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 support the longer term recovery of Western Australia and 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, rebuild and recover from the pandemic.

Expressions of interest will be sought related to the streams of community connection, arts and culture, Aboriginal communities and environment.

Within these streams proposals which target young people (15-24), people with disability and aboriginal people will be prioritised.

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

Find out more
Submit an EOI now

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. 

Priority Groups

There has been strong interest in the Lotterywest COVID-19 Relief Fund grant programs. To manage this demand, Phase 3 of the Building Community grant program places greater priority on proposals which respond to the program outcomes and target the following groups:

  • Young people (15-24);
  • People with disability; and
  • Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal people.

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. 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 outcomes, priorities or criteria, it may not be progressed to a full application.

In relation to the upcoming State Election on Saturday 13 March 2021, Lotterywest will assume a caretaker role and follow the caretaker guidelines. We will continue to receive and assess grant funding applications, however funding decisions will be deferred until after the caretaker period has ended. Therefore, any grant applications that have not been submitted in time for Lotterywest assessment, Board recommendation and Premier approval prior to the caretaker period commencing, will not receive approval confirmation until after the caretaker period. Given grant process timeframes, this is keeping within current turnaround times.

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 and all applications must be received by 30 April 2021.

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:

Initiatives which are aligned to delivering the desired outcomes for priority groups (i.e. activities that benefit young people, people with a disability and/or Aboriginal communities) and which:

  • support community recovery and resilience;
  • strengthen community wellbeing, mitigate the long-term impacts of the pandemic and support recovery, and/or provide support to those experiencing hardship; and/or
  • provide increased opportunities to participate in community activities through volunteering.
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 youth volunteers through caring for the environment.
  • A local arts-based community development program that connects people experiencing the impacts of social isolation through arts and culture.
  • A local event for people with disability 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 groups?
  • Young people (15-24);
  • People with disability; and
  • Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal people.

Other target groups will be considered based on the merit of the proposal. 

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 – proposals should clearly identify the situation in your community, linked to COVID-19 and/or the state’s recovery efforts; 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 (youth, people with disability, aboriginal communities and people) or explain why a different group has been identified.
  2. Good planning including risk considerations - proposals 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 and/or align with the state’s recovery efforts, with a realistic timeframe, broad community reach and have been developed with an appropriate level of consultation and permissions.
  3. Value for money – proposals should include a clear, realistic budget with accurate costs. Collaboration in delivery and/or funding of the project is encouraged.
  4. Organisational capacity - applicants 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 - proposals should outline how they 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.