Grants for Social Enterprises

Looking for grants for social enterprises?

Social enterprises across Australia are driving real change - blending purpose with business to create positive social, environmental, and community impact.

Whether you're a newly established social enterprise with a big idea, a growing organisation seeking to expand your reach, or a community group using business models to support vulnerable or underserved people, finding the right funding can be a game-changer.

Below are current grant opportunities available to social enterprises and purpose-led organisations across Australia. These represent just a small selection of the grants currently available through The Grants Hub's Grants Directory.

Current Grant Opportunities for Social Enterprises

Big Idea Scholarships

Provider: Global Sisters
Amount: $10,000
Applications close: 30 November 2026
Location: National

Supports women with a well-developed idea for a new purpose-led business or social enterprise who need seed funding to develop, test, or validate it. In 2026, Global Sisters is awarding 10 scholarships — one each month from February to November — as part of their 10th anniversary celebration of backing women's economic empowerment.

What's included:

• An untied $10,000 grant to use however helps bring your idea to life
• A financial strategy session with the Financial Pathways team
• Tailored, hands-on support toward growth, investment, or finance readiness
• Connections to partners, networks, and opportunities across the Global Sisters ecosystem
• Opportunity to showcase your idea to funders and corporate partners at year's end

Eligibility highlights:

• Must identify as a woman living in Australia
• A new or very early-stage idea (no regular sales, customers, or clients yet)
• Clear need for seed funding to test, validate, or develop the idea
• Must be a free member of Global Sisters and have participated in one of their programs
• Experiencing challenges finding employment and exploring business as an alternative

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

SilverChef Community Grants Program

Provider: SilverChef
Amount: $5,000 (75:25 mix of equipment and cash)
Applications close: 30 June 2026
Location: National

Provides grants to eligible community groups who use hospitality or food services to support disadvantaged or under-served members of their local community. Four grants of $5,000 are awarded each quarter, and unsuccessful applications are automatically reconsidered in subsequent funding rounds.

Eligible organisations:

• Registered charities and not-for-profits
• Social enterprises (direct-benefit, cross-subsidy, or donation model)
• Private entities with an ABN where improving Indigenous lives accounts for 50%+ of time/resources

Grant breakdown:

• $3,750 equipment credit: For 'Certified Used' commercial kitchen equipment from SilverChef's website
• $1,250 cash: For freight, installation, or any other purpose the recipient chooses

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Double the Goodness Grant

Provider: The Sponge Impact Fund
Amount: Up to $10,000 (in-kind matched contribution)
Applications close: Rolling — always open until fund is fully allocated
Location: National

Matches your spending on branding or marketing services dollar-for-dollar with an equal in-kind contribution — doubling your investment up to a maximum of $10,000 in services. Designed to support impactful organisations where budgets are constrained, this grant is open to a wide range of applicants including social enterprises and not-for-profits.

Eligible branding and marketing services include:

• Brand purpose, values, and messaging development
• Buyer persona development
• Impact model development
• Impact brand story creation and collateral
• Storytelling and digital marketing implementation

Note: This grant requires a co-contribution. For every dollar you invest in services through The Sponge, they match it in kind — so $5,000 becomes $10,000 in total branding support.

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My Giving Circle Grants

Provider: My Giving Circle
Amount: Unspecified
Applications close: Rolling
Location: National and International

Helps charities and not-for-profit organisations access grants, grow their supporter base, raise their profile, and generate donations. My Giving Circle is a social enterprise distributing $1,500,000 to charities this year through a community-powered voting model. Registration is free for organisations.

What your organisation can access:

• Grants funded through community voting (minimum 2,000 votes required to receive a grant)
• Growth in supporter and donor base through targeted matching
• Increased donations and deeper supporter engagement
• Votes and unused grants carry over to the next round to maximise chances

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

NAB Foundation Community Grants

Provider: NAB Foundation
Amount: Up to $25,000
Next round opens: 17 August 2026
Applications close: 14 September 2026
Location: National

Funds local, community-led projects that help communities withstand and recover from natural disasters. NAB awards $1.2 million in Community Grants each year, with an additional $200,000 available as Impact Grants for projects with significant potential — providing a further $25,000 to recipients to maximise their community impact.

