$2.7 million to help support and rebuild Australia’s volunteer workforce

The Morrison Government will deliver $2.7 million across 779 local community organisations to support the work of the Australia’s volunteers.

This funding is in addition to the $9.2 million distributed nationally to 2,699 community organisations this year as part of the 2019-20 Volunteer Grants round.

Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services, Luke Howarth, said the funding will provide a much needed boost for charity and community organisations who play an essential role in helping, supporting and uniting Australian communities.

“The Morrison Government recognises the vital work of organisations who have supported communities through a very difficult year,” Assistant Minister Howarth said.

“While the work of volunteers may be unpaid, it is not unrecognised and we understand that volunteer organisations will continue to have an enormous challenge in the year ahead.

“This extra support could not come at a better time and will help more organisations re-connect with their volunteers as restrictions ease and the economy strengthens.”

Grants of up to $5000 are being provided to community organisations across the country. The 2020 Supplementary Volunteer Grants funding round was open to organisations that had not received funding in the 2019-20 Volunteer Grants round earlier this year. This helped ensure a wide distribution of funds across community organisations.

As we mark International Volunteer Day this weekend on 5 December Mark Pearce, the Chief Executive Officer of the national volunteering peak body, Volunteering Australia, said the funding will be used to purchase small equipment, pay for fuel, transport and training costs.

“In the wake of COVID-19, community organisations are in need of funds to support and enable their volunteering programs to continue delivering the important work they do across Australia. This grant round assists them in their mission”, Mr Pearce said.

Volunteer peak bodies across all states and territories are distributing the funding based on the needs of the sector in each state or territory.

The next Volunteer Grants round is expected to open mid-2021. Subscribe to the Community Grants Hub for alerts on this and other grant opportunities.

For more information about volunteering, visit the Volunteering Australia website.