Local councils, not-for-profits and community groups planning events for Australia Day 2027 can now apply for grant funding to support inclusive community events.
The Albanese Government is providing $10 million for the Australia Day Community Events Grant Program in 2027. Grants of up to $15,000 are now available through the National Australia Day Council, to help communities hold accessible and inclusive Australia Day events in their local area. Smaller grants of $2,000 are once again available, after a successful launch in 2026.
Australia Day, 26 January, is when we reflect on the best of Australians – the stories that inspire us and our shared future which unites us.
A record number of 824 events were held in 2026, and the grant program is now open for applications until Tuesday, 22 September 2026.
Since it began in 2021, the grants program has backed more than 4,000 events across the nation - from community barbeques and concerts to citizenship ceremonies, flag raising ceremonies and parades.
For more information, please visit www.australiaday.org.au/grants
Quotes attributable to Patrick Gorman, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
“Australia Day is a day to connect with family, friends and community – to celebrate the freedoms we share and the values and beliefs we hold. What Australia Day means to each of us depends on who we are, where we come from and how we came to be Australian.”
“If you’re planning to host an event, I encourage you to apply for grant funding. Whether you host a sandcastle competition in Weymouth, Tasmania, Arrente language workshops in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, or a pool party in Collie, Western Australia, local organisations can bring their community together in a range of ways this Australia Day.”
“Australia Day is about the ever-evolving story of our nation – our history, our identity and, above all, our people. It reminds us of the common bond we share as Australians and is a day when we can be proud of who we are as a nation.”