Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) First Nations – Delivery Grant Opportunity — Round 3

  • Applications open until 9 February 2026.
  • Funding up to $3,000,000 per year (ex GST) is available. (Typically $350,000–$1,000,000 per year for single-site delivery over 2–3 years; up to $3,000,000 per year for multi-site delivery.)
  • Activities are expected to run from May 2026 to up to 5 years (grant-agreement dependent).

The SEE First Nations Delivery Grants fund locally tailored, whole‑of‑community English language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) skills training for First Nations people across Australia. The program sits within the redesigned Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program and aims to improve foundation skills so that participants can pursue further training, employment, and broader community goals.

Grants support four phases: establishment, co‑design, delivery, and exit & embed, enabling projects to build capacity (e.g., through community mentors), provide flexible, culturally appropriate training, and consolidate outcomes with post‑training support.

Key Requirements

  • Community‑co‑designed training model Projects must be planned and co‑designed with key First Nations community members, tailored to local needs, and include strategies to attract/retain participants and address barriers (including shame).
  • Participant assessment and outcomes Participants’ LLND skills must be assessed early and late in the project against ACSF/DLSF; progress reported via Workforce Australia Online for Providers, with KPIs covering commencements, engagement, and measurable skills improvement.
  • Information security and governance Grantees (and training partners) must obtain RFFR accreditation within nine months; maintain robust governance, risk management, reporting, record‑keeping (retain participant portfolios for 7 years), and meet probity/privacy obligations.

 

What is eligible for funding?

Funding may cover:

  • establishment costs (recruitment, insurance, materials, IT/equipment with approval; RFFR accreditation up to $25,000)
  • co‑design activities (community engagement, workshops, travel, childcare/transport supports, developing non‑accredited courses and learning resources)
  • delivery activities (pre‑training assessments, customised training plans, training delivery, mentors, assessments, venue/equipment hire, participant supports, QA‑related PD travel)
  • exit & embed activities (audits/acquittals, transition planning to sustain elements post‑project)

What companies are eligible for funding?

  • Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs)
  • First Nations RTOs
  • First Nations ACE providers (may or may not be RTOs)
  • First Nations Community Organisation peak bodies (applying on behalf of eligible members)
  • Applicants must be affiliated with the community/communities they serve (or partner with an organisation that is) and be legally able to enter a Commonwealth grant agreement.

Training organisation requirements

  • Must be an RTO and/or ACE provider; RTOs must maintain registration with ASQA/VRQA/TAC; non‑accredited training must follow the Commonwealth framework and be approved.

Other considerations

  • Working with Vulnerable People registration & Working with Children checks for relevant personnel.
  • RFFR accreditation within nine months (up to $25,000 may be budgeted).
  • Financial Credentials form required for grant amounts ≥$400,000 (ex GST).

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.