Grants for Not-for-Profits in Australia: Where the Money Comes From

Australian not-for-profits can apply to a wide range of grant funders, from the federal government to the local bowls club. The challenge is not that grants do not exist. It is that they are spread across hundreds of funders, each with its own website, rules and timing.

This guide maps where grant money for not-for-profits comes from, what each type of funder tends to support, what you need in place to apply, and how to find the grants that fit your organisation.

The main sources of grants for not-for-profits

Federal government

The Australian Government funds not-for-profits through departments and agencies working on community services, health, education, the environment, the arts, sport, regional development and more. Federal grants range from small community grants to large multi-year service funding.

Federal opportunities are published on GrantConnect (grants.gov.au). Many community grants are administered by the Community Grants Hub. Our guide to federal grants for not-for-profits covers how they work.

State and territory governments

Each state and territory runs its own programs, often in areas such as community development, multicultural affairs, volunteering, sport and recreation, arts, the environment, disaster resilience and regional development. Most publish them through a central grants finder. See our guide to community grants in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Local councils

Australia has more than 530 councils, and most run community grants for local not-for-profits. Council grants are usually smaller but less competitive, faster and more accessible for small groups. See our guide to council community grants.

Gaming and club benefit funds

In some states, part of the revenue from gaming machines is returned to the community through grants. Queensland's Gambling Community Benefit Fund and NSW ClubGRANTS are two well-known examples. These often fund equipment, facilities and community projects.

Philanthropic trusts and foundations

Private foundations, family foundations, trustee companies and community foundations give grants to not-for-profits. Each sets its own priorities, which may be about a cause, a group of people or a place. Many foundations can only fund organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status because of the rules that apply to their own tax status. Our guide to DGR status explains why.

Community foundations deserve a special mention. They pool donations from a region and grant them back locally, and are often a good fit for small community organisations.

Corporate and business programs

Banks, insurers, supermarkets, utilities, mining and energy companies and local businesses run community grants and sponsorships. Some are national, some are tied to specific regions where the company operates. Corporate programs often favour projects in the communities where their customers or staff live.

Peak bodies and associations

Some peak bodies, state sporting associations and sector networks distribute funding, run small grants or administer programs on behalf of government.

Types of grants

Grants are also defined by what they fund:

Project grants fund a specific activity with a start and end date.
Equipment grants fund items you can buy and use. See our guide to equipment and capital grants.
Capital or infrastructure grants fund building work and fixed improvements.
Capacity building grants fund training, governance, systems or planning.
Event grants fund festivals, celebrations and community events.
Operational or core funding covers ongoing costs. It is less common and usually comes from government service contracts or long-term philanthropic partners.
Quick response grants are small amounts available year-round for urgent or opportunity-based needs.

What you need in place before you apply

Most funders expect some or all of the following:

A legal structure. Usually an incorporated association or a company limited by guarantee. Unincorporated groups may be able to apply through an auspice organisation.
An ABN and a bank account in the organisation's name.
ACNC registration, if you are a charity or the funder requires it.
DGR endorsement, for some foundations.
Insurance, especially public liability.
Financial statements and an annual report.
Governance documents and policies, such as your constitution, committee list, child safety policy and conflict of interest policy.
A clean record of acquitting previous grants.

Our grant eligibility checklist walks through each of these in more detail.

How to choose which grants to apply for

With so many funders, choosing well matters more than applying often. A simple approach:

Start with your needs. List what you want funded and roughly what it costs.
Match needs to funder types. Small equipment to councils and gaming funds, programs to state agencies and foundations, large projects to federal or state programs.
Check eligibility first. Do not start writing until you know you qualify.
Favour fit over size. A well-matched $5,000 grant is often a better use of time than a long-shot $100,000 one.
Start local. Council and community foundation grants build the track record that bigger funders look for.

Our guide to building a 12-month grant plan shows how to turn this into a calendar.

Writing applications that succeed

Across all funders, the same principles apply:

Answer the criteria directly, using the funder's own language.
Show the need with local evidence such as data, waiting lists or surveys.
Be specific about what you will do, for whom, where and when.
Build a realistic budget that matches the project.
Show you can deliver, with your track record and governance.
Explain how you will measure success.
Submit early and keep a copy.

For the full process, see how to write a grant application.

Why not-for-profit applications are often unsuccessful

Most rejected applications fail for a handful of predictable reasons:

Not eligible. The organisation missed a rule about structure, location, size or previous funding.
Poor fit. The project was reshaped to match the grant rather than genuinely meeting its objectives.
Vague answers. The application described good intentions but not specific activities, people, places and numbers.
Weak evidence of need. Assessors could not see why this project was needed now, in this place.
Budget problems. Costs did not add up, did not match the activities or included items the grant does not fund.
Missing attachments. A required quote, financial statement or letter was not included.
Overdue acquittals. A previous grant had not been reported on.
Strong competition. Sometimes a good application simply misses out because the round was oversubscribed.

The last one is outside your control. The rest are not, and fixing them is where most organisations can improve their success rate. Ask funders for feedback when you miss out.

How GrantFinder Pro helps

Checking federal, state, council, foundation and corporate sources every week is a big job for a small organisation. GrantFinder Pro does that checking every week and matches open grants to your organisation type, location and description. You see your top matches free without an account, and if you start your free month you get the full list plus a weekly email when new matching grants open. After the first month, ongoing access is a one-off $29 AUD.

Matches are a rough guide to eligibility, never a guarantee. Always read each grant's guidelines before applying.

Find grants for your not-for-profit

See which grants match your organisation, free, at grantfinderpro.com.au/find.