Funding Opportunities For Riverina Communities
A major focus of RDA-Riverina is to promote government grants and funding initiatives. The following information provides an overview of funding opportunities which may be relevant to your business, group or organisation.
RDA-Riverina is available to assist organisations review their project ideas and identify possible funding sources or options. RDA-Riverina has developed two grant writing resources for organisations or individuals seeking grant funds and offers grant writing workshops throughout the year. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events page to see what’s available in your area.
For latest information on current grants, follow our facebook page, or subscribe to RDA Riverina ENews for regular updates
Current Opportunities
Small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will be allowed an additional 20% tax deduction to support their digital operations and digitise their operations.
The boost applies to eligible expenditure incurred between 7:30 pm AEDT on 29 March 2022 and 30 June 2023. The boost is for business expenses and depreciating assets and is capped at $100,000 of expenditure per income year. You can receive a maximum bonus deduction of $20,000 per income year.
Small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will be allowed an additional 20% tax deduction for external training courses delivered to employees by registered training providers.
The boost applies to eligible expenditure incurred from 7:30 pm AEDT on 29 March 2022 until 30 June 2024.
This grant supports projects that are time-sensitive and strategically significant for a priority industry or location. Projects may be recommended for funding support under the Regional Investment Activation Fund.
Announced in 2022, the Government’s Driving the Nation Fund provides $500 million to invest in cheaper and cleaner transport. This funding builds on the former ‘Future Fuels Fund’ (established in 2020), targeting support for business fleets, new technologies for heavy and long-distance vehicles, public charging and hydrogen refuelling stations and smart charging.
This funding is designed to build the capacity of PBCs, also known as Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate (RNTBCs).
The NHIF offers concessional loans, grants and, in certain limited cases, equity finance to help support critical housing-enabling infrastructure.
The Regional and Remote Airport Security Awareness Program provides funding to support eligible airports meet the requirements of the Screener Accreditation Scheme.
This program aims to provide transitional support to implement the Screener Accreditation Scheme. We understand that implementing the scheme will have a financial impact for regional and remote airports who run on small profit margins. Funding will end in 2024.
The Transport Access Regional Partnerships (TARP) Grants Program has small scale funding available to support initiatives to improve services and outcomes for sections of the community that need improved transport.
Recruiting and training an intern for your organisation takes time – that’s where Generation STEM Links can help. We help you to find the right candidate for your business needs and work with educational institutions across NSW to attract quality students to available opportunities.
This Relocation Scholarship is a once a year payment, that you may be eligible for, if you get ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance. You must also need to move to or from a regional or remote area for higher education study.
Farming for the Future is an important project that will play an active role in helping farmers combat climate change and biodiversity loss without sacrificing production or farm business performance.
Through a combination of philanthropic, industry, government and private sector funding, Ag accountants, advisors and farmers will be given the opportunity to help design, build and test a diagnostic system designed to quantify the value that agricultural natural capital generates for farm businesses and farming families.
The Powering the Regions Fund – Safeguard Transformation Stream Round 1 grant opportunity will provide up to $50 million to trade exposed facilities to reduce their emissions and contribute to meeting Australia’s emissions reduction targets.
The Regional Microgrids Program (the Program) seeks to support the development and deployment of renewable energy microgrids across regional Australia that contribute to the Program Outcomes.
ARENA has allocated funding across two Streams under the Program, and each Stream has its own Outcomes.
The Strategic Opportunities Program supports individual initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis at any time during the year, subject to available funds. The objectives of the Program are:
The Regional Microgrids Program (the Program) seeks to support the development and deployment of renewable energy microgrids across regional Australia that contribute to the Program Outcomes. ARENA has allocated funding across two Streams under the Program, and each Stream has its own Outcomes.
The High-Emitting Industries (HEI) grant is an Ongoing grant. HEI funding applications opened in October 2022, and a rolling assessment process will be implemented over a period of 2 years.
Funding is available to help high-emitting manufacturing and mining facilities in NSW develop and deploy decarbonisation projects, from feasibility studies through to commissioning.
If you are working at any level in manufacturing and you are passionate about innovation, Manufacturing Skills Australia want to help you achieve your goals!
The Flexible Initiatives Trial will empower early childhood education and care providers to better cater for the needs of local families and increase the availability of places for children in New South Wales where and when they are needed most. The program has a total pool of $20 million from the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.
