Funding to celebrate culture, improve leadership skills, or assist with lifelong learning

This grant focuses on cultural integrity. This is where a society supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspirations. It helps to build respectful, fair, and sustainable communities.

Individuals can get a grant of up to $5,000 and organisations up to $10,000.

Projects must take place in the ACT and can include:

• Community Awareness: activities or projects that promote wider community awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
• Collaboration and Connection: activities, programs, or projects for the benefit of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Cultural Milestones: activities, programs or projects that mark important cultural milestones or celebrations. These include but not limited to National Sorry Day, Mabo Day, or NAIDOC Week.
• Cultural Practices: cultural performances activities, programs, or projects. These are activities that seek to maintain and/or restore cultural practices.

This grant focuses on Community Leadership and Lifelong Learning. This is where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:

• have a strong voice
• are decision makers on issues that affect them
• are empowered to engage in learning activities
• lead in the achievement of positive life outcomes.

Individuals can get a grant of up to $5,000 and organisations up to $10,000.

Leadership and Lifelong Learning Grants support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community organisations to undertake learning activities that build leadership skills and confidence. These activities aim to empower individuals at all life stages by enhancing knowledge, expertise, and personal growth to strengthen their ability to lead and engage within the ACT. They also empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, at all stages of their life, to engage in learning activities that support the development of their knowledge, skills, expertise, capabilities, personal growth, confidence, and/or self-efficacy.

Applications in this category can be for projects or initiatives:

• that build leadership capability for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• that strengthen the governance of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Organisation
• to participate in the local and national parliamentary processes linked to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the ACT. Such as, initiatives to support training programs that will empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to aspire to government leadership
• that include creative or cultural skills development
• healing and wellbeing programs or learning languages
• financial and legal literacy programs.

The intention of the Social Participation Grants is to increase community participation, engagement and inclusion, and to reduce social isolation.

Individuals can get a grant of up to $500. Organisations are not eligible in this category.

Grants in this category can be used to cover costs associated with undertaking activities that connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and promote social inclusion.

Activities must align with outcomes of the ACT Wellbeing Framework.

The grant funding can cover fees and items you may need to purchase for these social activities. For example:

• Painting classes and relevant materials
• Sports registration, equipment and uniforms
• Music classes and instruments
• Sewing courses and relevant materials
• Dance classes and uniforms

When the grants are open organisations can apply if they:

• are a non-government, legally incorporated entity, or support by an incorporated auspicing organisation
• are a registered not-for-profit or a charitable organisation
• can demonstrate that the program, project, or activity will be of benefit to ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and must demonstrate a strong connection the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community
• have no overdue acquittals.

when the grants are open individuals can apply if they:

• are over the age of 18 years old
• reside in the ACT or connecting regions. For the purpose of these grants, the ACT and connecting region includes the following Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales Member Councils:
  • ACT
  • Queanbeyan-Palerang
  • Yass Valley
• are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• have no overdue acquittals.

Following the eligibility check, a Grant Assessment Team will assess all eligible applications. The Grant Assessment Team includes a chairperson and 2 other assessors. We appoint Grant Assessment Team members based on their knowledge of the issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and will consist of at least 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Grant Assessment Team members will assess your application with the information you provided against the grant’s selection criteria. If you have been successful in other recent grant rounds, the assessors may consider this during their assessment if we receive a high number of applications. This is to ensure fairness across all applicants.

All decisions are at the sole discretion of the Health and Community Services Directorate. This includes:

• whether to award
• the amount of a grant.

Successful applicants must enter into an Agreement. This will be by a Letter of Offer with the Community Service Directorate for the grant we are providing funds for. The Letter of Offer will include:

• how to accept an offer
• details on the grant amount
• the purpose or activity for which we have given the grant
• the term of your funded activity for which you must expend the grant amount in full
• how to acquit your grant funds when you have completed the project.

• ACT Basketball Inc – $7,500 – Indigenous Game Development Programs
• ACT Torres Strait Islander Corporation – $9,890 – Gerib Sik Cultural performances and workshops
• Australian Outward Bound Development Fund Pty Limited – $10,000 – Building future leaders in the ACT
• Canberra and District NAIDOC Aboriginal Corporation – $10,000 – ACT 2025 NAIDOC Family Day
• Canberra and District NAIDOC Aboriginal Corporation – $10,000 – Community Leadership and Development
• Canberra High School P&C Association – $3,850 – Canberra High School Community Indigenous Garden
• Canberra Writers Festival Inc – $10,000 – First Nations Stories and Strength
• Indigenous Allied Health Australia Ltd – $7,766 – Birrigai Cultural Camp
• Individual - $5,000 – 26^th January Survival Day
• Individual – $5,000 – Connecting Communities to Culture
• Individual – $4,553 – Cultural arts and crafts
• Individual – $2,854 – Cultural Artefact Workshop
• Individual – $5,000 – Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Individual – $5,000 – Self-care and leadership learning experiences
• Individual – $3,700 – Attend SNAICC Conference
• Individual – $5,000 – Attend SNAICC and ICTC Conferences
• Individual – $4,280 – World Indigenous Conference on Education 2025
• Individual – $1,500 – Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science
• Individual – $1,500 – Bachelor of Science (Psychology)
• Individual – $1,000 – Bachelor of Computing and Cyber Security
• Individual – $4,500 – Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability/Bachelor of Science
• Individual – $1,000 – Bachelor of Midwifery
• Individual – $1,000 – Certificate IV in Mental Health – CHC43315
• Individual – $977 – Graduate Certificate of Management
• Individual – $999 – Certificate IV in Mental Health
• Individual – $1,699 – CHC43215 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
• SEARMS Community Housing Aboriginal Corporation – $2,700 – Past, present and Future Information Stall
• Tuggeranong Southern Cross Basketball Club Inc – $9,981 – TSC Basketball NAIDOC Tournament Playing Singlets
• Volunteering and Contact ACT Limited – $5,000 – First Nations Volunteering Project
• Yeddung Mura (Good Pathways) Aboriginal Corporation – $10,000 – Staff training and team Building

