Deadline: 12-Aug-2025
The Toowoomba Regional Council is accepting applications for its Community Economic Development Grant Program to support local community groups to deliver programs and projects that are of benefit to local businesses and the broader economy.
The program has been developed to help achieve the community’s vision for a ‘dynamic and diverse economy creating industry development and employment opportunities’.
Program Objectives and Outcomes
- The Community Economic Development Grant Program seeks to achieve the community’s vision for a “dynamic and diverse economy creating industry development and employment opportunities” by providing support for projects that aim to achieve one or more of the following:
- Support the effective implementation of the Toowoomba Region Economic Development Strategy and the Community Growth Action Plans.
- Encourage the establishment, growth and retention of sustainable businesses which enhance the region’s reputation for innovation, creativity, diversity and sustainability.
- Foster new partnerships and collaboration between businesses and business support groups.
- Create employment opportunities and increase the level of business investment in the region.
Funding Information
- Grants of up to $5,000 (and up to $10,000 with matched funding) are available to local community organisations that deliver programs and projects that benefit local businesses and the broader community.
Eligible Projects
- Eligible projects will:
- connect local businesses
- encourage business innovation
- build business capacity and skills
- contribute to the ease of doing business
- enable partnerships and collaboration between businesses and/or organisations in the Toowoomba region
- address a local workforce gap
- assist towards planning, professional and application fees in preparing grant applications for larger projects.
Ineligible Projects
- Community economic development grants will not fund:
- loan or other debt repayments
- projects already commenced or completed
- recurrent administration and running costs, such as:
- Regular wages
- Regular office expenses
- projects with a commercial purpose
- projects already funded by other Toowoomba Regional Council Grant programs
- prize money, trophies, raffle prizes or fundraising.
Eligibility Criteria
- Organizations can apply for a community economic development grant if they:
- are an eligible community organization or are under the auspices of an eligible community organization;
- operate or provide services within the Toowoomba Regional Council area;
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
Ineligibility Criteria
- individuals
- for-profit companies, trusts and other organizations
- government, semi-government organizations and statutory authorities
- public and private educational institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary including Parents & Citizens and Parents & Friends Associations)
- unions and student guilds
- research foundations and professional associations
- an organization that has been granted approval for support through a Toowoomba Regional Council funding program for the same project
- recipients who have previously defaulted on the conditions of funding
- an organization that has not acquitted an overdue TRC funded grant application.
Selection Criteria
- Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:
- The extent to which the actions address recommendations in the Toowoomba Region Economic Development Strategy and Community Growth Action Plans.
- The scale of the economic impact likely to be achieved (e.g. creating the conditions for business success, industry or business development, investment attraction)
- The level of innovation, insight or creative thinking that makes the project unique
- The quality of the application (e.g. a well-developed, clear and realistic action plan, supported by research where appropriate and including an accurate financial plan/budget)
- The ability of the organisation and/or stakeholder group to deliver the project
- The potential for the project to create business/industry networks and partnerships that can drive future economic development activities.
For more information, visit Toowoomba Regional Council.