The free Sustainability Skills Micro-credentials are practical, accessible, and designed specifically for the visitor economy across three courses: Sustainability 101, Sustainability and your Experience Delivery and Sustainability Management to ultimately help grow your business.
The Regional Filming Fund offsets costs associated with shooting in regional areas of NSW. Regional NSW is defined as all areas in NSW outside the Sydney Metro area.
The objectives of the program are to increase economic activity in regional NSW, by encouraging NSW screen productions to film outside of metropolitan areas; and enable regional NSW to benefit from the growth of film and television production in the State.
The On Farm Connectivity Program (the program) will run over 2 years from 2023-24 to 2024-25. This program forms part of the Better Connectivity for Rural and Regional Australia Plan (Better Connectivity Plan) and assists primary producers to take advantage of digital agribusiness solutions to boost productivity and improve safety.
The 2023-24 Agricultural Knowledge Small Grants program is now open. These grants help to deliver knowledge and skill building events to support agricultural and horticultural groups in the region to improve sustainable agricultural production. Eligible groups are able to apply for up to $3,000 per application to undertake agricultural training, and skills and knowledge building activities.
The Aboriginal Languages Trust Small Grants Program provides open and non-competitive grants between $500 to $15,000 to support Language activities by NSW Aboriginal not for profit Community organisations, groups, and Aboriginal sole traders.
The Industry Growth Program will support innovative small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation and/or growth projects within the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) priority areas. Participating businesses will have access to Advisory Services to help them overcome significant challenges that may be associated with their projects.
Love working at heights and want to earn while you learn? Elecnor Australia (formerly SecureEnergy) is looking for 100 candidates to complete its Legacy 100 training program, the first program of its kind in Australia. Elecnor for Transgrid is building the 700km NSW section of EnergyConnect from Wagga Wagga to the South Australian border.
The Australian Government is helping to secure Australia’s future prosperity and driving sustainable economic growth through the $15b National Reconstruction Fund. The NRF will provide finance (loans, equity investment and guarantees) for projects in priority areas that diversify and transform Australia’s industry and economy.
The Telstra Footy Country Grants is designed to financially assist initiatives that can support Community Clubs affiliated to the AFL to strengthen the base and secure the future in three key strategic areas.
Local football clubs across Australia will have the opportunity to share in an $8 million funding boost over the next four years, as the AFL and Telstra launch Telstra Footy Country Grants. With a pool of $2 million to be distributed in 2024, eligible regional and metro clubs can apply for grants up to $20,000 - helping strengthen, sustain and grow local footy.
The Tertiary Health Study Subsidy Program will support 12,000 students from 2024. The subsidies incentivise students to enter the NSW Health workforce by reducing financial barriers to study.
The Australian Government is providing $200 million for the Play Our Way program. The program will run over 3 years from 2024–25 to 2026–27.
The program will provide funding for local solutions and improvements that address participation barriers faced by women and girls.
Supporting mental health in rural communities, the In a Good Place program gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of community-driven projects, services, activities or initiatives, which clearly and directly focus on strengthening mental health and wellbeing of vulnerable community members who are at risk of, or are experiencing, mental health issues.
Grants - Find a Suitable Grant
Listed below are various links to explore which may provide funding opportunities relevant to your business, community organisation, group or individual project.
Keep an eye on this page, as funding opportunities are updated regularly.
Local Council Grants
Drought Assistance
Tackling Tough Times Together (FRRR) - Funding for communities affected by drought
Training Services NSW - Subsidised Skills Training for Drought Affected
Farmers and BusinessesNSW Department of Primary Industries - Rural Resilience Program
NSW Transport Roads and Maritime Services - Registration Relief for Farmers
Rural Financial Counselling Service - Central Region (Bland Shire Council)
Rural Financial Counselling Service - Southern Region (All other RDA Riverina LGAs)
Quick Reference Guide
This is a short booklet which gives you a quick checklist for when you are writing a grant application.
Grant Writing
Need help pulling together an exceptional grant application?
Check out the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal for tips on how to develop your project idea, plan and budget and also helps you develop your responses to questions on rational, sustainability and outcomes. This website also lists questions you can ask the grant provider when trying to evaluate your eligibility, provides effective writing hints and a glossary of grant terminology.
RDA-Riverina also offers grant writing workshops throughout the year, visit the Upcoming Events page to see if there’s one in your area.