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.

The Stronger Communities Programme (the program) supports the Australian Government's commitment to deliver social benefits in communities across Australia by funding projects in each of the 150 Federal electorates. The program provides grants for community projects to strengthen and benefit local communities and is part of the Government's 2026-27 budget initiatives.

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 Australia's war efforts
• support veterans and defence force members, their families and communities
• support the participation and settlement of newly arrived (i.e. within the last five years) immigrants who are not citizens
• provide benefits to a specific cohort or cohorts of students
• enable or foster the use of electronic communications
• provide medical services or facilities, or services or facilities incidental to the provision of medical services
• enable or foster the use of electronic communities
• support the provision of community infrastructure that:
  • promotes and supports the mental and physical abilities of children
  • supports positive mental or physical health, or facilitates community participation to promote tolerance, and social cohesion or health
• support the acquisition or deployment of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation measures
• support community infrastructure that promotes climate adaptation and resilience and/or native flora/fauna biodiversity
• support the dignity of persons (including children) with disabilities by enhancing their access to public infrastructure
• address gender inequality or discrimination in access to public infrastructure or sport
• support access for children to public infrastructure which enables interstate or overseas travel, accommodation, or education or health care infrastructure or services.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity 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 program's 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.

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

• an incorporated not for profit organisation such as:
  • Police and Citizen Youth Clubs
  • child care centres
  • surf clubs
  • local aged care bodies
  • Parents and Citizens, Parent 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 purposes 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, territory government agency or body (including government business enterprises) unless listed in section 4.1 of these guidelines
• an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme's list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
• an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012).

Partner with other organisations

You can partner with one or more other organisations but the lead application must be invited to apply and meet the eligibility criteria and merit criteria.

The lead organisation must fill out the application form.

If we give your group the grant, the lead organisation:

• signs the grant agreement
• is responsible for making sure your group follows the rules in the grant agreement.

• Phone: 13 28 46
• Email: enquiries@industry.gov.au