How to apply

Getting your application ready

When can you register?

You can register at any time but you must register as an applicant before you can apply for any of our grants.

Organisation or individual?

You can register as an organisation or an individual.  Some grant opportunities are only open to organisations and some only to individuals.  Have a look at our grant opportunities to see which funds you can apply to.

Registering as an organisation

When you register, the type of information you will be asked for includes:

• your organisation’s contact details
• the type of organisation you are
• what your organisation does
• how your organisation works
• who your organisation helps
• what financial and other management systems you have in place
• the people who will act on behalf of the organisation.

Have a look at our checklist for organisations to see if your organisation meets the requirements to apply for funding, or phone 0800 824 824 to be sent  a paper version of the checklist.

Registering as an individual

When you register, the type of information you will be asked for includes:

• information about who you are
• your contact details
• your bank account details.

Have a look at our checklist for individuals to see if you meet the requirements to apply for funding as an individual, or phone 0800 824 824 to be sent a paper version the checklist.

Applying for a grant

We have a range of grant opportunities that may suit your funding needs.

Organisations

When you apply as an organisation, the type of information you will be asked for includes:

• what you want the funding for, including a budget breakdown
• why the grant is needed
• how your project or service meets a community need
• what will be achieved
• who else you might be working with
• how others might be or get involved
• details about the project or service the grant will support such as what will be provided, who will benefit and how, including a project plan (for projects only)
• your experience and skills.

Individuals

When you apply as an individual, the type of information you will be asked for includes:

• what you want the funding for
• why the grant is needed
• what will be achieved
• if you are applying for a project, details about the project such as what will be provided, who will benefit and how, including a project plan.

There are additional requirements for each fund.  Have a look at the information requirements for each fund at Grant Opportunities.

Incomplete applications

Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Please read all the questions carefully and make sure you complete everything. 

If your application is incomplete, the online system will not let you submit your application. 

A complete application includes:

• up-to-date registration details (check your registration details are correct and up-to-date before you apply for a grant)
• an application form that has all the questions answered
• all required supporting documentation.

If there are additional requirements, they will be clearly outlined in the application form.

A funding advisor may contact you and ask you to provide further information.

How often can you apply?

It depends on the fund you choose. Funds operate one to three funding rounds per year.  The demand for funding is high.  Generally, if you have received a grant in a given year, any other applications to the same fund in the same year will be considered a low priority.  However, you may apply to a range of funds for different parts of projects or services in any given year.  Have a look at the application closing and meeting dates for more details. 

How much funding can you apply for?

Some funds have a limit while others do not. Have a look at the fund information at grant opportunities for details. 

Note: If you are an organisation with no legal status, you can only receive a maximum of $10,000.