Expressions of Interest for the 2025-26 Volunteer Grants are now open!

Volunteer Grants recognise the vital contribution volunteers make in building resilient, connected, and inclusive communities. Grants of between $1000 and $5000 are available to help community organisations better support their volunteers.

There are three funding categories:

Category 1
Purchase communications and IT items (such as laptops, phones, payment devices and software) or insurance items that will benefit volunteers across the organisation.

Category 2 (A)
Purchase items for the main purpose of supporting a community organisation’s volunteers from the following cohorts:

• adults whose volunteering activities support children’s development and wellbeing
• children as a means of supporting their development
• First Nations People
• newly arrived migrants (within the last 5 years) who are not citizens
• people with disability
• unemployed people who are volunteering to increase their capacity to engage in employment
• veterans and Australian Defence Force members
• women experiencing or at risk of experiencing gender-based violence or isolation to assist them to overcome that gender-based violence or isolation

Category 2 (B)
Fund volunteer-run activities within the community organisation for the main purpose of supporting:

• children as a means of supporting their development
• First Nations People
• newly arrived migrants (within the last 5 years) who are not citizens
• people with a disability
• unemployed people who are volunteering to increase their capacity to engage in employment
• veterans and Australian Defence Force members
• women experiencing, or at risk of, gender-based violence or isolation
• women experiencing gender-based discrimination or disadvantage
• initiatives that eliminate racial discrimination and promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among racial or ethnic groups   

Further information about eligibility and permitted uses of funding is available in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines. 

If you are interested in applying, please complete the 2025-26 Volunteer Grants Expression of Interest Form and return it to my office at [email protected] by Friday, 3 April 2026.

Applicants with successful EOIs will be invited to submit a formal application to the Department of Social Services in May 2026.

If you require assistance, please contact me or my team on (02) 6247 8475 or via email at [email protected].