Stronger Communities Programme

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Stronger Communities Programme

Funding Providers

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Location

Australia Wide

Funding Type

Cash grant G19430

Primary Category

Community development

Eligible to

  • Not-for-Profits
  • Local Governments

Funding

Amount : $2,500 to $20,000
Total pool: $22,650,000

Round(s)

  • Opened 14-Oct-2025 Closes 15-Jan-2026

Purpose

The Stronger Communities Programme provides each of the 151 Federal electorates with $150,000 to fund small capital projects. Federal Members of Parliament (MPs) identify potential projects and invite applications from their electorate.

Overview

Up to $20,000 of funding is available to deliver small infrastructure projects.

The Stronger Communities Programme (the program) supports the Australian Governments commitment to deliver social benefits in communities across Australia by funding projects in each of the 151 Federal electorates. The program provides grants for community projects to strengthen and benefit local communities and is part of the Governments 2024-25 budget initiatives.

The program falls under the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts portfolio budget performance measure for Outcome 3, strengthening the sustainability, capacity and diversity of Australias cities and regions including northern Australia, including through facilitating local partnerships between all levels of government and local communities; through investment in infrastructure and measures that stimulate economic growth; and providing grants and financial assistance.

The objective of the program is to deliver infrastructure projects that provide social benefits for local communities, by supporting one or more of the following:

  • support or encourage interstate or international tourism
  • support or celebrate Indigenous Australians
  • commemorate Australians killed or injured in war or who contributed to Australias war efforts
  • support veterans and defence force members and their families and communities
  • support the participation and settlement of newly arrived (i.e. within the last 5 years) immigrants who are not citizens
  • support the acquisition or deployment of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measures
  • support the dignity of persons (including children) with disabilities by enhancing their access to public infrastructure
  • support access for children to public infrastructure which enables interstate or overseas travel, accommodation, or education or health care infrastructure or services
  • address gender inequality or discrimination in access to public infrastructure or sport
  • provide medical services or facilities, or services or facilities incidental to the provision of medical services
  • provide benefits to a specific cohort or cohorts of students
  • enable or foster the use of electronic communications.

The intended outcomes of the program are to:

  • encourage and support participation in local projects
  • improve local community participation
  • contribute to vibrant and viable communities.

Community consultation is a critical element of the program. In consultation with their community, each MP must identify potential applicants and projects in their electorate and invite them to apply for a grant. We will assess invited applications against the programs eligibility and assessment criteria through a closed non-competitive process.

For this round, grant funding will be up to 100% of eligible project costs for all eligible applicants, except for local governing bodies. Grant funding for local governing bodies will be up to 50% of eligible project costs. This means local governing bodies must provide at least 50% of the eligible project costs in matched funding contributions.

 

Limitations

To be eligible you must:

  • be invited to apply by your MP
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be one of the following entities:
    • an incorporated not for profit entity, such as:
      • Police and Citizen Youth Clubs
      • childcare centres
      • surf clubs
      • local aged care bodies
      • Parents and Citizens, Parents and Friends groups and equivalent bodies
      • a Commonwealth, state or territory government agency or entity that is a fire service, rural fire service, country fire authority, state emergency service or similar.
      • non-distributing co-operatives
      • companies limited by guarantee
      • Australian Indigenous corporations
      • religious organisations incorporated under legislation.
    • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust with responsibility for a community asset or property. You will be required to provide relevant trust documents
    • a local governing body as defined by the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995.

You can apply if you are one of the following entities:

  • an incorporated not for profit entity, such as:
    • Police and Citizen Youth Clubs
    • childcare centres
    • surf clubs
    • local aged care bodies
    • Parents and Citizens, Parents and Friends groups and equivalent bodies
    • a Commonwealth, state or territory government agency or entity that is a fire service, rural fire service, country fire authority, state emergency service or similar.
  • non-distributing co-operatives
  • companies limited by guarantee
  • Australian Indigenous corporations
  • religious organisations incorporated under legislation.
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust with responsibility for a community asset or property. You will be required to provide relevant trust documents
  • a local governing body as defined by the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995.

For the purpose of this program, we also consider the following organisations to be local governing bodies:

  • Anangu Pitjantjatjara, Maralinga, Gerard, Nepabunna and Yalata local governing bodies in SA
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
  • Lord Howe Island Board
  • Norfolk Island Regional Council
  • The Outback Communities Authority
  • The Shire of Christmas Island
  • The Silverton and Tibooburra villages in NSW
  • The Trust Account in the NT
  • ACT Government.

As a not-for-profit organisation you must demonstrate your not-for-profit status through one of the following:

  • state or territory incorporated association registration number or certificate of incorporation, e.g. clubs and other associations
  • current Australian Charities and Not for profits Commission's (ACNC) registration, e.g. for organisations registered as a charity
  • constitutional documents that demonstrate the not-for-profit character of the organisation
  • legislation that demonstrates the not-for-profit nature of the organisation, e.g. religious organisations incorporated under legislation.

You can't apply if you are:

  • a for profit organisation
  • an individual
  • a partnership
  • a Regional Development Australia Committee
  • a university, technical college or school
  • a hospital
  • a Commonwealth, state or territory government agency or body (including government business enterprises) unless listed in section 4.1
  • an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme's website on the list of 'Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme'

Applications / Guidelines

Application methods: Online

Contact Details

We take pride in ensuring our data is up to date and accurate, but you should not rely on our data alone. Please double-check important information on the funder's website before applying.

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