Grants and Funding Programs

There are several opportunities throughout the year to apply for grants or scholarships and we encourage you to check our website regularly or subscribe to our monthly sector newsletter.

Grants administered by Volunteering WA


2025 National Volunteer Week Grants, supported by Lotterywest

Status: Applications closed 5:00pm Wednesday 12 February 2025

Volunteering WA, with generous support from Lotterywest, is offering volunteer involving organisations across Western Australia the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to $1,500 to organise an event or activity which recognises and thanks volunteers during National Volunteer Week (Monday 19 - Sunday 25 May 2025).

Learn more


Strong and Resilient Communities Activity (SARC) Grants

Status: Applications closed

The Australian Government Department Social Services announced funding for volunteer involving organisations through its ‘Strong and Resilient Communities Activity (SARC) - Community Support - Small Grants for Volunteer Involving Organisations’ program.

Small volunteer involving organisations will be able to apply for grants ($10,000 - $20,000) for one-off, time limited projects that build volunteer management capability, and help the organisation to support the social and economic participation of vulnerable and disadvantaged people.


    Volunteer Management Activity - Project Based Grants 2022 - 2026

    Status: 2024 Recipients Announced

    Supported through Volunteering WA's Volunteer Management Activity and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, the focus of the volunteer management grants program is to develop services that build the capacity of volunteer involving organisations to break down barriers to volunteering of these priority groups: First Nation People; People with Disability; Newly Arrived Migrants; Vulnerable Women; Youth; and the unemployed.

    See successful funding recipients:


    Volunteering WA Research Grant Program

    Status: 2023-34 Round now closed

    Volunteering WA, with the support of the Volunteering WA Research Committee, has established an annual volunteering grant program for Western Australian researchers.    

    Research proposals are now open for any matter that contributes to our understanding of volunteering and how to advance the sector in Western Australia.  


    Thank a Volunteer Day Grants

    Status: 2024 Round  now closed

    WA Government Thank a Volunteer Day Grant application are typically open from June - July

    The Department of Communities provides funding to support community events and activities throughout Western Australia on Thank a Volunteer Day each year. Organisations can apply for up to $1,000 to host volunteer recognition events or associated activities to celebrate International Volunteer Day on 5 December. See the Department of Communities website for details.


    Sector Grants

    Grant directories 

    Local support

    • Local Councils – generally small grants that are easy to apply for.
    • Government departments
    • Peak Body organisations
    • Regional Volunteer Resource Centres
    • Large corporations

    Successful recipients

    We’d love for you to share the good news about how your organisation is making a difference to the Western Australian community. Not only does this help support the volunteering sector in WA, but it also helps to raise your profile as a volunteer involving organisation.

    As a successful grant recipient, we encourage you to spread the word with your community, with the media, on social media, and to use the Volunteering WA logos.

    Volunteering WA Grant Writing Workshops

    Do you need help writing a winning grant?

    Enquire about our popular two hour Grant Writing Workshop or see our upcoming workshop dates.

    Please note that we also promote other grants through our newsletters and social media.