Deadline Date: June 30, 2026
The Community Development Fund is currently accepting applications to support communities in bringing their Local Development Strategy plans to life.
The fund aims to maintain the momentum for the economic transition built through the Local Development Strategy program and to continue the development of new industries and opportunities.
The fund operates through two funding streams. Funding Stream 1 provides support for project management and to upskill community members to build business expertise and community capability. Funding Stream 2 provides funding to progress opportunities for diversification identified through the Local Development Strategy program.
Under Funding Stream 1, each town or community may apply for up to $500,000 to fund project management support including coordinating the implementation and delivery of Innovation Working Groups, implementing enabling activities identified in the Local Development Strategy, providing administration support to each Innovation Working Group and the Leadership Group, convening community meetings supporting the Local Development Strategy, and leading and delivering a communications strategy for the program.
Funding Stream 2 offers each of the 11 towns or communities access to up to $2 million in funding. This comprises up to $500,000 of guaranteed funding, provided the applications meet departmental requirements, eligibility, and assessment criteria, and up to $1.5 million of competitive funding awarded on merit once the guaranteed funding is exhausted. Competitive funding is granted following assessment against a set of criteria.
Applications for both funding streams are open to incorporated community organisations, local government authorities, business and industry clusters or networks, non-profit organisations, chambers of commerce, business associations, and education and research organisations. For Funding Stream 2, private sector businesses may also apply. Additionally, applications under Stream 2 for infrastructure projects that create investment and jobs may be considered from utility and service providers, water corporations, local government authorities, and incorporated not-for-profit organisations that operate as a business.
For more information, visit Business.gov.au.
