FRRR Strengthening Rural Communities – Round 31

Small & Vital stream
- Small grants: up to $10,000
- Larger leverage grants: up to $50,000, only for specific digital skills or climate projects
Prepare & Recover stream
- Grants up to $25,000 for disaster preparedness, resilience and recovery projects
Across both streams
- One application per organisation, in one stream only, each round
- DGR status isn’t needed
- Applications close: 3 December 2026

The Strengthening Rural Communities program, run by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), funds practical, community-led projects in remote, rural and regional Australia. It's supported by a range of philanthropic donors.

The program has two streams. Small & Vital supports a wide range of projects that strengthen small rural, remote and very remote communities. Prepare & Recover supports communities to prepare for future climate impacts or recover from past disasters, generally one to ten years after the event.

Key Requirements

Small & Vital priorities

Small grants prioritise communities with fewer than 15,000 residents and projects that align with FRRR’s focus areas: outback, remote and very remote communities, next generation transitions, disaster resilience, climate solutions, and First Nations self-determination.

Donors also favour projects that build adults’ digital skills, confidence and safety, support inclusion and equality, reduce loneliness among older Australians, or deliver environmental sustainability in grain-growing council areas of WA, VIC, NSW and SA.

Larger leverage grants (up to $50,000) are only for:

projects that improve adults’ digital skills, confidence and safety
climate resilience or environmental projects within 100 km of Carwarp, including Mildura Shire and north-west Swan Hill in Victoria

FRRR asks applicants to call the Granting team to check eligibility for these grants.

Prepare & Recover priorities
Projects should help communities prepare for climate impacts or recover from past disasters, be community-led, and build local skills, knowledge, connections and resilience. Priority also goes to projects that are shaped by local needs, strengthen social connection and local capacity, and recognise First Nations knowledge and care for Country.

Both streams
Projects must be for a charitable purpose with a clear public benefit, and must benefit a remote, rural or regional Australian community. Groups without an ABN or incorporation can apply through an eligible organisation acting as the legal applicant.

FRRR’s SRC Round 31 program guidelines set out each stream’s priorities and requirements in more detail.

What is eligible for funding?

Small & Vital: practical, community-led projects that benefit and strengthen local people and places.

Prepare & Recover: initiatives that help communities prepare for future climate-related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long term.

What companies are eligible for funding?

Australian not-for-profit organisations with an ABN or incorporation certificate. Unincorporated community groups can apply with support from an eligible organisation that agrees to manage the grant.

Individuals, sole traders and private or commercial businesses can’t apply. Organisations with an overdue FRRR project report from the past seven years are also ineligible.

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 a professional government grant writer consultant. Avant Group is Australia’s largest independent grants advisory firm. 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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