Request for Applications: Social Impact Grants (Round 2) – Australia

Deadline: 17-Mar-25

Applications are open for grant funding in support of initiatives that help create strong and inclusive communities and advance social and emotional wellbeing in the community.

Grants SA offers funding to eligible organisations for projects with outcomes of improved community participation, social and emotional wellbeing, and quality of life for people living and working in South Australia.

Priority Groups

• Funding is prioritised for projects that support people and/or communities experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage and other vulnerabilities and who may face additional barriers to accessing services such as:
  • Aboriginal peoples.
  • People from new and emerging culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
  • People with disability, with a focus on those not currently supported through the NDIS.
  • LGBTIQA+ community.
  • People who are financially disadvantaged (for example unemployed, in receipt of government support payments, health care card).
  • People residing in communities identified as places where persistent and/or relative location-based disadvantage exists (including rural/remote). Areas of disadvantage as identified by the Socio- Economic Indexes for Areas.

Funding Information

• Tier 1: Resources and Equipment
  • Grants up to $10,000 are available to support the following;
    • Equipment purchases and resources to support community participation and volunteering.
    • Resources for community spaces, including community gardens.
    • To build digital connectivity, access, and capability
• Tier 2: Infrastructure and Short-term Community Development Programs
  • Grants of up to $30,000 are available to support the following;
    • Minor upgrades to infrastructure to improve physical access, install other devices to facilitate inclusion of priority groups or to expand / improve community spaces.
    • Projects or short-term programs responding to community need.
    • Creating and expanding places where communities gather.
    • Intergenerational projects, mentoring, skill sharing.

Ineligible Items

• Grants SA funding cannot be used for the following items. If these items are included in the budget for your application, they will be removed from your funding request:
  • Core business costs ie operational staff wages, rent, insurances, utilities, internet, websites, phones, phone systems and video conferencing, purchase or lease of buildings, land, vehicles, or lease of IT equipment. Payment of volunteers, boards or committee members (including honorariums).
  • Marketing and administration costs above 10% of the total project value.
  • Retrospective funding for items, services, or resources already paid for or purchased.
  • Items to be purchased and distributed to individuals as prizes, awards, gifts, trophies, sponsorships, donations, reimbursements, uniforms, and costumes.
  • Emergency and food relief (e.g., food hampers, food vouchers, pre-paid store cards, individual debt, or bill payments).
  • First aid or emergency equipment, including defibrillators and first aid kits.
  • Grants writer, auspice, audit fees, research projects, feasibility studies, Council and/or building approvals.
  • Purely sport and/or recreational activities. Applications from sporting clubs must demonstrate charitable outcomes and benefit to the broader local community and Priority focus groups.
  • Projects that focus on Religious, political, or animal welfare outcomes

Eligibility Criteria

• To align with the Charitable and Social Welfare Fund, Grants SA can only award funds to the following eligible organisation types:
  • Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO), or
  • Not-for-profit organisations, or
  • Social Enterprises
• Organisations must:
  • Be currently registered with a valid and eligible Australian Business Number (ABN).
  • Have an Australian bank account in the name of the legal entity.
  • Have been operating or established as a legal entity for more than 12 months
  • Be currently operating within South Australia and delivering programs, services, or initiatives to residents of South Australia.
  • Have annual revenue less than $3 million for a financial year within the last two years
  • Agree to the terms and conditions of the grant agreement.
• Organisations must not:
  • Have any outstanding contractual or financial obligations (acquittals, unpaid invoices) for any funded Department of Human Services projects/programs.
  • Have licensed gaming machines in their facilities or hold a gaming machine license.
  • Be educational institutions or related representative bodies (e.g., schools and/or their parent or student associations, universities, colleges).
  • Be Government agencies (Commonwealth or State Departments and Local Government Agencies). Local Government Agencies can only act as sponsors for community organisations.

For more information, visit Grants SA.