Access to Funding: Federal Funding

On March 21 M&G NSW, in partnership with the Museum of the Riverina, presented Access to Funding, a workshop delivering skills to make accessing funds a reality. Below are the presentations from the federal organisations.

Lani Houston
Chief Executive Officer Regional Development Australia (RDA) - Riverina 

Riverina First Community Fund

RDA Riverina operates a small funding program called Riverina First Community Fund that provides funding of up to $2000 for community projects. This funding is only available to the 14 LGAs in the RDA Riverina region. The RDA Riverina Committee also plays a role in the Commonwealth's Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF). The RDAF program funds capital infrastructure projects identified as priorities by local communities. Round 3 and Round 4 are in progress at the moment. 


The Riverina First Community Fund is philanthropic fund. The fund is now a project of RDA-Riverina. The Commonwealth Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund is administered by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.

Sharyn O’Brien
Coordinator, Community Heritage Grants
National Library of Australia

The Community Heritage Grants

The Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program provides funding of up to $15,000 to assist in the preservation of cultural heritage collections of national significance. Not-for profit organisations, such as historical societies, regional museums, public libraries and Indigenous and migrant community groups, are encouraged to apply. This presentation will provide further information for potential applicants on the wide range of activities eligible for CHG grants and how to navigate the new online application process.

CHG is funded by the Australian Government through the National Library of Australia; the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport; the National Archives of Australia; the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

Sharon Babbage
Project Assistant, Operations Australian National Maritime Museum 

Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme

In its 17th year, MMAPSS is an annual grants program providing support to Australian organisations that care for and preserve Australia's rich maritime heritage. This presentation provides an overview of the scheme, describing how to apply with recent successful projects and internships. 

The Maritime Museums of Australia Project Support Scheme is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Accessing funding in Batemans Bay

Show me the Money - Access to Funding is a workshop we put on every year in a different part of NSW. Previous Standards participants, local museums, galleries and community arts groups are given the opportunity to hear from a range of funding providers and even chat with them about potential projects for funding. 

Andrew, Cassie and I had a beautiful drive down the coast to Batemans Bay the day before the workshop, and also managed to have a good look around the Old Courthouse Museum. The museum successfuly completed the Standards Program last year and have a range of projects on the go. Our visit coincided with the opening of their new room built especially for their volunteers. 

We also had to be dragged away from Bozo the resident dog who was most disarming. 

Delegates chat with Dianne Dahlitz about the Community Heritage Grant program.

We had a great line up of speakers at the workshop – Dianne Dahlitz who manages the Community Heritage Grants from the National Library; Einar Docker from the Powerhouse Museum’s regional services; Grainne Brundson from Arts NSW, Andrew Gray from South East Arts who represented Regional Arts NSW; and Bea Brickhill from AbaF who spoke about how arts organisations can build relationships with businesses.

One of the highlights of the day was Sheena Boughden’s inspirational keynote talk on the development of the Four Winds Festival – a music festival held every second Easter in Bermagui that Sheena and her team have built up to be a hugely successful enterprise.

The Clyde River and Batemans Bay Historical Society put on some of the best catering we have ever seen, and understandably received a spontaneous round of applause from the delegates!

Thanks to our partner South East Arts and Andrew Gray, all our amazing speakers and the team at the Old Courthouse Museum.

M&G NSW has some helpful resources on grant writing and project management. And don't forget our excellent resource the 2012 Grants and Funding Guide!

Next week we should have several of the talks available through our website and Alert!