Funding to grow community organisations to better support LGBTIQA+ people
Find out how to apply for the Partnership and Capacity Building grant. This grant helps grow community organisations in the ACT to better support LGBTIQA+ people.
This grant will not be open in the 2025-26 financial year
Partnership and Capacity Building Grant
This grant helps build or expand LGBTIQA+ organisations in the ACT region. The grant also helps other community organisations to better support their LGBTIQA+ clients or members.
The grant is part of the Capital of Equality Grants Program. The program aims to achieve:
- improved understanding of LGBTIQA+ experiences
- improved wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people
- increased participation of LGBTIQA+ communities
- increased capacity and leadership.
Who this is for
The grant is for not-for-profit organisations including:
- LGBTIQA+ peer-led organisations
- non-LGBTIQA+ organisations.
What you get
- LGBTIQA+ led organisations can get a grant of up to $50,000.
- Other community organisations can get a grant up to $40,000.
Check if you can apply
Not-for-profit organisations and community groups can apply if they're either:
- based in the ACT
- running their project in the ACT.
If you've previously received an ACT Government grant, you must have submitted the final report.
Unregistered community groups or those without an Australian Business Number (ABN) can still apply. You must have the support of an eligible not-for-profit organisation. We call this the 'auspicing' organisation.
The auspicing organisation will need to:
- take financial responsibility for your grant
- give you a letter confirming they'll support your project.
You'll still be responsible for running your project.
If applicable, organisations should also:
- have current public liability insurance
- be registered for GST.
If your project requires public liability insurance, you can ask for the money as part of your application
What you can do
Your project must either:
- help your organisation or group grow and improve
- focus on delivering more inclusive services or advocacy.
Examples of projects include:
- support to incorporate and register entities
- training and professional development to support organisation operations
- support to establish or expand service offerings
- research and evidence gathering to support organisational capacity
- improving capacity for business and strategic planning.
You must finish your project within one year.
Before you apply
Attend an information session
Join a 1-hour online information session:
- Tuesday 26 November 2024 at 5:30 pm
- Wednesday 11 December 2024 at 12:30 pm
- Tuesday 7 January 2025 at 5:30 pm.
Read tips for writing an application
You can preview the questions in the online form.
In your application you'll need to show:
- how your project aligns with the objectives of this grant
- how your project will achieve grant outcomes and improve your organisation
- how your project will benefit LGBTIQA+ people in Canberra including those from diverse backgrounds
- your organisation's capability to manage the project.
You'll also need to prepare a budget:
- Income includes any money which will be used to fund the project.
- Expenditure is everything you'll spend to deliver the project.
- The income and expenditure must match.
Confirm support from auspicing organisation
If your project is supported by an auspicing organisation, you'll need to agree with them on the support they can provide. You'll need to confirm this before you apply.
The auspicing organisation will:
- co-sign the Deed of Grant
- manage and distribute the funds
- pay invoices and buy project resources
- give you a detailed financial report at the end.
They may also help you with project management.
You're responsible for submitting the final report once the project finishes.
Check what you'll need to apply
You'll need:
- certificate of incorporation (for registered organisations)
- signed letter from an auspicing organisation and their certificate of incorporation (for unregistered organisations and community groups)
- certificate of currency for public liability insurance (if applicable).
Optional:
- One letter of support from an organisation who understands the activity in your application.
- Promotional materials or media articles about a similar activity (for example, a poster).
After you apply
We'll assess your application and let you know the result within 30 business days.
Assessing your application
To be successful your project must:
- meet the eligibility criteria, aims and objectives of the grant
- show a need for your targeted community or for your proposed activities
- benefit LGBTIQA+ people.
We prioritise applications led by:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- multicultural communities including migrants and refugees
- disability communities
- trans communities
- intersex communities
- different age groups
- other sexually and gender diverse communities not captured by the LGBTIQA+ acronym.
If you get the grant
You (and your auspicing organisation, if applicable) will need to:
- sign a Deed of Grant
- send us an invoice to receive the grant.
Your invoice will include:
- your approved grant amount
- additional 10% GST, if applicable
- additional 7% auspicing fee, if applicable. This fee will be kept by your auspicing organisation to cover their expenses.
You do not need to budget these additional costs in your application.
You must:
- comply with all conditions of the Deed of Grant
- seek written approval from us to change the project or budget
- show that the principles of access and equality guide your organisation and its programs
- submit a final report when you complete your project, including all receipts
- return any unspent funds to us.
We'll provide you with project support including:
- networking opportunities
- promotion of your project, if applicable.
You must acknowledge the grant in:
- documents, brochures, books, articles or newsletters
- other artistic or literary works
- advertising, public events, media releases or media coverage.
We encourage you to invite the Office of LGBTIQA+ Affairs to public events related to your project.
You must provide anything using the ACT Government logo to us for approval before publishing.
Past projects
Find out about past grant recipients and projects.
- Rainbow Mob Development: Development of the ACT trans and queer Indigenous youth organisation called Rainbow Mob.
- Rainbow Families ACT: Provides inclusive spaces for LGBTIQA+ parents and their families to connect and participate in parenting courses.
- More Accessible Community Spaces: Supports A Gender Agenda to uplift their capacity to provide more services to transgender, gender diverse and intersex community members with disability.
- The Future of Pink Tennis: Helps Pink Tennis expand its organisation to create an inclusive tennis club for LGBTIQA+ members.
- Rebus Theatre, LGBTIQA+ Capacity Building – $32,150: Hiring an LGBTIQA+ officer to create a new theatre program and build organisational capacity.
- Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, CRCC Rainbow Tick Project – $40,000: Accreditation to ensure safe, inclusive services for LGBTIQA+ clients.
- Bosom Buddies ACT Inc, Support through Empowerment – $15,000: Breast/chest cancer awareness program for the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Screen Canberra, Screen Diversity – $38,000: Training to create inclusive LGBTIQA+ screen stories.
- Collective on Anti-Racism, COAR Pride – $17,786: Queer-focused events and resources for intersectional communities.
- QWire Canberra, QWire Sustainability Project – $17,737: Sustains QWire by digitising data and training young members to record oral histories.
- A Gender Agenda, Diversifying AGA's Service Capability – $100,000: Training, events, and services for trans, gender-diverse, and intersex communities.
- Girls Rock Canberra, Capacity Building and Consultation – $30,074: Ensures programs are inclusive for transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex youth.
- Arts Capital, LGBTIQA+ Awareness and Allyship Training – $9,760: LGBTIQA+ training sessions for artists and staff at Arts Capital.
- Forcibly Displaced People Network, Stronger Together – $99,923: Builds capacity and support systems for LGBTIQA+ displaced people.
- ACT Water Polo, Water Polo ACT Inclusion Program – $6,325: Pride in Sport membership to foster inclusivity in water polo.
- Woden Community Service Limited, Building Capacity to Support LGBTIQA+ People – $22,877: Training to staff and programs for LGBTIQA+ youth in the Woden area.
- The Stellar Company, The Sirius Program – $10,000: Arts and training programs designed for LGBTIQA+ people with disabilities.
- Canberra SpringOUT Association Inc, SpringOUT Capacity Building – $100,000: Supports the hiring of a Project Manager to improve membership engagement and organisational development.