The 2021 Australia Post Community Grants Program provides grants of up to $10,000 to eligible community-led, local projects that connect individuals and communities to improve mental health and wellbeing.
What can be funded
Funds must be spent on activities with the primary purpose of directly improving connection and mental wellbeing of individuals within a community.
Items and activities that may be funded include:
- Communications, including website setup, online forums, newsletters and advertising
- Equipment, supplies or materials, including electronic equipment (e.g. tools, computers and tablets)
- Project evaluation
- Outreach and referral support
- Program coordination and facilitation
- Refreshments (excluding alcohol)
- Skills development, training and workshops
- Travel costs for participants
- Venue hire, including furniture hire/purchase
A reasonable amount of project related administrative costs relative to the project, may also be incorporated within the grant amount.
Whilst Australia Post recognise the valuable role that sport can play in creating positive mental health outcomes, applications relating to sporting activities will only be considered where the project intentionally drives improved mental health and wellbeing that extends beyond regular programming.
Projects will need to commence after 1 October 2021 and be completed no later than 30 September 2022.
Eligibility
Organisations will be eligible to apply only if they meet ALL the requirements below.
- Are an incorporated not-for-profit organisation
Collaborations and partnerships among different types of organisations are encouraged with the incorporated not-for-profit organisation as the lead partner. However, Australia Post do not accept auspice arrangements. - Have an ABN (reflecting the organisation’s incorporated not-for-profit status)
Organisation details must be correct and up-to-date on the Australian Business Register on the date the application was submitted. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure its details are correct and up-to-date when the application is submitted. Organisations will be deemed ineligible if their ABN status on the Australian Business Register does not demonstrate incorporated not-for-profit status on the date the application was submitted. - Have an Australian bank account (corresponding to the ABN)
- Are located and provide services within Australia
The 2021 Australia Post Community Grants program aims to support community-led, local projects that connect individuals and communities to improve mental health and wellbeing.
While Australia Post recognise that everyone has a role to play in maintaining mental health and wellbeing, they are specifically looking for projects that meet ALL of the following criteria:
- The primary purpose of the project is to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes of a community.
- The project will help people meaningfully connect in their local community.
- The project is locally led and locally delivered, and benefits a community.
Australia Post strive for geographic distribution of grant recipients among metro and regional communities and also look to support projects assisting particularly vulnerable groups, which may include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQA+ community, the elderly, at‐risk youth, people with a disability, or individuals who have experienced domestic violence.
Writing a strong application
To be as strong as possible applications must clearly demonstrate all of the following:
- Need:
What community need is the project addressing? Have community needs and perspectives been considered throughout the project design? - Local relevance:
How is the project locally-led or locally embedded? How will the project build on local knowledge or make use of local resources? - Effectiveness of approach:
What is it about the project’s approach that makes it likely to improve connection and mental health and wellbeing of individuals? Does the project design match the idea? E.g. is it targeted, thoughtful and well structured? - Capacity to deliver:
How can the project be achieved within the set time frame, and using the funding requested?
As part of the application, applicants will be asked for evidence (such as statistics, council plans, research, news articles) that demonstrates the issue the project addresses will resonate with the community. E.g. if the project involves excluded or vulnerable groups, applicants will be asked to demonstrate how members of that group have been consulted in project planning.
Be sure to look at Past Recipients of the Australia Post Community Grants for projects that . Some of the successfully funded projects from 2020 grant round are highlighted within the 2021 Guidelines Document. There a couple of videos on the main information page we strongly suggest you watch and you can also check out the complete list of the 79 organisations that received funding in 2020.
And don’t forgot to read the FAQs!
NOTE: You DO NOT have provide quotes for proposed expenditure — however, you will be asked for evidence (such as statistics, council plans, research, news articles) that demonstrates the issue the project addresses will resonate with the community AND you MUST HAVE A BUDGET that includes an income and expenditure summary! See the FAQs for more details and if you still have more questions about the difference between “Quotes” and a “Budget” please ask at the Webinar listed below.
Free Webinar
This FREE webinar by iClick2Learn, will take you through the guidelines and some of the application questions of the current Australia Post Community Grant Round. They’ll help you understand what you’ll need to do to write a stronger submission that’s more likely to win a grant in this program.
Do you want to ask a specific question about the guidelines or how you can maximise your chances of winning one of these grants? Bring all your questions along to this free webinar and let iClick2Learn’s grants expert Natalie answer them for you.
Attending this webinar before hitting the submit button on your application will help you learn, and avoid common pitfalls many people make on their grant applications.
You will leave this webinar with general knowledge about how to improve your grant writing and skills and specific information on how to maximise your chances of winning an Australia Post Community Grant.
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 @ 12:00pm–1:00pm
register for How to win an Australia Post Community Grant webinar »
Apply Now
Applications closes July 4, 2021 and announcements will be made in September 2021.
Australia Post suggests that you allow at least an hour to register and answer the questions online. You’ll most likely need to allow further time for research, planning and engaging with other partners before you start applying.
apply now for an australia post community grant »