Grant options

Grant Guidelines

Key dates


Grants open

9th September 2024

Grant applications open to eligible charities

Grants closed

18th October 2024

Grant applications close

Grants announced

Early December 2024

Successful grant recipients notified

Eligibility to Apply

To be eligible to apply for a People First Bank Foundation grant round the organisation must:

 

  • Be a non-profit with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status item 1.
  • The funding request must be for an existing program/service supporting one or more of the Foundation’s focus areas.
  • You must be able to show reliable evidence of success of the program/service.
  • The program/service is very clear on the issue/s it is trying to solve/support, the desired outputs and the program’s role in helping create change through clear outcomes.
  • You must show evidence of “lived experience” contributing to the development of the program.
  • The program/service must have clearly defined outcomes and include a means of measuring, evaluation and reporting its outcomes/impact.
  • Be clearly able to demonstrate the number of people who will be positively impacted by the provision of the grant.
  • A clear and well-defined budget.
  • Have an annual income for 2023/24 of under $10 million.
  • Obtain less than 70% of its annual income from government sources.
  • To apply, organisations must be registered with the ACNC for a period of more than 2 years, except by invitation following discussion with the Foundation.
  • You may not apply for the same program/service if you have previously applied and your application was unsuccessful, without first speaking to the Foundation.

Preference

Preference will be given to applicants whose program/service:

  • Covers multiple People First Bank Foundation focus areas.
  • Demonstrates the utilization of partnerships and collaboration.

Assessment Criteria

The Foundation uses a People First Bank Staff Selection Committee to help select the recipients of the grants using the below assessment criteria:

  1. The program/service aligns with the  focuses:

    • Positive educational and alternative pathways to help at-risk children and teenagers;

    • Health care services for vulnerable Australians and their families; and

    • Support for the economic and social wellbeing of people in regional, rural and remote communities, including in times of natural disasters.

  2. The program/service seeks to meet a critical “need/issue” within the community

  3. All programs/services come with risks, are the risk identified by the applicant acceptable?

  4. Truly understanding the needs of the target beneficiaries comes with accessing “lived experience”.  Is there evidence of people with lived experience contributing to the program/service’s development or delivery?

  5. Can the applicant provide evidence of the program/service’s impact/success?

  6. Is the program/service an effective use of resources (our grant contribution) regarding the people it reaches and the impact it creates on those target beneficiaries?

  7. Does the charity collaborate/partner with other organisations to support the target beneficiaries?

  8. The Foundation’s vision is “Growing stronger communities, together”.  In your view does the program achieve our vision?

What we won’t fund/funding exclusions

Programs outside Australia
Auspiced applications
Sponsorship or fundraising appeals
Events or commercial activities
Small contributions to large capital program
Programs of a political or religious nature
Contributions to work that would normally be considered the responsibility of local authorities or government departments
Requests to support individuals
Recurrent operational costs such as rent and utilities
Study or attendance at conferences or seminars
Endowments, memorials, bursaries or named academic chairs
Motor vehicles and buses
Government entities
Private schools
Other PuAFs and PAFs
Sport, recreation or social activities for their own sake.
Programs which duplicate existing services
Research
Animal welfare

Heritage Bank and People’s Choice Footprint

New South Wales

o Tweed Heads
o Western Sydney

 

Northern Territory

o Greater Darwin
o Palmerston

 

Queensland

o Brisbane
o Darling Downs
o Gold Coast
o Ipswich
o Lockyer Valley
o Sunshine Coast
o Wide Bay Burnett

 

South Australia

 

Victoria

o Ballarat
o Greater Melbourne
o Warrnambool

For any further information please see the FAQs section, give us a call on 0448 438 794 or email charitablefoundation@heritage.com.au

 
Ready to apply?

Grant applications are currently open.

Grant Application Questions
Use this document to prepare your answers for the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation grant application, before completing the online application form.
Grant Application FAQ's

Frequently asked questions and answers for grant applicants.