The Community Engagement Program supports local community groups, businesses, and organisations to work with people living with dementia and care partners to develop dementia friendly communities' projects that address a specific need, draw on in-kind contributions and utilise the skills, resources and capabilities of the local community.

The aims of the Community Engagement Program are:

• To increase the number of Australian communities that accept, support and include people living with dementia so that they can live the life they choose and engage in the activities that are important to them
• To demonstrate the practical application of dementia-friendly principles in diverse Australian communities and locations
• To create new resources that complement those already available from Dementia Australia for use by other communities and which meet the needs of people living with dementia, their families and carers.

To support the development of local dementia-friendly community initiatives, grants of up to $10,000 each are available. Funding will support new project activity from 1 June 2026, for 12 months. Funds can be used to cover the costs of salaries, consultancies, printing, postage, event costs, catering, room hire, supplies and small equipment. Administration overheads, construction and large equipment costs are ineligible.

Community Engagement Program (CEP) grant funding is open to applications from:

• Local community businesses, organisations, associations, and groups that are incorporated or supported by an auspice, and
• Large community organisations and health service providers ONLY for proposals focused upon the development of an independent dementia-friendly community working group.

Aged care providers are not eligible to apply.

The selection process will prioritise applications that meet the following criteria:

• Meaningfully consult and collaborate with people living with dementia and care partners in the design and delivery of the project.
• Bring together collaborative local partnerships with dementia alliances, networks, councils, service clubs, local business, education and community organisations.
• Meet the needs of one or more of the following diverse priority groups:
  • Young Onset Dementia and Younger Carers. 
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities 
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities 
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Intersex (LGBTI)
  • Isolated, rural and remote communities.

• Email: dementiafriendly@dementia.org.au