Deadline: 28-Sep-2026
Transport for NSW provides $1,000 to $30,000 in grants to eligible NSW community organisations, charities, not-for-profits and social enterprises for local projects that improve road safety and encourage safer behaviour. Funded initiatives should address demonstrated community road safety needs and align with the Safe System approach, including safe roads, safe speeds, safe people and safe vehicles.
What Are the Transport for NSW Road Safety Grants?
The Transport for NSW Road Safety Grants support community-led projects that aim to reduce road deaths and serious injuries across New South Wales.
Since 2015, the program has helped community groups and charitable and not-for-profit organisations deliver local road safety initiatives.
The funding focuses on small-scale, evidence-based projects that respond to specific local road safety problems and encourage people to adopt safer behaviours.
What Is the Safe System Approach?
The program is based on the Safe System approach, which recognises that road crashes can occur even when people make mistakes.
The approach combines four key elements:
- Safe roads: Roads and infrastructure designed to reduce the severity of crashes.
- Safe speeds: Speed limits and behaviours appropriate for road conditions.
- Safe people: Road users who understand and follow safer practices.
- Safe vehicles: Vehicles equipped with features that help prevent crashes and reduce injuries.
Community projects should contribute to one or more of these areas.
How Much Funding Is Available?
Eligible organisations can apply for grants ranging from:
- Minimum: $1,000
- Maximum: $30,000
Funding is intended for community-based road safety activities rather than large infrastructure projects.
What Projects Can Be Funded?
The program supports projects that address a demonstrated local road safety need.
Examples of potentially eligible activities include:
- Road rules education
- Pedestrian safety awareness
- Community road safety education
- Education about children and vehicle safety
- Awareness of children around driveways
- Local campaigns encouraging safer road behaviour
- Other evidence-based community road safety initiatives
Projects should have clear objectives and demonstrate how the proposed activities will improve road safety outcomes.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants must be organisations based in New South Wales.
These include:
- Incorporated community associations
- Community trusts
- Registered not-for-profit organisations
- Registered charities
- Eligible social enterprises
Applicants should also demonstrate that they have the organisational capacity to manage and deliver the proposed project.
Who Is Not Eligible?
The following are not eligible to apply directly:
- Private businesses
- Individuals
- Research organisations
- Government organisations
- Local councils
- Schools
Organisations should confirm their legal status and eligibility before preparing an application.
What Does a Strong Project Need to Demonstrate?
Applications should clearly establish several key factors.
Local Road Safety Need
The project should respond to a specific and demonstrated road safety issue affecting the target community.
Community Benefit
Applicants should explain how the project will improve road safety awareness or encourage safer behaviour among local road users.
Evidence-Based Approach
Projects should be informed by evidence and use appropriate strategies to address the identified road safety problem.
Organisational Capacity
Applicants need to demonstrate that they have the skills, resources, partnerships, and systems required to deliver the project effectively.
Value for Money
The proposed activities and requested funding should provide a clear and reasonable benefit relative to the cost.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Applicants should explain how they will measure project performance and determine whether the initiative achieved its intended road safety outcomes.
Why It Matters
Road crashes can cause preventable deaths, serious injuries, and long-term impacts on individuals, families, and communities.
Local organisations often have strong knowledge of the specific challenges affecting their communities. This funding allows them to develop targeted road safety education and awareness initiatives rather than relying only on broad state-wide campaigns.
The grants can help communities:
- Increase knowledge of road rules
- Improve pedestrian safety
- Promote safer behaviour around vehicles
- Protect children around cars and driveways
- Address locally identified road safety risks
- Encourage shared responsibility among road users
- Contribute to reducing serious injuries and fatalities
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Organisational Eligibility
Check that your organisation is:
- Based in NSW.
- An incorporated community association, community trust, registered not-for-profit, charity, or eligible social enterprise.
- Capable of managing and delivering the proposed project.
Step 2: Identify the Local Road Safety Problem
Clearly define the road safety issue affecting your community.
Use relevant local evidence or data where available to demonstrate why the issue requires attention.
