Volunteer Grants

About Volunteer Grants

Each year, not-for-profit community organisations can apply for $1,000 to $5,000. The grants help eligible organisations to support their volunteers and encourage more people to volunteer.

Organisations can use the grants in the following ways.

Items that will benefit volunteers – Category 1

Funding to buy communication and insurance items, such as:

• Mobile phones, phone bills and radio communication devices.
• Computers, laptops and tablets that are primarily for online communication and activity.
• Software packages that are primarily for online communications and activity. For example, email or videoconferencing software.
• Electronic audio and visual equipment that is primarily used for, or to help with, online communications and activity. For example, video-communication equipment.
• Electronic payment devices that are primarily used for, or to help with, online communication and activity.
• Internet services fees incurred by the community organisation.
• Insurance premiums incurred by the community organisation.

Items for specific cohorts – Category 2A

Funding to buy items for the main purpose of supporting volunteers from these cohorts:

• Adults who volunteer to support children’s development and wellbeing
• Children under 18 as a means of supporting their development
• First Nations people
• Newly arrived migrants (within the last 5 years) who are not citizens
• People with disability
• Unemployed people who volunteer to build skills that increase their capacity for employment
• Veterans and Australian Defence Force members
• Women experiencing, or at risk of experience , gender-based violence or isolation to assist them to overcome that gender-based violence or isolation

Volunteer‑run activities – Category 2B

Funding for volunteer‑run activities that are for the main purpose of supporting the cohorts above. It can also be used for the main purpose of supporting:

• Women experiencing gender-based discrimination or disadvantage by addressing gender‑based:
  • disadvantage in sport
  • discrimination in emergency services roles
  • disadvantage in rural and remote areas
  • disadvantage and discrimination in trades
  • disadvantage in the form of food insecurity.
• Eliminating racial discrimination. Also promoting understanding, tolerance and friendship amongst racial or ethnic groups. This can be through:
  • activities that provide anti racism training and promote cultural safety
  • multicultural art, dance, theatre, and cultural events
  • language classes designed to encourage social cohesion and promote interracial harmony
  • programs linking international students to volunteering
  • sporting events promoting the participation of teams and players from diverse backgrounds
  • events celebrating Harmony Week or the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Volunteer Grants stages

Volunteer Grants rounds have two key stages:

Stage 1

Members of the Australian Parliament consult with their local community. They:

1. invite expressions of interest for Volunteer Grants
2. work with a community committee which reviews expressions of interest and makes recommendations
3. nominate organisations and recommend funding amounts to us.

Stage 2

We invite organisations nominated by a member of the Australian Parliament to apply.

1. The organisation lodges their online application through GrantConnect(Opens in a new tab/window).
2. We assess applications against the eligibility criteria and program requirements.
3. We make payments to successful applicants.

The timing for expressions of interest and applications varies each year.