CURRENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

*dates listed are the closing dates for applications

ONGOING:

REGIONAL ARTS NSW QUICK RESPONSE GRANTS

Quick Response Grants are available on a monthly basis from February to November, with all applications being competitively assessed at the end of each month. The grant amounts vary, with individuals able to apply for up to $3000 and organisations up to $5000, though there is no minimum grant amount. It’s important to note that there is a limited funding pool, so accurate budgeting is crucial to ensure you are only applying for the amount you truly need.

These grants are designed to assist with urgent needs that may arise unexpectedly and are not covered by other funding rounds. This includes opportunities such as professional development, skills development, and small projects that require immediate attention.

Projects funded by the Quick Response Grants must begin within 2–12 weeks of the closing date of the round in which the application is made. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications no later than 5 business days after the end of each month’s assessment.

March 2026

Crew Development Program 25/26 - Stream B: Production Management & Post-Production Supervision departments

Opportunity: Intensive training and paid placements. Grant Value: $0 - $500.

For: Individual

The Crew Development Program offers intensive training and paid production placements (with mentorship) for NSW entry-level and mid-career crew from underrepresented backgrounds.

Status: Open - Closing 19 March 2026

2026 NAIDOC Grants Program

From $1,000 to $5,000

For: Not-for-profit

Aboriginal Affairs NSW (AANSW) supports the holding of events and activities in NSW by eligible community-based organisations and groups that align with the 2026 NAIDOC Week theme.

Status: Open | Closing 22 March 2026

All-Ages Live Music Venue Program - EOI

$100,000 (ex GST) to deliver a series of all-ages events (minimum 3)

For: Business

The All-Ages Live Music Venue Program supports dedicated NSW live music venues with a track record of delivering all-ages contemporary music events, and a commitment to collaborating with young people to program events that build new audiences.

Status: Open |

Closing 23 March 2026

Digital Games Seed Development Program 2025-26

Up to $30,000 as a grant.

For: Business, Individual

Targeted at emerging and small-medium enterprise digital game creators, the fund will provide a grant of up to $30,000 for early-stage game development.

Status: Open | Closing 23 March 2026

Regional NSW Strategic Partnerships Program

Up to $150,000

For: Business, Local Government, Not-for-profit

The Regional NSW Strategic Partnerships Program, part of the Plan for Regional NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries, supports organisations to deliver programs that strengthen the arts, culture and creative industries sector in regional NSW.

Status: Open | Closing 31 March 2026

Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program

From $1,000 to $20,000

For: Not-for-profit

The Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program supports Aboriginal community organisations and groups across NSW to celebrate Aboriginal cultures and hold key cultural events and activities.

Status: Open | Closing 31 March 2026

Round 28 - FRRR - The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities. There are two tiers of Small & Vital funding available. Small grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations less than15,000). The timeframe to deliver these projects is up to 12 months. Targeted larger leverage grants up to $50,000 are only available for projects that focus on strengthening the digital skills, confidence and safety of adults enabling them to get online, build social connections and access services, information, education and employment through training, as well as acquiring the digital and connectivity infrastructure where needed.

Open Now I Closing 24 March 2026


Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program

Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program will boost support for communities across remote, rural and regional Australia to enhance liveability with digital solutions that harness the power of connection. The program will support community-led efforts that embrace new technology and improve digital literacy or digital capability. Grants up to $10,000 are available for not-for-profit community organisations that are providing access to information, technology, education and facilities to support their communities to embrace new technologies and ways of working to build social capital and digital capability. The program seeks to foster:

  • Liveable communities that have digital capability, and help to equip individuals with the skills to live, learn and work in a digital society;

  • Sustainable communities that are diverse and inclusive, planning for the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of their people and the planet; and

  • Resilient communities that are well prepared and socially connected when disaster strikes with the ability to renew and recover together.

Now Open I Closes 26 March at 5pm VIC time (AEDT).

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster. Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives

OPEN NOW I Closes 24 March, 2026 at 5pm VIC time (AEDT) 

April 2026

IP in Motion Fund - 2025-26

Up to $5,000 per application.

For: Business, Individual

Screen NSW, through this program, will wholly or partly reimburse, up to $5,000, a screen and digital games producers’ cost to option original intellectual property (IP) from NSW-based creators.

Status: Open | Closing 2 April 2026

Pathways Development Program 2025/26

Up to $30,000

For: Business, Individual

The Pathways Development Program is a competitive Screen NSW initiative that supports emerging writers with disability to develop original long-form screen projects to a pitch-ready stage.

Status: Open | Closing 2 April 2026

Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) Kickstart Grant Program​ Round 2 ​

Individual grant amounts: from $20,000 to $250,000 (per council, excluding GST).

For: Local Government

The purpose of the Program is to encourage councils to take up and implement trial SEPs across NSW and integrate the Purple Flag principles for excellence in night-time precinct management into the creation of sustainable and successful SEPs.

