For this round only, CCI Giving will provide single grants of up to $15,000 for eligible organisations to support events or projects and small capital works initiatives.

Communities Taking Steps grants program distributes up to $150,000 to eligible charities annually.

To be eligible for the Communities Taking Steps grants program, applicants must:

• Be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
• Hold Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR Item 1) status.
• Be carrying out activities consistent with Catholic teaching in Australia.
• Be invited to apply for this grant round by CCI Giving

Please note, while the size of an organisation doesn’t directly affect their eligibility to apply, we do aim to support smaller, locally managed not-for-profits with annual revenue of less than $1m.

Funding can be applied to any initiative designed to support one (or more) of these key areas:

• Young people experiencing educational disadvantage.
• Refugees and people seeking asylum.
• Families affected by mental illness.
• Those affected by domestic violence.

The committee is particularly interested in supporting:

• Small community organisations.
• Social enterprise initiatives that attempt to provide a sustainable source of engagement and income for those involved.
• Initiatives where the grant forms part of a project budget of less than $100,000.

Only small, discrete projects that meet the needs of a community rather than supplementing the funding of large projects will be supported.

Our grants are capped at $15,000 and are for a 12-month period only.

While successful organisations can’t reapply while they still have an active grant, we do encourage unsuccessful applicants to reapply in subsequent years.

Organisations must be registered with the ACNC and hold DGR Item 1 status.

To ensure that your organisation meets the required status:

• Check your organisation’s charitable status by searching ACNC Register – look for the green tick of approval against your charity’s name.
• Check your charity’s DGR Item 1 status by searching on ABN LookUp.
• Alternatively, consult your organisation’s finance and governance advisor.

Priority is given to Catholic organisations implementing charitable, humanitarian or social justice initiatives within or for the Catholic community. If your charity is a Catholic agency, its activities are automatically considered ‘consistent with Catholic teaching’.

However, other agencies that serve the broader community and also exemplify Jesus’s commitment to love and justice for the poor and marginalised may also be awarded a grant, subject to funding availability.

The following is a guiding statement:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, l needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

(Matthew 25:35-40)

Please note that CCI Giving doesn’t accept applications for:

• Capital expenditure relating to large-scale building initiatives.
• Attending events or conferences and travel.

Applications for Round 10 of Communities Taking Steps is now open for those organisations who have been contacted by CCI Giving.

Please subscribe to CCI Giving to be kept up to date with future grant rounds.

Applications are assessed by a committee, which exercises its discretion in accordance with an annual budget.

The following documentation is required to be provided as part of the application process:

1. details of your overall project budget, itemising on both the income and expenditure side
2. a copy of your organisation’s last annual report (if available)
3. a copy of your organisation’s last audited financial statements (if available)

If you are invited to provide an application after speaking with us, it is recommended you have this documentation available in a digital format, ready to be attached to your application.