2026 NAIDOC Local Grants Opportunity

Description:
NAIDOC Local Grants support activities held for NAIDOC Week (5 to 12 July 2026) that celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, achievements and their continuing contribution to our country and Australian society.

Funding is available across 3 funding streams:

1. Educational Institutions (up to $1,500)

2. Small-scale grants (up to $10,000), and

3. Large-scale grants (more than $10,000 and up to $25,000).

NAIDOC Local Grants provide a contribution towards the cost of local and regional NAIDOC Week activities across Australia - it is not expected to cover the full running costs of an event. It is expected that most grants will be awarded for $10,000 or less.

Non-Indigenous organisations are strongly encouraged to work with their local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in planning activities.

All applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the 2026 NAIDOC Local Grants Opportunity - Grant Opportunity Guidelines. Applicants seeking a large-scale grant of more than $10,000 and up to $25,000 will also be assessed against the selection criterion and compared to other applications in the large-scale grants stream.

The NIAA distributes available funding across NIAA Regions, based on geographic location and the number and proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. Funding preference is given to Indigenous Organisations when distributing funding within each NIAA Region (in accordance with the Grant Funding Preference Priorities set out in the 2026 NAIDOC Local Grants Opportunity - Grant Opportunity Guidelines).

NIAA delegates will decide on the number and value of grants awarded in each of the 3 funding streams within NIAA Regions. We expect most grants will be offered to applications in Stream Two – Small Scale Grants. Grant Funding Preference Priorities may also impact on the number of applications funded under Stream One.

Grant Activity Timeframe:
NAIDOC Local Grants funded activities must align with the objectives of the NAIDOC Local Grants Opportunity and should ideally occur during, or as close as possible to, NAIDOC Week (5 to 12 July 2026). Requests to run activities up until 31 October 2026 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests for extension or postponement of your activity may be agreed if there are extenuating circumstances, but not beyond 31 October 2026.

Should you be successful and unforeseen circumstances arise that mean you are unable to complete your activity as proposed in your application, you will need to discuss options with the National Indigenous Australians Agency by contacting [email protected] or your NIAA Regional Office.

NAIDOC Local Grants support activities held for NAIDOC Week (5 to 12 July 2026) that celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, achievements and their continuing contribution to our country and Australian society.

Funding is available across 3 funding streams:

1.       Educational Institutions (up to $1,500)

2.       Small-scale grants (up to $10,000), and

3.       Large-scale grants (more than $10,000 and up to $25,000).

Eligibility:
To be eligible to apply, you must be intending to deliver an activity aligned with the objectives of the grant opportunity, including supporting the Australian Government’s commitment to celebrate, support, and raise awareness of First Nations histories and cultures within the wider community.

If you are a non-Indigenous organisation, you must have support from your local First Nations community or stakeholders for the proposed activity. You are strongly encouraged to provide evidence of this.

If you are applying as a Partnership or Sole Trader you must provide a Letter of Support from the secondary organisation (educational institution or event organiser) where your activity will take place. If a Partnership or Sole Trader is using their own premises, a Letter of Support should come from confirmed attendees. For non-Indigenous Partnerships or Sole Traders, this Letter of Support must come from the local First Nations community or stakeholders.

All applicants must:

have an Australian Business Number (exemptions may apply)
where relevant, be registered for the purposes of GST;
have an account with an Australian financial institution; and
be one of the following entity types:
an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
a company incorporated in Australia under the Corporations Act 2001
an incorporated association
an incorporated cooperative
an organisation established through a specific piece of Commonwealth or state / territory legislation including public benevolent institutions, churches and universities
an Australian local government body
an incorporated Trustee on behalf of a Trust
a Partnership
a Sole Trader
a joint (consortium) application with a lead organisation that satisfies the entity type, or
an educational institution or correctional facility.