Building Community

We’re here to help you build your community; connection is more important now than ever.

The objective of this grant program is to create opportunities for the whole community to come together as a means of enhancing community connection, strengthening social capital and encouraging community to repair and rebuild itself from the pandemic.

Expressions of interest will be sought related to the streams of community connection, arts and culture, Aboriginal communities and environment. This will help us to understand needs and opportunities related to these streams, across metropolitan and regional Western Australia, and then work with grant applicants to develop impactful projects and invite applications when they have the best chance of success.

Grant applications must seek to achieve one or more of the outcomes outlined below.

Find out more
Submit an EOI

Outcomes focus

  1. Community is connected through local initiatives that strengthen wellbeing, promote participation and/or volunteering, and encourage re-connection after a period of distancing and isolation.

  2. Marginalised, minority and disadvantaged groups at risk of experiencing prolonged impacts of social isolation and discrimination are actively included in community.

  3. Aboriginal people retain and strengthen connection to country, identity and culture. 

Submit an Expression of Interest

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) are now open. If you have a time sensitive proposal, we encourage you to submit an EOI as soon as possible.

Please call us to discuss your idea and how it aligns with the program outcomes and criteria before submitting an EOI.

Click here to submit an EOI.

What happens after I submit an EOI?

Our team will be reviewing EOIs regularly to understand the emerging needs and opportunities aligned to the outcome areas of this grant program.

We will contact you to give feedback and discuss next steps which may include an invitation to lodge an application.

For other projects, we may take more time to work with you to review and/or develop the idea taking into consideration other projects proposed for your region or key themes emerging from the expression of interest process. Please note that where an EOI doesn't respond to the program criteria, it may not be progressed to a full application.

Next steps if you're invited to submit a full application

If you are invited to submit a full application, you will receive an email with a link to complete your application. Your full application will take place in two parts.

Part A – Registering and receiving an application number
Part A occurs within the Lotterywest Portal. Completing Part A will register your organisation and enable you to receive an application number. You will be required to:

  • Register your organisation with Lotterywest (for new grant customers only);
  • Provide high level details and a point of contact for your application;
  • Identify two referees for your organisation;
  • Confirm your organisation’s details; and
  • Upload your most recent financial reports and Annual Report/AGM minutes.

Part B - Telling us about your grant idea
Once you have completed Part A, you will be sent an email with a link to access Part B of the application for your chosen grant program. Your application can not be assessed until Part B is submitted.

Part B is an online form where you will be asked to answer questions about your proposed grant, how you plan to spend the funding, the outcomes you hope to achieve and other questions in line with the grant program criteria.

To view the Part B application question in advance, please click here. Please note that this is not the application form. A link to the Part B application form will be sent to you after submitting Part A.

General Information

To find out what documents you will be asked to provide during your application please click here.

Please call us if you’d like to discuss your initiative or for help in how to apply.

You're welcome to contact the grants team for feedback at any time during the process.

All completed full applications (i.e. those that have submitted both Part A and Part B of the application form) will be assessed against the criteria below, with recommendations progressed to the Lotterywest Board, then to the Minister responsible for Lotterywest for approval.

Building Community - Do I have to submit an EOI?

Yes. All applicants must start by submitting and Expression of Interest (EOI) and can only progress to a full application upon invitation by Lotterywest.

Building Community - Who can be supported?

Not-for-profit organisations and local government authorities.

Building Community - What can be supported?

To be eligible for Lotterywest support a grant request must be:

  • for charitable or benevolent purposes with outcomes that align with one of our COVID-19 Relief Fund streams. 
  • directly related to your organisation’s purpose. Quick tip: You can check the ‘objects’ or ‘purpose’ in your organisation’s constitution or rules
  • taking place in WA, or be of direct benefit to the WA community

The following can be supported through this program:

  • Specific, time-limited interventions which:
  • strengthen community wellbeing, mitigate the long-term impacts of social isolation, and provide support to those experiencing hardship; and/or
  • provide increased opportunities to participate in community activities including through volunteering; and/or
  • work to actively include marginalised, minority and disadvantaged groups in the WA community’ and/or
  • assist Aboriginal people retain and strengthen connection to Country, identity and culture
Building Community - What won't be supported?
  • On-going operational costs
  • Projects which don’t align directly with program outcomes
  • Ongoing initiatives or programs
  • Initiatives fully funded by others or which are the core responsibilities of other government departments
  • Contingency costs

For more general information about what Lotterywest can and can't support, please visit the What can be supported page.

Building Community - What are some example projects that might be funded?

This program could involve things such as:

  • A project that builds community connection by bringing people together as volunteers through caring for the environment.
  • A local arts-based community development program such as a sculpture trail that connects people experiencing the impacts of social isolation through arts and culture.
  • A local event for families and individuals which strengthen community connections and improves wellbeing.
  • Support for programs enabling Aboriginal communities to strengthen the sharing of stories and cultural practices.

Call us to talk about your idea.

Building Community - Who are our priority communities?
  • Children and their families
  • Young people
  • Older people
  • People with disability
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse communities 
  • Aboriginal Communities and people
  • Regional and remote communities
  • People seeking volunteer and participation opportunities to reconnect with community  
Building Community - What are expected outcomes for this grant program?
  • Community is connected through local initiatives that strengthen community wellbeing, promote participation and/or volunteering, and encourage reconnection after a period of distancing and isolation
  • Marginalised, minority and disadvantaged groups at risk of experiencing prolonged impacts of social isolation and discrimination are actively included in community
  • Aboriginal people retain and strengthen connection to Country, identity and culture
Building Community - How much can I apply for and how do I apply?

We accept applications from $3,000 upwards and EOIs are available through our website. The limit for unincorporated groups or organisations not GST registered is a combined total of up to $15,000 for each financial year.

Building Community - What are the indicators of change for this grant program?
  • Reduced isolation/loneliness
  • Increased sense of community connection and belonging
  • Increased volunteerism
  • Reduced discrimination (or avoided increases)
Building Community - What are the assessment criteria for this grant stream?

Proposals will be reviewed using the following criteria. Please consider these when submitting your EOI and, upon invitation, your full application.

  1. Community connection – your proposal should clearly identify the situation in your community, linked to COVID-19; the specific community needs, opportunities and/or challenges your proposal will address. The proposal should show how it addresses the situation of one or more of the priority groups or explain why a different group has been identified.
  2. Good planning including risk considerations - your proposal should demonstrate that the method of delivering the proposal has been carefully considered and is the most appropriate in the context of COVID-19. We're looking for proposals that are COVID-19 aware, with a realistic timeframe, broad community reach and have been developed with an appropriate level of consultation and permissions.
  3. Value for money – your proposal should include a clear, realistic budget with accurate costs. Collaboration in delivery and/or funding of the project is encouraged.
  4. Organisational capacity - your proposal will need to demonstrate that your organisation has the skills, experience, governance arrangements, relationships and capacity to successfully deliver the proposal in an inclusive way.
  5. Outcomes - your proposal should outline how you plan to meet one or multiple outcomes of the Building Community grant program and how this can be measured. The proposed outcomes of your proposal should be realistic and achievable with clear direct benefits for the WA community.
Building Community - Once I have submitted my EOI and been invited to complete a full application, will my grant proposal receive funding?

Not necessarily. All completed applications will be assessed against the criteria above, with recommendations progressed to the Lotterywest board and then to the Minister responsible for Lotterywest for approval.