Volunteer Grants support the work of local community organisations by reducing barriers for volunteers and increasing participation in volunteering.

Grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 will be available to assist eligible not-for-profit community organisations that rely on volunteers. Grants can be used to purchase communication or insurance items and/or purchase items or services to assist volunteers or volunteer-run activities that support the well-being and development of children (under 18).

The Volunteer Grants Activity is an element of the Families and Communities Program, which aims to strengthen relationships, support families, improve the wellbeing of children and young people, reduce the cost of family breakdown and strengthen family and community functioning. Annual funding of $10 million for this activity is held within Program 2.1.6: Volunteering and Community Connectedness in Outcome 2.

The funding for this opportunity will be available in the 202526 financial year. The objectives of Volunteer Grants are to:

• help not-for-profit community organisations
• to support the efforts of Australias volunteers
• encourage, support and increase participation in volunteering
• support childrens wellbeing through volunteering.

The 2024-25 Volunteer Grants Opportunity is open for expressions of interest through Federal Members of Parliament (MP). Interested organisations should read the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and contact their local Federal MP for details on how to submit an expression of interest.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will open with your Federal MP in November 2024.

Federal MPs must submit nominations by 31 January 2025 up to a total of $66,225 (GST exclusive) per electorate.

Organisations nominated by their MP will be invited by the department to fill out an application form in February 2025.

Important information about applying for this program:

• To be eligible to apply you must be invited to apply by your Federal Member of Parliament. This is a new feature of this funding.
• Contact your federal MP for more information about the grants and to register your interest.
• MP Expression of Interest dates are approximate. Please confirm exact dates for your electorate with your local MPs office.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply you must be an organisation that has been nominated by your Federal MP, received an invitation to apply through GrantConnect and: 

• be a legal and eligible entity

or 

• be an unincorporated association that agrees to the primary contact on your application entering into an agreement on behalf of the unincorporated association. This means that if your grant application is approved, an authorised officer of the organisation will assume all legal liability and become personally liable for the delivery of the funded activity, expenditure of funds and any other associated obligations arising from the grant agreement validly executed

and 

• have a minimum of 40% of volunteers working for your organisation 
• be a not-for-profit organisation 
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or be willing to provide a Statement by Supplier Form (reason for not quoting an ABN). Please refer to the Australian Tax Office website for further information 
• have a bank account with an Australian financial institution in the name of the organisation applying unless you are applying as an unincorporated association in which case the bank account can be in the name of the individual assuming legal liability
• be willing and legally able to enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth

To be eligible you must be one of the following entity types: 

• Company
• Cooperative
• Corporate
• State or Territory Entity
• Incorporated Association
• Indigenous Corporation
• Non-corporate State or Territory Entity
• Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
• Statutory Entity
• A not-for-profit community organisation associated with, but not legally part of, a Local Council
• Unincorporated association

• Phone: 1800 020 283
• Email: support@communitygrants.gov.au