• Australian Multicultural Action Network Incorporated  - $3,600 – Harmony Through Understanding: Fostering Cultural Integrity for Equitable Agreement & Unity in Respect
• Baringa Child Care Centre Incorporated - $10,000 - Ngunnawal Language Early Years Project
• Barnardos Australia – $10,000 – Connection Camp
• Beryl Women Incorporated - $9,955 – Beryl's NAIDOC Panel Event - Keep the fire burning!
• Canberra and District NAIDOC Aboriginal Corporation - $10,000 -, NAIDOC Family Day
• Community Services 1 – $3,500 – Cultural Safety Training
• Individual – $5,000 - Cultivating Wellbeing: Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Individuals & Communities in the ACT
• Individual – $2,500 - for a concert
• Individual – $5,000 – Country to Couture
• Individual – $1,500  – Master of Indigenous Business Leadership- Study Tour and Cultural Knowledge Exchange
• Individual – $5,000 –  Country to Couture
• Individual – $4,752 – Presentation - International Symposium Poetic Inquiry
• Individual – $1,500 - Cultural Grant, Healing Journey
• Onerwal Local Aboriginal Land Council - $10,000 -  Onerwal LALC Elders Support Program
• Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation - $10,000 - Empowering Aboriginal Women: Participation in Women's Conference
• Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation - $10,000 – Empowering Aboriginal Women: Learning and Development Initiative
• WhISPers Softball Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander - $10,000 - for a Community Cultural Fair
• whISPers Softball - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation – $10,000 – Let's Talk It Up
• Yeddung Mura (Goodpathways) Aboriginal Corporation – $10,000 – Public Speaking training for Yeddung Mura Staff

• Belconnen Arts Centre Incorporated - $10,000 - NAIDOC in the North
• Beryl Women Incorporated - $8,067 - NAIDOC Event - The theme for 2023 is "For Our Elders"
• Ginninderra Catchment Group - $9,500 - Sharing Ngunawal Knowledge: A Cultural Heritage video project
• Individual - $1,000 - IT equipment to support Glass2Textiles: product diversification
• Individual - $3,200 - Cultural competency for supervisors of Aboriginal People
• Individual - $5,000 - Leadership and Governance Development at Healing our Spirit Worldwide
• Individual - $5,000 - Supporting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with Sensory Disorders
• Individual - $4,950 - Wallabindi Dreaming EP Launch
• Individual - $5,000 - For our Elders NAIDOC Week Fashion Show 2023 - In honour of Aunty Agnes Shea
• Individual - $5,000 - Culture talks program
• Karralika Programs Incorporated - $9,965 - Karralika Programs Cultural Support Program
• Khumburra Netball auspiced by Gilmore Church Incorporated - $9,920 - Khaamburra Netball Leadership Group 2023
• Lyons Early Childhood School Community Association Incorporated - $10,000 - Our Culture, Our History, Our Community
• Macquarie Primary School P&C Assn Inc - $9,768 - Connecting with Indigenous students and families workshops
• Mental Health for Mob Aboriginal Corporation - $10,000 - Mental Health for Mob Acknowledgement of Elders and their influence on Young People
• Ngunnawal Primary School Parents & Citizens Association Inc - $10,000 - Yarning Circle Community mural project
• Pearce Preschool Parents Association Inc - $3,850 - Wiradjuri Echoes cultural education workshops for Pearce Preschool
• St Vincent de Paul Society (Canberra / Goulburn) Incorporated - $8,715 - ACT Community Sector NAIDOC Week Event
• Valley Dragons Rugby League Football Club - $9,170 - Indigenous Round
• Weston Creek Woden Basketball Club - $10,000 - WCW Dodgers Ngunnawal Dreaming project
• Winyu ELS - YWCA Canberra - $4,000 - Yumalundi - Meeting place
• Woden Valley Child Care Association Inc - $8,600 - Language Development (understanding and learning Ngunnawal language)