Community and Environment Grants

2019/2020 Community and Environment Grants Program are now Open.

Apply for a community grant

Applications for this round of community grants closes at 5.00pm on Monday 1 April 2019.

Before applying, we encourage you to read the frequently asked questions.

Who Can Apply

Funding is available for new projects and initiatives, not existing programs or operational costs.

• Organisations must be an incorporated, not for profit community organisation. (If you are not incorporated it may be possible to ask another organisation to apply on your behalf or in partnership with you.)
• Proposed activities must occur within the financial year in which it is funded*.
• Activities must occur within the municipality of Darwin.
• View the Municipal map for boundary details.
• Applications must be received by 5.00pm on the stated closing date.
• The application must be submitted on the online application form via SmartyGrants.
• Handwritten application forms will no longer be accepted. 

^{* Community grants are awarded for a 6 month period. Environment grants are for the financial year.}

Who Can't Apply

Community and Environment Grants Program does not fund:

• Applications for individual pursuits.
• Applications for recurrent funds.
• Requests for the ongoing core functions of an organisation such as insurance, administration costs and utilities.
• Request for commercial or competitive activities.
• Funding for capital funds or improvements on private property.
• School based projects that do not involve the wider community.
• Event or conference sponsorship, prizes or award ceremonies.
• Projects that have previously been funded through the Grants Program.
• Applications where an applicant has not fully acquitted any previous City of Darwin grant.

Applying for a Community Grant

Contact the Community Development Officer if you have questions about this round of Community and Environment Grants.

08 8930 0645

communitygrants@darwin.nt.gov.au

Forms and Guidelines

Guidelines - Community Grants Program

Frequently Asked Questions 

I’ve applied for a grant before. Can I apply again?

Yes. However, you should only apply for funding if it is for a new initiative.

Can my organisation submit more than one application?

Yes, but it’s likely that only one will be funded.

How much money is available?

There is $150,000 in the Community Grants pool, with two rounds of $50,000 for community-based grants each year, and one round of $50,000 for community-based environmental grants.

What’s the maximum I can apply for?

The maximum grant amount is $10,000, but you may not receive that full amount.

Can I apply again for funding for a project that has previously received funding?

Only if you are applying for a new initiative as part of that project. Organisations can’t be funded for exactly the same initiative more than once.

Can I apply again for funding for a project that has previously been unsuccessful?

Yes, but call for some advice first so that you know why it wasn’t successful the first time. Sometimes projects are not successful because there too many good applications to fund them all and a slightly stronger application succeeds.

My organisation hasn’t sent in the acquittal (final financial report) from our last project. Can we still apply?

To be eligible for a new grant, your organisation needs to have sent in the acquittal. Please speak to the Community Development Officer if you have any questions about this.

Can I get funding for general expenses for my organisation?

No, grant funding is for the expenses of a project, not organisational costs, like insurance cover for example.

Can I apply for money for wages?

Yes, but only the wages for the project, for example facilitator wages to run a workshop.

Can I apply for a grant as an individual?

No, these community grants are only available to not for profit organisations and groups.

When will I know if I have been successful?

All applicants will be notified by email within six weeks of applications closing.

​Do you accept hand written applications?

No. We have moved to a new system and to maintain the integrity of the data, all applications will need to be submitted through this system. 

What if I’m late with my application?

The system will not allow you to submit beyond the closing time and date. We cannot accept late submissions.

Can I get advice about what to apply for and what to write?

Yes, call the Community Development Officer on 08 8930 0645 or email communitygrants@darwin.nt.gov.au

The guidelines say that projects should be sustainable. What does that mean?

This means that projects either need to start and end during the funding period or that there is a way they can continue after the funding has been spent.

Past Grant Recipients

2018/19 Environment Grant Winners:

• Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary - Sustainable Living Film Festival
• Paws Darwin - Recycling Trailer
• Waste Free NT - Wash Against Waste Community Hub
• Lakeside Drive Community Garden - Little Gardeners of Lakeside Drive
• Friends of East Point Breezeway Landcare Group - Friends of East Point Tree Planting Day
• Growing and Using Local Produce - Connecting Community Cooks
• COOLmob a Project Environment Centre NT - COOLmob Sustainable House Day 2018

2018/2019 Community Grant Winners:

• FoodBank NT - Project IT                  
• Northern Territory Multiple Births Club - Family Fun Day
• Starlight Children’s Foundation - Starlight Express Room Arts Corner
• StoryProjects - Octopus                                                               
• ForrestPR - No Woman Left Behind Conference                     
• Bar Brothers & Sisters Darwin - Inclusive Outdoor Exercise Station          
• Mental Illness Fellowship Australia (NT) Inc - MiPeer Collective Project
• Northern Territory Thai Association - Thailand Grand Festival – Grand City Parade
• Mindil Beach Surf Life Saving Club Inc - Rescue Ready – Saving Lives at Mindil Beach
• Paws Darwin - Animal Interactions
• Clubhouse Territory Inc - Beinclusive Games Marathon
• Vietnamese Community in Australia – NT Chapter Inc - Upgrade stage, lighting & audio
• Chinese Community of Northern Australia - Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Celebration
• Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc - The Watermemories Swimming Club
• Darwin Malayalee Association Inc - Sports Day Celebrations
• Playgroup Association of the Northern Territory Inc - German Playgroup in Darwin