Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program

Supports community-led efforts that embrace new technology and improve digital literacy or digital capability.

Telstra’s Connected Communities Grant Program will boost support for communities across remote, rural and regional Australia to enhance liveability with digital solutions that harness the power of connection.

Grants up to $10,000 are available for not-for-profit community organisations that are providing access to information, technology, education and facilities to support their communities to embrace new technologies and ways of working to build social capital and digital capability.

For Telstra’s Connecting Communities program, projects should be community led to support enhancing social connection, equitable access to technology, increased cyber security, sustainable environmental practices or support disaster preparedness. This can be with new or existing projects, where funds will help to scale their impact, and may include initiatives that can build digital capability by providing access to equipment, information and education and/or enable constructive social networks.

The program will support a wide range of charitable projects that are aligned to the program purpose and embrace technology to provide digital solutions including:
- Equipment or training to build digital and connectivity literacy for broad community benefit
- Enabling digital equity by providing access to digital equipment for students in need
- Building community organisations operational capacity with new technology and digital solutions
- Programs that increase communities’ digital literacy for better social and economic outcomes
- Programs supporting remote, rural and regional communities’ adaptation to extreme weather events and changing climate conditions using digital tools to increase access and reach;
- Programs to help communities recycle their e-waste
- Delivery of cyber safety / online awareness workshops to vulnerable cohorts (e.g. seniors, students, First Nations people and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities);
- Cyber security support for community groups to implement or upgrade electronic information security
- Upgrading emergency meeting places to support connectivity in and out of times of disaster
- Providing essential digital equipment for emergency preparedness.

To apply, you must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation Certificate and/or an ABN, and your project must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.

Supports community-led efforts that embrace new technology and improve digital literacy or digital capability.

• The program seeks to foster:
• - Liveable communities that have digital capability, and help to equip individuals with the skills to live, learn and work in a digital society
• - Sustainable communities that are diverse and inclusive, planning for the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of their people and the planet
• - Resilient communities that are well prepared and socially connected when disaster strikes with the ability to renew and recover together.
• This program supports community organisations wishing to improve their digital capability, for example:
• - Take your meetings, documents and communication online
• - Attract new and younger members, and support your older members with training and access to technology to support their participation
• - Streamline your volunteer management by digitising records, automating volunteer management functions, creating online rostering etc
• - Purchase new hardware and software, as well as offer training
• - Improve digital connectivity.