Community grants

 

 

Meet our 2023 Community Grants recipients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We run a community grant round once a year and offer grants of up to $10,000 for projects bringing social, road safety and environmental benefits to communities in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane near Transurban's roads.

Grants are open to a wide range of organisations and initiatives and we encourage inclusion, diversity of thought and innovation.

2024 grant applications will open later this year

2023 Transurban Community Grants Recipients

  • NSW

    First Nations Grant:

    • Gunawirra: Funding will provide suitable shelter to cover the group’s backyard space, enabling important cultural community events to proceed in all weather, and ensuring everyone ­ (visitors, clients and personnel) have a dry, comfortable space available for all centre activities.

    People’s Choice Award:

    • Giant Steps Australia: The Road Safety Program aims to educate autistic children and adults aged 3-35 on road safety, particularly focusing on safety while walking.

    Grant winners:

    • Bankstown Canterbury Community Transport: The grant will assist Bankstown Canterbury Community Transport with the cost of installing a wheelchair/mobility hoist in a new HiAce van. The vehicle modification will increase the number of trips provided to clients who rely on the group’s affordable, accessible services.
    • Northside Enterprise Incorporated: Bushlink will employ people with a disability to undertake environmental regeneration work in suburbs along the Hills M2 motorway, restoring the natural beauty and ecological health of these areas by removing litter and invasive weeds, and planting native flora to enhance the vitality of these landscapes for local communities.
    • Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW LtdThis group will deliver subsidised driver education, in partnership with Transurban, via its online Traffic Offenders Intervention Program for 100 economically disadvantaged people in southwest Sydney.‍
    • South West Community Transport Ltd: The Volunteer Driver and Recruitment Training program supports new and existing volunteer drivers of South West Community Transport. We aim to provide approximately 15-20 volunteer drivers with the essential training, education and document checks
    • Stepping Stone House: The Drive to Freedom Program makes it possible for young people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness to obtain their learner and provisional licences and achieve sustainable independence. 
    • Zen Tea Lounge Foundation: This group’s Road Safety workshop is designed to empower individuals with disabilities to navigate road crossings safely, fostering independence and ensuring their well-being on the streets.
  • Queensland

    First Nations Grant:

    • One Civil Ground Aboriginal Corporation: Their initiative, Prevention Before Punishment, provides support, training and education to Aboriginal men and youths to reduce the number of crimes in SEQ communities by breaking the cycle of re-offending.
    • Sharing Stories: Their project, Reducing Inequalities in Yuggera Education, aims to embed authentic First Nations Perspectives across all curriculum learning areas by working with the Yuggera community in Ipswich to develop cultural short films, teacher resources and cultural protocols to be housed within Jajoo Warrngara – the group’s national online Culture Classroom.

    People’s Choice Award:

    • Rotary Club of Brisbane River City: Their initiative, the Community Table project, will prepare and distribute hot meals and supplies to vulnerable community members in Jeay Street Park in Bowen Hills every Sunday.

    Grant winners:

    • Baby Give Back: Grant funds will support their Buckle Up Little Lives program, providing car seats for vulnerable children and families in need across SEQ.
    • Hope Centre Services: The grant will support the Mimis House, Circuit Breaker and Community Connect programs, providing meals, food relief, counselling and emergency accommodation assistance to ensure no one in the community goes to bed hungry or without the support they deserve.
    • Wilston Grange Kindergarten & Preschool Association: Their initiative, the Beaka Bike Skills Course, will deliver a learn-to-ride program to equip students with the physical skills needed to master bike riding and the confidence and safety awareness necessary for easing into the rewarding journey of riding a bike.
    • Wynnum Manly Community Kindergarten Association: Their project, Building a Zen Den for our Preschoolers, will help establish a tranquil sanctuary designed to foster inclusivity and promote positive mental health among young learners, where preschoolers can fulfil their sensory requirements and find moments of relaxation and serenity.
  • Victoria

    First Nations Grant:

    • Footscray Community Arts Centre Limited: Through intergenerational learning, this nine-month project provides seed-funding and mentorship for emerging Victorian Aboriginal culture-makers. Building on the success of a 2021­­-22 pilot, this program has been expanded to deepen creative and cultural knowledge development for eight program participants and more than 30 First Nations beneficiaries.

    People’s Choice Award: 

    • Oz Harvest Limited: Upskilling OzHarvest food rescue drivers to safely rescue food destined for landfill and deliver it to charities that feed people in need. This includes medium rigid licence and mental health first aid training. The project will also provide equipment (hi-vis vests, updated first aid kits, signage and pallet jacks) to support the safe undertaking of food rescue operations.

    Grant winners:

    • Bridge of Hope Foundation: This project will provide empowering resources to vulnerable young women experiencing disadvantage and exclusion. It will equip women with life skills such as driver education, and will help address social justice issues and break down barriers.
    • Financial Counselling Victoria Limited: This proposed project is to run a community education event in collaboration with a local financial counselling agency in one or more eligible council regions, allowing community members who may be at risk of financial hardship to come in and connect with a local financial counsellor.
    • Vacro: Second Chance Cycles will take discarded bicycles destined for landfill and restore them for community use. Repaired bicycles will be provided free of charge, or at low cost, to City of Yarra residents. 
    • VIC SES Essendon: The grant will support upgrading and expanding the group’s lighting and pumping equipment, including pumps, hoses and lighting. Equipment is used in clearing sites in local communities impacted by floods and other emergencies. 

Grant recipients, eligibility and requirements

New grant recipients

  • First Nations
    As part of our commitment to reconciliation (and our RAP), at least one grant in each eligible state will be awarded to a First Nations organisation or initiative.
  • People’s choice
    All of our community also has the chance to vote for grant recipients, with a People’s Choice grant awarded to one organisation or initiative in each eligible state.

Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status

Your organisation must have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status to be eligible for a grant. Your DGR must be listed with the Australian Tax Office in line with the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Item 1 of the table in Section 30-15).

Check the DGR status of your organisation here: ATO ABN lookup website.

  • Ineligible organisations

    Our community grants program is not open to:  

    • for-profit organisations
    • government departments (except schools) or political groups
    • labour, trade or business organisations
    • social clubs
    • overtly religious groups (except initiatives that support a non-religious purpose)
    • fundraising events such as raffles, telethons, walk-a-thons or auctions
    • chairs, endowments or scholarships sponsored by academic or non-profit institutions
    • special events such as conferences, symposia or sports competitions
    • organisations that support or participate in activities inconsistent with our Diversity Policy
    • cover ongoing administrative costs
    • projects or events that have already occurred.

Eligible local council areas

Your initiative must be located in a local council area with a Transurban road, as listed below.

Victoria

Merri-bek City Council (formerly Moreland)
Moonee Valley City Council
Maribyrnong City Council
Hobsons Bay City Council
City of Port Phillip
City of Melbourne
Yarra City Council
City of Boroondara
City of Stonnington

Queensland

Brisbane City Council
Logan City Council
Ipswich City Council

New South Wales

City of Sydney
Randwick City Council
Bayside Council
Inner West Council
Willoughby City Council
Hornsby Shire Council
The Hills Shire Council
City of Parramatta
City of Ryde
Lane Cove Council
North Sydney Council
Ku-ring-gai Council
City of Canterbury-Bankstown
Georges River Council
Fairfield City Council 
Blacktown City Council 
Penrith City Council 
Woollahra Municipal Council 
Burwood Council 
City of Canada Bay Council 
Strathfield Council 
Cumberland City Council 
Liverpool City Council

More information

Contact us about guidelines, deadlines and anything else here: grants@transurban.com