Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: From $1,000 to $20,000
- Application opened: 10 November 2025
- Application closes: 31 March 2026, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The AANSW Cultural Grants Program:
- Supports Aboriginal communities to strengthen, protect and maintain traditional and contemporary expressions of Aboriginal culture
- Supports Aboriginal cultural events and activities
- Contributes to Aboriginal community wellbeing and healing through Aboriginal culture and community connection
- Supports sharing of Aboriginal cultural knowledge and skills between generations.
Please see the Quick Reference Guide, Program Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This program is administered by Aboriginal Affairs.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be one of the following:
- A not-for-profit organisation, and one of the following:
- An Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO)
- An Aboriginal not-for-profit organisation
- An unincorporated Aboriginal community group with an eligible Auspice
- An Aboriginal Sole Trader or Business whose primary business activity relates to cultural expression or revitalisation
Applicants or their Auspice must also:
- Be a legal entity located in NSW or in a bordering community that delivers services to Aboriginal communities in NSW
- Propose a project to be delivered in NSW
- Have public liability of at least $10 million per claim (or be willing to purchase as part of the application to support the project)
- Have no outstanding requirements relating to previous funding from AANSW
*More detail about eligible applicants and auspicing arrangements can be found in the Cultural Grants Program Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who the grant is targeted towards
Aboriginal community organisations and groups across NSW.
Types of projects funded under this grant
The following are a few examples of the types of projects that may be considered for funding:
- Women’s or Men’s gathering on Country
- Cultural health and wellbeing camps
- Create and digitise Aboriginal history of the local community
- State-wide or regional music and/or cultural festival
- Workshops
To be eligible, projects must also:
- Take place within NSW
- Meet the objectives of the Cultural Grants program
When the project can start and end
The project should be started by 23 January 2026 and the project must be completed by 31 December 2026.
Outcomes for projects funded under this grant
- Increased local cultural engagement and strengthened cultural identity and pride
- Improved knowledge and awareness of cultural heritage
- Sustained use of cultural knowledge and practices
- Improvement in community wellbeing and resilience
- Enhanced capacity of community organisations to manage grant funding and events
What costs you can apply for
Funding can be used for:
- Consumables – such as catering, equipment and materials for activities (excluding alcohol) – for the purposes of the project or event
- Hiring equipment to be used for the period of the project or event
- Engaging contractors such as facilitators, trainers and teachers
- Eligible costs associated with holding state-wide and/or regional Aboriginal sporting and cultural events
- Purchasing minor equipment for event activities up to the value of $5,000 (please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for guidance on minor equipment)
- Administering the project, with up to 10% of the requested AANSW funding amount being able to be used for this task or as auspice fees where there is an auspicing arrangement
- Eligible sole trader/business applicants may include up to 10 percent of the requested AANSW funding amount to cover remuneration costs. Refer to the FAQs for more information.
- Purchasing merchandise such hats, t-shirts, trophies, medals etc up to 10% of the requested funding amount.
Who can’t apply
You are not eligible to apply if you are:
- An individual (unless you are an Aboriginal sole trader whose primary business activity relates to cultural expression or revitalisation)
- Non-Aboriginal groups or organisations (except for eligible auspice organisations auspicing an unincorporated Aboriginal community group)
- Incorporated not-for-profit organisations not controlled or operated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Federal and State Government agencies and bodies, including NSW public schools and hospitals
- Unincorporated organisations or groups without an eligible auspicing organisation
- Organisations that have not met project requirements, including acquitting and reporting for any grant funding received from Aboriginal Affairs NSW (AANSW) in the previous two years.
- Organisations with redress sanctions as described in the National Redress Scheme.
