Our Community Grants Program supports community organisations carrying out projects and activities which enrich the diversity of cultural, environmental, recreational or social opportunity to Darwin residents, and enhance Darwin as a safe, liveable and healthy city.
Each year we allocate $100,000 for community projects. Grants generally vary in amounts up to $10,000 to ensure support to the greatest number of projects and organisations.
There are currently no rounds open. If you would like to talk to a City of Darwin staff member about other support available for your community project, please contact the Community Development Officer:
communitygrants@darwin.nt.gov.au
Who Can Apply
- Funding is available for new projects and initiatives, not existing programs or operational costs.
- Organisations must be incorporated or be auspiced* by an incorporated organisation for the purposes of this application;
- Proposed activities must occur within the timeframe specified for each funding round; and
- Activities must occur within the Darwin municipality.
*Auspice – if you are unincorporated or an individual you will need the support of an incorporated organisation to act as a sponsor, to be an intermediary for financial purposes. If required, please contact us for support in connecting you with a suitable organisation.
Applying for a Community Grant
Contact the Community Development Officer if you have any questions about the Community Grants Program.
communitygrants@darwin.nt.gov.au
Frequently Asked Questions
- I’ve applied for a grant before. Can I apply again?
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Yes. However, you should only apply for funding if it is for a new initiative.
- Can my organisation submit more than one application?
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Yes, but it’s likely that only one will be funded.
- How much money is available?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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No, these community grants are only available to not for profit organisations and groups.
- When will I know if I have been successful?
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All applicants will be notified by email within six weeks of applications closing.
- Do you accept hand written applications?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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.
Round 2 COVID-19 Response Grants Recipients:
- Lakeside Drive Community Garden (Individual and Group Garden Plots)
- St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Inc. (St John NT Cadet Youth Development Program - Connect Online)
- The Royal Agricultural Society of the NT Royal Darwin Show (Virtual Mini-Series)
- Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Inc. (Digital Adaptation of 2020 Portrait of a Teenage Territorian Exhibition)
- Tracks Inc. Dead Singers Dance Society (A Bollywood Awakening)
- Integrated disAbility Action (IdA) Inc. (Working Remotely and Safe Work Practices)
- Variety the Children’s Charity NT (Christmas in July Santa Fun Run)
- forrestPR (No-one Left Behind)
- Scott Gooding, auspiced by Corrugated Iron Youth Theatre (Youth Theatre Project Pilot - We Are The Future)
- Growing and Using Local Produce (Darwin Region Edible Calendar)
- Kindness Shake (Kindness Space by The Kindness Shake)
Total $55,340.77
Round 1 COVID-19 Response Grants Recipients:
- Darwin Community Arts Incorporated (CemeNTstars Disability CONNECT Project)
- Danila Dilba Biluru Butji Binnilutlum Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (COVID 19 Community Awareness and Safety)
- Sri Lankan Australian Friendship Association (SLAFA-City of Darwin-COVID-19 Support)
- Total Recreation NT Inc. (Inclusive Online Fitness)
- Parap Family Centre Inc. (Meals for carers at Parap Family Centre)
- SLIDE Youth Dance Theatre (Participation Project and Developmental Work for Post COVID–19 events re engagement 2020)
- HeartKids Ltd (HeartKids Virtual Playgroup Support Program)
- Melaleuca Refugee Centre Torture and Trauma Survivors Service of the NT Inc. (COVID19 Community Support)
- Nepalese Association of Northern Territory Incorporated (Emergency support to members of Nepalese community of Darwin severely affected by COVID-19)
- Wildcare Inc. (Storage for COVID19 supplies)
- Kyle Walmsley, auspiced by Brownsmart (Lower the Bar - a community mobile, site specific, live performance delivery service)
- Nightcliff Music, Arts and Culture Inc. (Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival 2020 @ Home 'Music on the Move')
Total $49,922.00
Round 1 Commmunity Grants Program 2020/2021 Recipients:
- Amazing Miss Deb, auspiced by KidsCan (Learn to unicycle at home with coaching from Amazing Miss Deb)
- Digital Inclusions Northern Australia (Building Darwin’s Digital Capacity and Confidence in the online world)
- NT Writers’ Centre Inc. (Not Your Average Online Book Club)
- Darwin Community Arts (Together While Apart - skill share series)
Total $32,780.20
Environment Grants Recipients:
- Larrakia Nation (Darwin Harbour Clean-up)
- GULP (Resilient Resources for Community)
- COOLmob (Sustainable House Day 2020)
- Arafura Music Collective (The Sacred Life of Trees)
- Nightcliff Arts, Music & Culture Inc (Sustainable Event Guides)
Total $38,510.00