Step 3: Develop an Evidence-Based Project
Design activities that directly respond to the identified problem.
Explain how the project will encourage safer behaviours or improve road safety awareness.
Step 4: Connect the Project to the Safe System
Show how the initiative relates to:
- Safe roads
- Safe speeds
- Safe people
- Safe vehicles
The connection should be specific rather than simply mentioning the Safe System in general terms.
Step 5: Prepare the Budget
Prepare a realistic project budget showing how the requested grant will be spent.
Demonstrate that the proposed expenditure provides good value for money.
Step 6: Establish Evaluation Measures
Set measurable indicators that can demonstrate whether the project has achieved its objectives.
For example, applicants could track participation, changes in knowledge, engagement levels, or other relevant road safety outcomes.
Step 7: Submit the Application
Submit the application according to the current Transport for NSW grant requirements and ensure all required information and supporting documentation are included.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Use local evidence: Clearly demonstrate the road safety problem your project will address.
- Define the target audience: Identify the specific road users or community group you intend to reach.
- Make activities practical: Explain exactly what will happen, who will participate, and where activities will occur.
- Use evidence-based methods: Explain why your approach is likely to influence safer behaviour.
- Connect to the Safe System: Clearly identify which Safe System principles the project supports.
- Set measurable outcomes: Avoid vague objectives such as simply “raising awareness.”
- Demonstrate value for money: Explain why the requested funding is appropriate for the expected results.
- Show delivery capacity: Provide confidence that your organisation can successfully manage the project.
- Include evaluation: Explain how you will measure success and use the results.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Proposing a project without evidence of a local road safety need.
- Focusing only on general awareness without measurable outcomes.
- Requesting funding for activities unrelated to road safety.
- Failing to explain the project’s connection to the Safe System.
- Providing an unrealistic or poorly justified budget.
- Overlooking monitoring and evaluation.
- Applying as an organisation that is specifically excluded from the program.
- Failing to demonstrate the organisation’s ability to deliver the project.
Key Grant Details
- Funder: Transport for NSW
- Location: New South Wales, Australia
- Purpose: Community-based road safety awareness and behaviour-change projects
- Grant amount: $1,000–$30,000
- Approach: Safe System
- Priority: Evidence-based projects addressing demonstrated local road safety needs
- Eligible applicants: Incorporated community associations, community trusts, registered not-for-profits, charities, and social enterprises based in NSW
- Examples of activities: Road rules education, pedestrian safety, and child vehicle/driveway safety awareness
- Assessment considerations: Community need, road safety impact, organisational capacity, value for money, monitoring and evaluation
- Not eligible: Individuals, private businesses, research organisations, government organisations, local councils, and schools
Frequently Asked Questions
How much funding can organisations receive?
Eligible organisations can apply for between $1,000 and $30,000 for an approved community road safety project.
Who can apply for the road safety grants?
Eligible applicants include incorporated community associations, community trusts, registered not-for-profits, charities, and social enterprises based in NSW.
Can an individual apply?
No. The program is intended for eligible organisations rather than individual applicants.
Can schools or local councils apply?
No. Schools and local councils are specifically excluded from applying directly under the program.
What types of projects are supported?
The program supports small-scale, evidence-based community initiatives such as road rules education, pedestrian safety programs, and awareness activities relating to children in vehicles and around driveways.
What is the Safe System approach?
The Safe System approach recognises four interconnected areas of road safety: safe roads, safe speeds, safe people, and safe vehicles. Projects should contribute to improving road safety through one or more of these principles.
What makes a project competitive?
A strong application should demonstrate a clear local road safety need, evidence-based activities, measurable outcomes, organisational capacity, value for money, and a practical monitoring and evaluation plan.
Conclusion
The Transport for NSW Road Safety Grants provide an opportunity for eligible community organisations across NSW to address local road safety challenges through targeted education and behaviour-change projects. With funding of up to $30,000, organisations can develop practical initiatives that align with the Safe System approach and contribute to safer roads and communities across New South Wales.
For more information, visit NSW Government.