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 under 15,000).
FRRR’s Small & Vital program supports thriving, resilient, and sustainable remote, rural and regional communities across Australia. In particular, priority will be given to projects that:
- Support communities to implement generational transition;
- Invest in outback, remote, and less resourced communities;
- Build capacity and resourcing for a just and equitable energy transition;
- Support First Nations-led initiatives that strengthen culture, country, economic participation, and reconciliation.
What can be funded
A broad range of charitable projects are considered under this program, including:
- Delivering, or providing activities, events, programs and services;
- Purchasing or hiring equipment and materials;
- Community infrastructure projects;
- Organisational capacity building; and
- Community resource development.
For the SRC Small & Vital stream, additional specific funding is available for:
- Projects to strengthen 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;
- Projects that help alleviate poverty and/or disadvantage, or build inclusion and equality;
- Indigenous Australians or health and wellbeing projects that support disadvantaged women and children nationally;
- Projects that improve physical health and local food security and sustainable local food systems nationally;
- Environmental sustainability initiatives in grain-growing LGAs in WA, VIC, NSW and SA;
- Projects benefitting older people in Victoria and Queensland;
- Community-led projects addressing health, education, housing and employment challenges in Victoria;
- Projects that support mental health, education and disadvantage in NSW;
- Projects to support education of children and young people in the Mitchell Shire, VIC;
- Social welfare and conservation projects in the Goulburn / Tarlo community in NSW;
- Projects to support ageing in Gilgandra and Warren in NSW;
- Projects in the Wiluna and Leonora shires in WA.
Apply for Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital — Round 25
NOTE: There are two streams of funding available within the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program: Small and Vital (this stream), and Prepare and Recover. Organisations may submit their application in one of these streams per SRC grant round, and any other applications in this round will be considered ineligible.
Be sure to look at the Past Recipient announcements to see the types of projects that have been successful in obtaining funding under previous rounds. Also make sure you read the full grant guidelines AND watch the “Grantseeker Workshop” and “The Know and The How series” recordings BEFORE commencing your application.
Round 25 of Strengthening Rural Communities — Small & Vital closes 5pm AEDT, September 17, 2025
Funding outcomes will be announced in November 2025.
apply for strengthening rural communities — small & vital — round 25 »