Focus areas:

• Training and planning for natural disaster preparedness
• Community recovery programs to enhance resilience and wellbeing
• Environment and wildlife restoration and rehabilitation
• Equipment and infrastructure improvements for disaster readiness

Eligibility highlights:

• ACNC-registered charities, social enterprises, or organisations with an ABN and charitable purpose
• DGR status is not required
• Priority given to organisations with annual income of $3 million or less
• Priority given to organisations receiving less than 40% of income from government sources

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Commonground Grants Program

Provider: Common Ground
Amount: Unspecified (over $30,000 in total accommodation and venue value per year)
Next round is expected to open 1 July 2026
Location: National

Offers fee reduction grants for accommodation and venue hire at Common Ground's facility in Seymour, Victoria, so that smaller not-for-profit organisations can bring their team together for focused planning sessions, annual meetings, or small conferences. Commonground has been supporting social justice, environmental, disadvantaged, and community groups since 1984.

Available grants:

• One, two, and three-day fee reduction grants
• Over $30,000 worth of accommodation and venue use available annually

Who can apply:

• Non-government organisations, community groups, education and health organisations
• Smaller NFPs working toward social change that cannot afford to bring the team together
• Organisations focused on social justice, environmental, disadvantaged, or community causes

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Grant Writing Tips for Success

1. Articulate Your Social Impact Clearly

Funders supporting social enterprises want to see how your organisation creates measurable social, environmental, or community benefit alongside financial sustainability. Be specific about who benefits, how many people are reached, and what changes as a direct result of your work.

2. Demonstrate Business Viability

Unlike traditional grants for charities, social enterprise funding often requires evidence that your business model is sustainable. Show that your revenue streams support long-term operations, and be clear about how grant funds help you move toward greater financial independence.

3. Highlight the Double Bottom Line

Social enterprises operate at the intersection of purpose and profit. Strengthen your application by clearly demonstrating both your social mission and your commercial approach — show funders how these two elements reinforce each other rather than compete.

4. Present a Realistic and Detailed Budget

Ensure your budget accurately reflects all project costs and clearly shows how grant funds will be used alongside your own co-investment or earned revenue. Funders appreciate transparent costings that demonstrate professional planning and a genuine understanding of what delivery requires.

5. Show Evidence of Community Need and Lived Experience

Many social enterprise grant programs prioritise organisations with deep connections to the communities they serve. Demonstrate that your work is informed by lived experience, genuine community consultation, and a clear understanding of the problem you're solving.

6. Plan for Sustainability Beyond the Grant

Outline how your initiative will continue after the grant period ends. Social enterprise funders are particularly interested in organisations building toward long-term sustainability — whether through earned revenue, further investment, or the scaling of a proven model.

Finding More Opportunities

Remember that many community, innovation, and sector-specific grants also welcome social enterprise applications, even when not explicitly targeted. Our Grants Directory contains hundreds of opportunities that could help fund your work across various sectors and focus areas.

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

• Community development and capacity building grants
• Innovation and entrepreneurship programs
• Indigenous enterprise and economic participation funding
• Women's entrepreneurship and leadership programs
• Technology and digital capability grants
• Environmental and sustainability funding
• Small business and startup support programs
• Sector-specific opportunities (health, food, housing, education)

Ready to Get Started?

Visit The Grants Hub today to access our complete Grants Directory and take your social enterprise 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 organisation.

Whether you're launching a new purpose-led venture, scaling an existing social enterprise, seeking branding support to grow your impact, or building the capacity to better serve your community, there are funding options available to support your goals. The key is knowing where to look and how to present your case effectively.

Need help with your application? Explore our Grant Resources for tips, templates, and guidance on creating compelling applications.