What costs you can't apply for
Funding cannot be used for:
- Costs for sports teams or cultural groups to attend competitions or events (e.g. entry fees to sport and dance competitions)
- Capital costs – any type of building, construction, major equipment, or capital works including renovations to a building, housing related costs or the purchase of land
- Purchase of vehicles
- Wages and salaries and on-costs for ongoing staff
- Wages, salaries and remuneration for sole traders or consultants
- Sitting fees, travel allowance or costs associated with membership of boards/councils
- Activities that may create an ongoing dependency on cultural grant funding, such as funding that is required over multiple years
- Costs that are not directly associated with the delivery of the project
- Activities related to NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout or NAIDOC week events, which have a separate funding program
- Retrospective funding for activities and events that have already been held
- International travel costs (proposals for domestic travel costs need to demonstrate the benefits of travel to the project, organisation, and community)
- Operational and business as usual costs.
- any Gift vouchers or petrol vouchers etc.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
Cultural Grants Grant funding cannot be used for:
- NAIDOC week events and activities which have their own funding round
- NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout
- Costs of teams or groups to attend/participate in competitions (e.g. entry fees to a competition/event, sponsorships etc.)
Additional eligibility requirements
For projects needing to be delivered between:
- 23 January - 2 March 2026, please apply by 23 November 2025
- 2 March - 6 April 2026, please apply by 11 January 2026
- 6 April - 1 June 2026, please apply by 15 February 2026
- 1 June - 31 December 2026, please apply by 31 March 2026
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Before submitting your application please check the following:
- Have you read the Program guidelines?
- Are you an eligible organisation?
- Are your project and activities eligible for funding?
- Does your project meet the objectives of the Program?
- Will your project be complete in the required timeframe?
The below documents must be supplied with your application:
- Evidence to confirm your eligibility as a not-for-profit Aboriginal Organisation or Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation
- Copy of Public Liability Insurance
The below documents are recommended to be supplied with your application:
- Evidence of costs to support your budget
- Evidence of local Aboriginal community support
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
- Alignment with Cultural Grants Program Objectives
- The proposed application is clearly aligned with the objectives of the Cultural Grant Program
- Community Impact
- The benefit of the project to Aboriginal people and communities in NSW, including community engagement and positive contributions to the cultural health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples
- Organisation's capacity to deliver the project
- The ability of the organisation to deliver the project objectives based on experience and resources, community supports such as partnerships with other organisations and participation in other community projects
- Value for Money
- How the implementation of the project/event/activity will achieve high quality outcomes for Aboriginal communities in NSW in a cost-effective way
Start the application
Applications must be submitted online via Smarty Grants
Applicants are advised to read Program related documentation before submitting their application:
Applicants are encouraged to contact their nearest AANSW Regional Office to discuss their project.
You may also like to watch our Program information session, available here
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: AANSW Deputy Secretary
- All applications will be screened for eligibility by AANSW staff.
- Eligible applications will be further reviewed by regional teams and assessed by AANSW Staff Assessors and Grant Assessment Panel (GAP) against the assessment criteria.
- Applicants meeting all minimum assessment criteria will be recommended for funding.
- The Deputy Secretary is the final decision maker who will consider the recommendations of the GAP.
Please note:
- AANSW may request additional information and/or clarification from applicants at any time during the assessment process.
- Some applicants may be offered partial funding where budget includes ineligible items.
- Independent probity advisors will provide guidance on issues concerning integrity, fairness, and accountability that may arise throughout grant administration processes.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is a minimum 8 weeks from application submission
Support and contact
Your local Aboriginal Affairs NSW Regional Team is here to help. If you’ve got an idea but aren’t sure where to start, have a yarn with your regional team — you can find their contact details below.
You can also email the Community Investments team at grants@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au
Regional/Office
Binaal Billa - Dubbo
02 8575 1518
Greater Northern - Coffs Harbour
02 9566 8318
Greater Sydney – Mascot
02 8229 2389
Hunter Central Coast – Newcastle
02 9228 3402
Illawarra Southern – Batemans Bay
02 9228 5575
Murdi Paaki – Broken Hill
02 8228 3345
New England North-West – Tamworth
02 8575 1172
*While AANSW regional staff will be pleased to answer questions about the application process, they cannot comment on the content of the application
