Small and Vital
Round 18 Program Guidelines.
Program Information
The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Small and Vital stream (S&V) gives small remote, rural
and regional communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds for a broad range of
initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.
Grants up to $10,000 are available for a broad range of grassroots, community-led initiatives that
directly and clearly benefit local communities that strengthen local people, places, and climate
solutions with a preference for smaller communities (populations under 15,000).
Projects funded must align with one or more of the following charitable outcomes:
Bringing people and community organisations together to foster stronger, more resilient
communities;
• Fostering and celebrating a sense of identity, diversity and cultural connection within the
community;
• Supporting diverse groups within remote, rural and regional communities including, but not
limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, those
living with disability, and LGBTIQA+;
• Improving community health and social wellbeing;
• Enabling people to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to lead and contribute to the
prosperity and renewal of their community;
• Building a sustainable volunteer base and/or supporting the wellbeing of volunteers;
• Celebrating and resourcing volunteer-led efforts;
• Increasing access and inclusion for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including remote
communities;
• Enhancing places where communities gather;
Promoting connection to place and enabling initiatives that champion a community's social,
cultural or economic aspirations;
• Reducing the divide on access to digital technology and connectivity for remote, rural and
regional communities;
• Enabling locally-led responses within remote, rural and regional communities endeavouring
to reduce the impacts of the changing climate within their community.
FRRR accepts applications via its online application portal, Grants Gateway.
We recommend you download this printable copy of
the application form.
To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
• Applicant organisations must be a not-for-profit organisation with either an Incorporation
Certificate and/or an ABN. If you are unsure if your organisation is a registered not-for-profit
(e.g. if you are a Co-operative, Other Unincorporated Entity, Public Company or Trust), please
contact FRRR;
• Project must be for charitable purposes and offer clear public benefit;
• Not-for-profit organisations with or without DGR-1 endorsement are eligible; and
• Projects must benefit communities in remote, rural or regional Australia.
Please note, you will be considered ineligible if:
• More than one application is submitted per grant round in the Strengthening Rural
Communities program; either Small & Vital, Rebuilding Regional Communities or Prepare
and Recover;
• Application is submitted by individuals, sole traders, private or commercial businesses (as per
the submitted ABN);
• Application is submitted by an organisation that is not a legal entity (i.e. a registered not-forprofit), without the written consent of the governing / partnering body who holds the ABN /
Incorporation Certificate;
• Application is submitted without required financial documentation (see below);
• Final report/s from any FRRR grants awarded in the previous seven years have not been
acquitted (delivery organisations should check with legal organisation to see if there are any
outstanding final reports);
• Application is for a project or activity that has already occurred / is occurring prior to the
announcement of funding;
• Application is incomplete. NOTE: Due to the volume of applications received, applications are
assessed based on the documentation received at the time of application. FRRR is unlikely to
follow up missing documentation after applications have been submitted.