Status: Open | Closing 13 April 2026

Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) Kickstart Grant Program​ Round 2 ​

Individual grant amounts: from $20,000 to $250,000 (per council, excluding GST).

For: Local Government

The purpose of the Program is to encourage councils to take up and implement trial SEPs across NSW and integrate the Purple Flag principles for excellence in night-time precinct management into the creation of sustainable and successful SEPs.

Status: Open | Closing 13 April 2026

Crew Development Program 25/26 - Stream C: Costume & Art departments

Up to $500

For: Individual

The Crew Development Program offers intensive training and paid production placements (with mentorship) for NSW entry-level and mid-career crew from underrepresented backgrounds.

Status: Open | Closing 13 April 2026

NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government Round 5 - Addressing Racism and Discrimination

From $10,000 to $100,000

For: Local Government

The overarching purpose of this grants program is to reduce racism and intersectional experiences of discrimination by building stronger, more resilient, and more cohesive communities.

Status: Open | Closing 23 April 2026

Touring and Travel Fund - International Touring

Up to $30,000 matched funding

For: Business, Individual

This funding program is designed to support established artists and acts to tour internationally.

Status: Open | Closing 24 April 2026

Touring and Travel Fund - ​ Domestic Travel and International Professional Development

Up to $5,000 per person

For: Business, Individual

This quick response funding program is designed for domestic and international travel activity for NSW contemporary music artists, acts and music industry professionals.

Status: Open | Closing 24 April 2026

Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund 2025/26

Up to $500,000

For: Business

This program supports existing large-scale contemporary music festivals presented in NSW with a track record of delivering significant outcomes for contemporary music.

Status: Open | Closing 30 April 2026

May 2026

Regional NSW Community Bands Program​

Up to $2,500

For: Not-for-profit

The Regional Community Bands Program supports the work of community bands in regional NSW through an annual program providing small grants to support their activities.

Status: Open | Closing 19 May 2026

Quick Response Fashion Grants

Up to $10,000 individual grants

For: Business, Individual

Quick Response Fashion Grants offer up to $10,000 for emerging designers, textile makers, and fashion businesses - prioritising First Nations, Western Sydney, and Regional NSW creatives.

Status: Open | Closing 29 May 2026

Strategic Opportunities Program 25/26

$5,000 -$50,000

For: Business

The Strategic Opportunities Program supports innovative projects designed to strengthen the NSW screen and digital games industries.

Status: Open | Closing 29 May 2026

June 2026

Round 29 - FRRR - The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream

The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small & Vital stream gives small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities. There are two tiers of Small & Vital funding available. Small grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places and climate solutions, with a preference for smaller communities (populations less than15,000). The timeframe to deliver these projects is up to 12 months. Targeted larger leverage grants up to $50,000 are only available for projects that focus on strengthening the digital skills, confidence and safety of adults enabling them to get online, build social connections and access services, information, education and employment through training, as well as acquiring the digital and connectivity infrastructure where needed.

Opens: 25 March 2026
Closes: 24 June 2026

2025-26 Development Program

Up to $50,000 depending on the project type and level of market interest

For: Business, Individual

Screen NSW Development funding supports writers, directors and producers to develop fiction or unscripted (documentary) and online projects with distinctive ideas and ambitious stories.

Status: Open | Closing 30 June 2026

2025-26 International Travel Fund

Up to $5,000 for one Key Creative, or up to $6,000 for two or more Key Creatives per project

For: Business, Individual

The International Travel Fund supports NSW screen practitioners for travel related to significant international festivals, markets, awards, industry trade missions and financing projects.

Status: Open | Closing 30 June 2026

NSW Digital Games Rebate 2025

From $35,000 based on 10% of eligible Qualifying NSW Expenditure with a minimum spend of AU$350,000

For: Business

The NSW Government is offering a 10 per cent rebate for eligible digital games production. Games must have a Qualifying NSW Expenditure of at least AU$350,000 to be eligible.

Status: Open | Closing 30 June 2026

July 2026

FRRR - ANZ Seeds of Renewal

ANZ Seeds of Renewal is a small grants program designed to help build vibrant and sustainable rural communities, to ensure the ongoing prosperity of regional Australia.

The program demonstrates ANZ’s ongoing commitment to shape a world where people and communities thrive. It is built on two key tenets:

  • Vibrant communities are diverse and inclusive with strong social capital, where everyone can participate and build a better life; and

  • Sustainable communities innovate, expand, and create opportunities that will deliver demonstrable medium to long-term economic benefit to the community, contributing to economic sustainability.

    Opens July 2026

ONGOING

Community Benefit Payments

Funding amounts vary

For: Not-for-profit

Community Benefit Payments fund not-for-profits and registered charities to support the local community when a local venue is approved by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to operate more gaming machines.

Status: Ongoing