NT Aboriginal Capacity Building and Sector Strengthening (CBSS) Grants

Stream 1 – Foundations: $20,000 to $100,000 for one-off or limited-term activities
Stream 2 – Strengthen: $20,000 to $100,000 for projects of up to 1 year
Stream 3 – Grow and transition: $100,000 to $1,000,000 for projects of up to 5 years
Stream 4 – Maintain: $20,000 to $200,000 for up to 4 years
$70.7 million available until 2031
Applications are open throughout the financial year, or until funding runs out

The Aboriginal Capacity Building and Sector Strengthening (CBSS) Grants give Aboriginal community controlled organisations (ACCOs) in the Northern Territory $20,000 to $1,000,000 to strengthen their governance, finances, workforce and systems. Funding also helps ACCOs grow and take over services from government in remote communities. With $70.7 million available until 2031, applications are open throughout the financial year and are funded first come, first served until the money runs out.

The program is run by the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APONT) under the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment Agreement. It supports Priority Reform 2 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims to build the Aboriginal community-controlled sector.

Key Requirements

Who qualifies

Applicants must be an ACCO that is:

incorporated and not-for-profit
controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
connected to the communities it serves
governed by a board with a majority of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander members

ACCOs must also deliver, or plan to deliver, services to a remote Aboriginal community in the NT, have their own Australian bank account, and have the financial and technical ability to deliver the grant.

Choosing a stream

Foundations: for mostly smaller organisations building basic systems and governance for their current services
Strengthen: for improving how services are delivered and preparing for future growth
Grow and transition: for expanding services or taking on government services in a transition to community control, including setting up new ACCOs to do this
Maintain: for ongoing costs after an organisation has taken on a new service

Remote focus
Applications must show how the funding supports services in remote NT. If some services are outside remote areas, the share of benefit going to remote communities is considered in the value for money assessment.

Applicants should read the CBSS Grant Opportunity Guidelines and choose the stream that fits their goals, timeline and funding amount.

What is eligible for funding?

Activities that strengthen one or more of seven capability areas:

Governance and leadership: director training, leadership development, governance reviews and strategic planning
Financial management: financial systems and controls, budgeting and cash flow, audit readiness and long-term financial planning
Workforce: HR systems, Aboriginal workforce development, staff training, succession planning and cultural capability
Service systems and quality: service model design, procedures, quality improvement and culturally safe service delivery
Data, reporting and learning: data and reporting systems, Aboriginal data sovereignty and monitoring frameworks
External relationships and funding: grant readiness, partnerships and building strong cases for investment
Strategic and operational planning: business plans, KPIs, progress reporting, accreditation preparation, risk management and organisational growth

Other activities may be considered if they meet the program’s purpose.

What isn’t funded
Core recurrent operations, existing service delivery costs, ongoing wages unrelated to strengthening activities, retrospective costs, debt repayment, rent, land purchases, and capital works unless approved.

What companies are eligible for funding?

ACCOs serving remote NT communities that are one of the following:

an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander corporation registered under the CATSI Act
a company incorporated in Australia
a registered charity or not-for-profit
an incorporated association
a consortium with a lead organisation

Government bodies can’t apply, nor can organisations that are insolvent, owe APONT money, have an outstanding APONT grant acquittal, or aren’t compliant with their incorporating laws.

Indigenous-owned enterprises looking to build business capability may also want to look at the SEDI First Nations Grants, which have separate eligibility rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can non-Aboriginal organisations apply?
No. Only Aboriginal community controlled organisations that serve remote NT communities can apply.

Do we need to contribute funding?
The guidelines don’t require a co-contribution. Any costs above the approved grant must be covered by your organisation.

Can the grant pay staff wages?
Only for strengthening activities. Ongoing wages for existing services and core operations aren’t funded.

Can the grant help us take over a government service?
Yes. Stream 3 supports ACCOs expanding or taking on government services as they move to community control, and can help set up new ACCOs for this purpose.

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Non-competitive. Applications are assessed against the eligibility criteria in the order they are received, until funding is exhausted.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging a professional government grant writer consultant. Avant Group is Australia’s largest independent grants advisory firm. Because applications must meet all four criteria and are funded first come, first served, a complete, well-evidenced application lodged early gives your organisation the best chance. Find out more about our government grant writing and consulting service here.

How can I get help understanding if I’m eligible for this grant? 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.

This grant is open

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