities – Closes 4 March 2025 for projects beginning after 1 June 2025
Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grants
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 30 June 2025
Cancer Patient Care Program
The Cancer Patient Support Program will support, one-off, time-limited activities that provide national leadership on emerging priorities across the cancer control continuum – Closes 1 August 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
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment
Funding to support a wage increase for all eligible ECEC workers – Closes 30 September 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
Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Rebate Program Round 2
The objective of the Program is to incentivise voluntary uptake of ADS-B equipment in Australian-registered aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules and Instrument Flight Rules to improve safety and efficiency for Australian airspace users – Closes 31 May 2027
Bin Trim Equipment Rebates Program
Rebates up to $50,000 are being offered to cover up to 50% of the cost of small-scale, on-site equipment or technology that avoids, reduces, reuses, or recycles waste – Closes 30 June 2027
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
Export Market Development Grants – Round 4, Tiers 1, 2 and 3
The Export Market Development Grants program provides matched funding to eligible Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and representative bodies at different points in their export journey – Ongoing
Export Market Development Grants – Round 4, Representative bodies
The Export Market Development Grants program provides matched funding to eligible Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and representative bodies at different points in their export journey – Ongoing
National Cultural Heritage Account
The National Cultural Heritage Account helps to retain and protect Australia’s cultural heritage for future generations and provide public access to important objects that tell a story about our cultural identity – Ongoing
Resource Recovery Community Grants
Ballina Shire Council’s Resource Recovery Community Grant program provides financial assistance to encourage and assist individuals, organisations, and community groups in the implementation of waste minimisation and resource recovery for the benefit of our community – Ongoing
Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) First Nations – Scoping Grant Opportunity Guidelines
SEE First Nations is locally tailored, whole of community LLND skills training delivery to First Nations people through place-based grants – Ongoing
ECEC Workforce Professional Development and Paid Practicum
These grants are being made available to the Early Childhood Education and Care workforce to assist with educator retention and upskilling – Ongoing
Defence Industry Development Grants Program – Exports Stream
The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority – Ongoing
Defence Industry Development Grants Program – Sovereign Industrial Priorities Stream
The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority – Ongoing
Defence Industry Development Grants Program – Skilling Stream
The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority – Ongoing
Defence Industry Development Grants Program – Security Stream
The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority – Ongoing
Industry Growth Program: Commercialisation and Growth
Participants in the Industry Growth Program Advisory Service may apply for Commonwealth grant funding to support specific commercialisation and/or growth projects – Ongoing
Industry Growth Program: Early-Stage Commercialisation
The objective of the early-stage commercialisation grants is to help businesses to undertake the steps necessary to establish the commercialise viability of an innovative product, process or service, including steps to undertake feasibility and proof-of-concept through to prototyping – 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
Workforce Incentives Program (WIP) – Doctors Stream
The WIP – Doctor Stream provides medical practitioners with financial incentives to practice in rural and remote areas of Australia – Ongoing
Safework Small Business Rebate
A rebate provided through Safework NSW to support small businesses to purchase safety items to improve work health and safety – 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
Awards, scholarships and opportunities
Maitri Scholarships and Fellowships Grant Programs 2024-25
The Maitri Scholarships Program will support high-performing Indian scholars to complete postgraduate Higher Degree by Research (HDR) – Masters (by research) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies in STEM-related fields – Closes 25 November 2024
Good Sports Awards
The Awards recognise the strong clubs and dedicated people who are passionate about their community, dedicated to reducing harm from alcohol and other drugs, committed to looking after their members and working hard to make their club the very best it can be – Closes 28 November 2024
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science 2025 – Science Prizes
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are Australia’s most prestigious and highly regarded awards for demonstrated achievements – Closes 17 December 2024
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science 2025 – Science Teaching Prizes
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science are Australia’s most prestigious and highly regarded awards for demonstrated achievements – Closes 17 December 2024
Young Achiever Awards
Acknowledges, encourages and promotes the positive achievements of all young people aged 30 years and under – Closes 15 January 2025
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
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
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
Club 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
