Grants & Funding For Not For Profit Organisations

Grants and funding are an important component of how not-for-profit organisations budget and plan ahead. So getting a good mix of everything – grants, donations, sponsorships, fees for service, and partnerships – is a sound strategy. The upside is that you don’t need to rely on a single income stream to fund operations. But the downside is admin – each source of funding comes with its own set of reporting, timing, and compliance expectations.

The hardest part is getting started, but once you’ve got your documents together and have experience on how to report, applying for grants gets much easier – and faster – from then on out.

Applying for Grants and Funding for Your Not-for-Profit Organisation

Grants and funding are applied and attached to a broad range of areas that aren’t mutually exclusive; these include:

• Early childhood education
• Mental health support
• Support of local/rural communities
• Support of emergency services workers

Whatever your NFP focuses on, you can begin looking for the right funding for your organisation by doing the following:

1. Start with the right places to search

The first place to stop is the Grants and Programs Finder via business.gov.au’s website, a free service that helps businesses to find government grants. For philanthropic funding, the Australian Communities Foundation and Philanthropy Australia are also worthwhile starting points for learning how philanthropy works and how to approach it as a not-for-profit.

State and territory portals are also worth bookmarking – New South Wales, for example, has a central grants and funding page that points you towards programs and agencies to support organisations.

2. Get ‘grant-ready’ before you apply

Most funding programs & bodies are assessing your organisation on two things at once:

• Impact fit: Does your project match their priorities, and can you prove it matters?
• Confidence in delivery: Do you have the finances and systems in place to deliver and report?

Here’s a quick grant-ready checklist to follow when applying:

• Mission statement: Solid purpose and plan – what you’ll deliver, who benefits and when.
• Supporting documents: Up-to-date governance docs including constitution, board details, policies, etc.
• Financials: Strong financial basics like bank account separation, bookkeeping and last financials if you have them.
• Spending forecast: A realistic project budget – with quotes where possible – and a basic timeline.
• Reporting: A measurement approach – i.e. what you’ll track, whether that’s participation, outcomes, service delivery, operational costs, etc.
• Compliance: A compliance plan covering things like insurance, permits, child safety, WHS – whatever fits your activities.

3. Put together an application that’s easy to approve

Grant assessors have to pore over and read dozens (or even hundreds) of eligible applicants at any one time. Make yours fit-for-purpose so that their job is easier:

• Mirror the guidelines: Use their language, headings and order of criteria.
• Prove the need: Use local evidence like community feedback, waitlists, service gaps, data, etc.
• Make the budget believable: Tie every cost you mention to a specific activity.
• Show you can deliver: Mention your people, primary producers, and partners, as well as your track record and current systems in place.
• Plan for reporting early on: Most grants demand progress updates and acquittals, so if you design the project with reporting in mind, you’ll save yourself from lots of pain later.

Application essentials

1. One-page project summary (what/why/who/when/how much).
2. Budget and quotes.
3. Timeline and milestones.
4. Evidence, including letters of support, partner confirmations, how you will benefit local communities, cultural activities, etc.
5. Org documents like your constitution, policies and governance details.
6. Previous impact examples – even small wins will count.

4. Don’t ignore philanthropic and community funding

Philanthropic funding can be a great match if you’re doing community-led work or piloting support initiatives. Philanthropy Australia’s guidance is especially useful for shaping your approach – think researching the funder and matching your priorities to theirs.

Local government pages and community foundations can also help connect local community organisations to projects. They might even offer their own grant opportunities or distribution pathways for financial assistance.

Grants and funding opportunities by state

There is a range of grant programs and organisations that offer financial support across the country.

Not-for-profit grants NSW

Where to look: Start with the grants and funding hub, then branch out into relevant agencies and local councils. Council community grants are usually the most accessible for smaller organisations.

One current NSW grant to check: Willoughby City Council Community Grants

If you’re not in that LGA, take it as a good model. Lots of councils run similar annual rounds with small- to mid-sized support programs that are perfect for community groups.

Not-for-profit grants QLD

Where to look: Queensland has a strong community grants system, including large, recurring programs. One of the best-known is the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, which supports community projects and runs in rounds. You can find out more about applying and what happens after approval under the state’s community grants information.

One current QLD grant to check: Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) – Standard Grants (Round 126)

Because rounds change, treat this as your ‘check the current round’ nudge – and always double-check the deadline dates in the portal before you start writing.

Not-for-profit grants WA

Where to look: In Western Australia, Lotterywest is a major source of community funding, and it’s worth getting familiar with its grant streams and eligibility requirements as early as possible.

One current WA grant to check: Lotterywest Grants

The Lotterywest grants site is the best place to see what’s open right now and which stream might best fit your project. Also know that these types of programs reward strong planning and community benefit, so having your budget and delivery plan nailed will matter most.

Not-for-profit grants VIC

Where to look (evergreen): Victoria has a mix of state programs, statutory authorities, and community-led initiatives for funding and more. Aggregator sites can help you catch the latest opportunities, but always check the details on the original funder page before applying.

One current VIC grant to check: The Victorian Multicultural Commission has promoted funding aimed at strengthening multicultural organisations and community organisations.

If you’re eligible, these kinds of programs are a great match for ‘capacity building’ – think governance uplift, program-delivery capability, community-led initiatives, etc. – not just one-off events.

Grants and funding in a nutshell

Preparing and applying for grants helps your NFP create a repeatable system for long-term sustainability. If you can clearly explain the problem and show what you’ll deliver, you’re already ahead of most applicants. And if a grant round isn’t the right fit, don’t bin the work – recycle your project summary and budget for another funder so each application gets cheaper and faster over time.