How to apply

Lillian Banks for Terrain - Bangarra Dance Theatre. Photo by Daniel Boud

The Balnaves Foundation disperses $5 million annually to eligible organisations that create a better Australia through education, medicine and the arts with a focus on young people, the disadvantaged and Indigenous Australia.

If your organisation primarily works in one or more of these areas then please consider submitting an online expression of interest. There are no closing dates or budget constraints, however the Foundation prefers to support multi-year projects with a funding range of $150,000 – $250,000 per annum.

The Balnaves Foundation has a new strategic direction for grants in the medical space. From 2023, the Foundation will be focused on supporting projects that deliver significantly improved health outcomes for young Australians through the prevention and early intervention of chronic health conditions.

The Process:

The Expression of Interest is the first stage in your application to The Balnaves Foundation. Your EOI submission will be reviewed within 4 weeks of being received. You will receive a response that will either:

  1. Advise that your Expression of Interest is progressing forward.
  2. Notify you that your Expression of Interest was unsuccessful.

If your EOI is moving forward the process is as follows:

  1. The Foundation team will request additional information, this may involve a meeting.
  2. If your Expression of Interest progresses to a proposal, the Foundation team will work with you on developing this.
  3. The proposal will be presented to the Foundation’s Trustees at a quarterly meeting.

The Foundation’s Trustees meet four times a year. If your EOI moves forward to the proposal stage it may take between 3 – 6 months from your initial EOI submission for it to be presented at a Trustee meeting. We recommend timing your EOI submission to allow for this lead time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to meet with the Foundation to discuss the project prior to submitting an EOI?

The EOI process is intended to be the first point of contact for organisations wishing to submit projects to the Foundation for funding consideration. As we receive many applications and requests for meetings, in the interest of equitability, we do not generally meet with organisations prior to the submission of an EOI.

Can I submit more than one EOI at the same time?

Yes, you are more than welcome to submit multiple EOIs at the same time for different projects.

If my EOI is unsuccessful, will I be able to resubmit this project or an alternative project in the future?

Yes, you can submit another EOI in the future. The Foundation suggests a minimum of 6 – 12 months between applications.

Does The Balnaves Foundation have funding rounds?

The Balnaves Foundation does not operate in grant rounds and is able to receive your online expression of interest at any time.

Our organisation does not have DGR-1 status. Can we still submit a project for consideration?

The Foundation is only able to support organisations that have DGR-1 status or that have an auspice arrangement with an organisation with DGR-1 status. If you organisation does not have DGR-1 status, you will need to set up an auspice arrangement with an eligible organisation prior to submitting an EOI. There is an option to indicate this in the EOI form.

Our organisation has more than one focus area. Is it possible for us to select multiple focus areas on our online expression of interest?

Yes, the EOI form allows for multiple focus areas to be selected.

Eligibility

*Please note, the Foundation is only able to support organisations with DGR 1 status or that have an auspice arrangement with an organisation with DRG 1 status.

Before completing this expression of interest form please review the Who We Are and What We Fund sections of our website. You can download a preview of the EOI form here, however all EOI’s must be completed via the form below. Please do not email your EOI directly to the Foundation.