Indigenous Grants

Looking for Indigenous grants? You've come to the right place.

Australia is home to one of the oldest living cultures on earth, and funding exists to support the strength, leadership and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the country. Whether you're a First Nations researcher, musician, community organisation, young person driving social change, or a native title holding corporation seeking to build economic capacity, there are grants designed to support your work.

Below are current grant opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and projects. These represent just a small selection of the 700+ Indigenous grants currently available through The Grants Hub's Grants Directory.

Current Indigenous Grant Opportunities

Annamila First Nations Foundation Grants

Provider: Annamila First Nations Foundation
Amount: $5,000 - $30,000
Applications close: Always open (assessed in February, June and October)
Location: National

Supports First Nations led initiatives across three program streams: Country and Culture, Healing and Wellbeing, and Truth and Justice.

Program streams:

• Country and Culture: Projects focused on cultural knowledge transfer, caring for Country, and development of First Peoples art forms
• Healing and Wellbeing: Initiatives supporting First Peoples personal and/or collective healing, with priority for social and emotional wellbeing for young people
• Truth and Justice: Projects addressing nationally significant matters including incarceration, youth justice, and First Nations led dialogue on truth and justice

Priority preference is given to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander led organisations and projects. Multi-year allocations are not currently being considered.

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LIFECYCLE: Touring Grants

Provider: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO) & Music Australia
Amount: $20,000
Applications close: 3 May 2026
Location: National

Supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators to tour a new project, build audiences and deliver a series of live performances across Australia.

Eligibility highlights:

• Must identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and be accepted as such by the community
• Open to songwriters, producers, solo artists, bands, ensembles, electronic artists and composers
• Australian residents aged 18+ with an active ABN
• A tour is defined as a minimum of 5 ticketed, festival or free performances
• Project activity must take place between 13 July 2026 and 30 June 2027
• Applicants must request the full grant amount of $20,000

No co-contribution required. Music creators can also apply for the separate LIFECYCLE Marketing and Recording grant streams.

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Seeding Strengths Grants – Rapid Response

Provider: Foundation For Young Australians
Amount: $2,000 - $10,000
Applications close: Always open
Location: National

Provides rapid response grants to First Nations young people (aged 16–35 years) for urgent campaigns, movements or initiatives responding to systemic oppression and injustice.

Eligibility:

• An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person aged 16–35 (priority given to those under 25)
• Or an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisation, movement or collective
• Applications can be submitted on behalf of someone else
• Must demonstrate urgency — funding is needed to address a crisis or critical moment in a campaign

The Foundation prioritises:

• Grassroots and not-for-profit campaigns not currently attached to an organisation
• Projects led by people with lived experience of disability, LGBTQI+ identity, the justice system, state care, mental health systems, climate impacts or housing instability

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Indigenous Advancement Strategy – PBC Capacity Building Funding

Provider: National Indigenous Australians Agency
Amount: $50,000 - $750,000
Applications close: 30 June 2026
Location: National

Assists Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs), also known as Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate (RNTBCs), to generate economic benefits through the effective and sustainable management of their land.

Funding can be used for:

• Increasing PBC capacity to take advantage of economic opportunities, including through regionalisation
• Building long-term organisational capacity through training and professional expertise (e.g. business, accountancy or legal services)
• Supporting effective native title agreement-making
• Amending PBC rulebooks to align with changes to native title laws

Open to all PBCs and third parties working with the PBC sector across Australia.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Development Fund (ATSIDF)

Provider: National Council of Churches in Australia
Amount: Up to $5,000
Applications close: 3 August 2026 & | 12 October 2026
Location: National

Provides small, usually one-off grants to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with community development projects across five priority categories.

Focus areas:

• Development of skills and leadership within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Education programs, including initiatives that help the wider community understand Indigenous issues
• Community development projects addressing identified needs
• Programs to foster and develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
• Reconciliation activities that promote listening and strengthen partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

Open to non-government organisations, education and health bodies, and community groups.

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Discovery Indigenous

Provider: Australian Research Council
Amount: $30,000 - $2,500,000
Applications close: 25 August 2026
Location: National

Provides grant funding to support research projects led by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers, across all disciplines excluding clinical and medical research.

Key requirements:

• The first-named Chief Investigator must be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researcher who will serve as Project Leader
• Application must be submitted through the Research Office of an eligible organisation listed in the Grant Guidelines
• Must nominate at least one Chief Investigator (CI) or Discovery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Award (DAATSIA) candidate
• Supports pure basic, strategic basic and applied research, and research training
• Open to non-government, education, and health organisations

Intended outcomes include an expanded knowledge base, research capacity, and economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia.

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Additional Grant Opportunities

Alternative Fellowships – Winston Churchill Trust

Offers four flexible fellowship formats for outstanding applicants who cannot undertake standard overseas travel, including Joint Fellowships specifically supporting First Nations-focused projects.
Applications close: 30 April 2026

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Grant Writing Tips for Success

1. Demonstrate Self-Determination and Community Leadership

Funders increasingly prioritise initiatives that are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander led, owned and controlled. Clearly articulate how your project is designed and delivered by community, for community — not just on their behalf. This is often the most important factor in a successful application.

2. Acknowledge Country and Cultural Context

Show that your project is grounded in a deep understanding of the communities and Country it serves. Reference the specific nations, language groups or regions involved where appropriate, and demonstrate respect for cultural protocols in how your project is planned and delivered.

3. Highlight Intergenerational and Cultural Outcomes

Many Indigenous grant programs prioritise cultural continuity, knowledge transfer and youth engagement. Where relevant, show how your project connects Elders and young people, preserves language or cultural practice, or builds capacity within communities for future generations.

4. Show Lived Experience in Project Design

Funders want to see that the people most affected by the issue have shaped the solution. If your project addresses justice, health, education or social change, explain how people with lived experience have been involved in design, governance or delivery.

5. Present Realistic and Detailed Budgets

Ensure your budget reflects the true cost of delivering your project with integrity, including appropriate remuneration for Indigenous knowledge holders, consultants and community members. Don't undersell your work — funders appreciate costings that demonstrate professional planning.

6. Plan for Sustainability and Ongoing Impact

Wherever possible, explain how your initiative will continue beyond the grant period and what lasting change it will create. Whether through ongoing funding, partnerships, or capacity built within community, funders want to see that their investment will have a lasting legacy.

Finding More Opportunities

Remember that many broader community, social justice, arts, research and capacity building grants also welcome First Nations led applications, even when not exclusively targeted to Indigenous communities. Our Grants Directory contains hundreds of additional opportunities that may be relevant to your work.

When searching for grants, consider looking beyond Indigenous-specific funding to include:

• Community development and social justice grants
• Arts, culture and music funding
• Research and education grants
• Youth leadership and empowerment programs
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Economic development and land management funding
• Regional and remote community programs

Ready to Get Started?

Visit The Grants Hub today to access our complete Grants Directory and take your First Nations initiatives to the next level. Our directory is updated daily with new opportunities, and you can filter by location, sector, funding amount, and application deadlines to find the perfect match for your project.

Whether you're supporting cultural preservation, driving social change, building organisational capacity, advancing Indigenous-led research, or amplifying First Nations voices in the arts, there are funding options available to support your goals. The key is knowing where to look and how to present your case effectively.