Under the IAS, the NIAA considers grant proposals that address a need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Proposals must be developed with the community or group who will be impacted by the activity.

This funding approach can be used to present a proposal to the Agency where a need has been identified in the community and there are no other current funding avenues available.

You must discuss your proposal with the Agency. The Agency may then invite you to submit an application.

You may discuss an initial proposal with the Agency at any time by contacting your local NIAA Regional Office, or by calling 1800 079 098

There is no maximum grant amount available to applicants. The Agency will consider value with relevant money and availability of funds to meet priorities in offering a grant amount. 

Applicants can apply for funding for activities for up to 12 months or over multiple years.

The Agency cannot consider applications that do not satisfy all the eligibility criteria. 

Community groups that are not eligible to apply for funding are encouraged to consider partnering with an eligible organisation. 

Who is eligible for funding?

To be eligible to apply for grant funding under the Agency Collaborates guidelines you must: 

• have been invited to apply by the Agency 
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) (exemptions may apply in special cases) 
• where relevant, be registered for the purposes of GST 
• if an individual, be a permanent resident of Australia 
• have an account, in your name and which you control, with an Australian financial institution.

AND be one of the following entity types: 

• an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act) 
• a company incorporated in Australia under the Corporations Act 2001 
• an incorporated association (incorporated under state/territory legislation, commonly have 'Association' or 'Incorporated' or 'Inc' in their legal name) 
• an incorporated cooperative (incorporated under state/territory legislation, commonly have ’Cooperative' in their legal name) 
• Organisations established through a specific piece of Commonwealth or state/territory legislation including public benevolent institutions, churches and universities 
• an Australian state or territory government body 
• an Australian local government body 
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• a partnership 
• a joint (consortia) application with a lead organisation that satisfies the entity type 
• an individual with an ABN.

The Agency will not accept your application unless you:

• have rectified any issues of previous non-compliance with existing Agency agreements to the satisfaction of the Agency, or be in the process of rectifying any issues of noncompliance with existing Agency agreements to the satisfaction of the Agency. 
• are financially viable to the Agency’s satisfaction. The application form has questions about financial viability. The Agency may undertake its own enquiries in relation to the applicant’s financial viability

Who is not eligible?

You are not eligible to apply for grant funding under the IAS if you are: 

• an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’ (National Redress Scheme) 
• a non-corporate Commonwealth entity 
• an unincorporated association 
• subject to the Agency’s sole discretion, an overseas resident 
• an organisation or individual not included in Section 4.1 of the guidelines
• declared bankrupt or subject to insolvency proceedings—as relevant to the entity type 
• named as currently non-compliant under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012

• Phone: 1800 079 098
• Email: iasgrants@pmc.gov.au
• Website: https://www.niaa.gov.au/contact-us/regional-network-addresses