Every grant is an opportunity to help shape the future. In this quarterly round-up, our Philanthropy Team highlights organisations creating meaningful change across three key themes: First Nations Self-Determination, Democracy and Civic Participation, and Environment.
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Housing and Homelessness Granting Ideas
A safe place to call home gives people the foundation they need to build healthy, connected and fulfilling lives. Yet across Australia, rising rents, limited housing supply and cost-of-living pressures are making stable housing increasingly out of reach for many people.
Our Philanthropy Team has compiled a list of organisations working across crisis support, prevention and intervention, affordable housing, advocacy, and community-centred solutions.
Deadly Science: Creating STEM pathways for First Nations young people
📍National
Deadly Science works to improve STEM education and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. By partnering with schools and communities across Australia, the organisation provides science resources, books, technology and mentoring to help ensure young people have equitable access to education, opportunity and inspiration.
Why we recommend: Deadly Science offers funders an opportunity to support First Nations-led solutions that address educational inequity while creating pathways into STEM careers. This opportunity may appeal to funders interested in education, youth opportunity and Indigenous leadership. The organisation combines practical support with a strengths-based approach that celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and achievement. Investing in Indigenous-led organisations is increasingly recognised as philanthropic best practice because it places decision-making and solutions in the hands of communities closest to the issues.
Blak & Bright: Strengthening First Nations voice, visibility, and self-determination
📍National
Blak & Bright is a First Nations-led literary organisation celebrating and elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and storytellers. Through festivals, publishing initiatives, workshops, and community programs, Blak & Bright creates a platform for First Nations voices, strengthening cultural expression, creativity, and self-determination.
Why we recommend: Blak & Bright provides an opportunity to invest in cultural infrastructure that strengthens First Nations voice, visibility and self-determination. This may appeal to funders interested in arts and culture, social justice, and long-term social change. The organisation demonstrates how storytelling can influence public understanding and shape the narratives that underpin policy and community attitudes. Supporting narrative and cultural change reflects growing recognition within philanthropy that lasting change requires investment beyond direct service delivery alone.
Common Ground: Truth-telling and systems change through First Nations storytelling
📍National
Common Ground is a First Nations-led storytelling organisation working nationally to change systems through story. The organisation utilises storytelling, educational resources, and digital media to challenge dominant narratives and support truth-telling, cultural understanding and meaningful action towards justice.
Why we recommend: Common Ground offers funders an opportunity to support truth-telling and narrative change at a national scale. This may particularly resonate with funders interested in systems change, education and reconciliation. By increasing access to First Nations knowledge and perspectives, the organisation contributes to the cultural foundations needed for broader structural change. Investing in public understanding and social cohesion reflects best-practice philanthropy approaches that seek to address root causes rather than symptoms.
Run For It: Empowering the next generation of democratic leaders and changemakers
📍National
Run For It is an independent, non-partisan political organisation working towards better policy outcomes for current and future generations of young people. Through advocacy campaigns and training programs, the organisation resources and inspires young people to engage in politics, fighting for a fairer democratic system.
Why we recommend: Run For It provides an opportunity to strengthen Australia’s democratic infrastructure by supporting young people to participate in civic and political life. This may appeal to funders who are interested in democracy, leadership development and civic participation. The organisation focuses on building long-term capacity rather than short-term campaigns, helping create more representative and responsive decision-making systems. Supporting democratic participation is increasingly viewed as a high-leverage philanthropic strategy because it enables communities to influence a wide range of social outcomes.
Project Planet: Turning civic engagement into meaningful climate action
📍 National
Project Planet empowers people to engage in democratic systems and take meaningful climate action through accessible, user-friendly resources. By developing digital tools like Build a Ballot, which helped 600,000 Australians plan their vote in the 2025 federal election, the organisation captures and sustains engagement amongst young people, helping translate concern into long-term action and strengthening both Australia’s democracy and climate movement.
Why we recommend: Project Planet offers funders an opportunity to increase civic participation by making democratic engagement more accessible and actionable, particularly for younger Australians. This may appeal to funders interested in climate action, democracy and digital innovation. The organisation demonstrates how relatively modest investments in trusted, accessible tools can engage large numbers of people and lower barriers to participation. This approach aligns with best practice in philanthropy by focusing on empowerment and enabling individuals to make informed decisions.
Queensland Conservation Council: Protecting the environment through advocacy, coalition-building, and community action
📍 Queensland
Queensland Conservation Council is the leading independent voice for the environment in Queensland. Bringing together more than 50 community groups from across the state, the Council acts and advocates to protect, conserve, and sustain Queensland’s unique landscapes, biodiversity, and climate.
Why we recommend: Queensland Conservation Council offers an opportunity to support systems-level environmental change through community organising, coalition building and advocacy. This may appeal to funders interested in climate, biodiversity and long-term environmental outcomes. Rather than focusing on individual projects alone, the organisation works to influence policies and decisions that can have wide-reaching impacts across entire ecosystems. Supporting advocacy is increasingly recognised as an effective philanthropic approach because it can achieve change at a scale beyond that of direct program delivery.
Environment Centre Northern Territory: Championing community-led environmental action
📍 Northern Territory
Environment Centre NT (ECNT) is the Northern Territory’s leading independent environmental organisation, working alongside communities to protect nature, climate, and a just economic future for the NT. Through advocacy and community organising, ECNT champions the preservation of the NT’s precious ecosystems, rivers, and culture for future generations.
Why we recommend: ECNT provides an opportunity to support community-led environmental advocacy in one of Australia’s most environmentally and culturally significant regions. This may appeal to funders interested in climate justice, conservation, First Nations partnerships and systems change. The organisation works at the intersection of environmental protection, community voice and public accountability, recognising that durable environmental outcomes often depend on strong local leadership and governance. Investing in community-led advocacy reflects best practice in philanthropy by building the capacity of communities to influence decisions that affect their future.
Nature Glenelg Trust: Restoring ecosystems and protecting biodiversity
📍 South-eastern Australia
Nature Glenelg Trust (NGT) combines scientific expertise with practical, on-the-ground conservation, restoring wetlands and protecting biodiversity. Comprised of a diverse team of applied-science professionals, the organisation works collaboratively with land managers to restore ecosystems and recover threatened species across the temperate agricultural regions of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales.
Why we recommend: By identifying trends of biodiversity loss, working collaboratively with landholders and local communities, and delivering evidence-based environmental solutions, NGT achieves tangible outcomes for nature while building local capacity for long-term stewardship. The organisation’s long-term approach is further strengthened through the NGT Foundation and a strong focus on bequests and legacy giving, helping ensure conservation reserves and restoration projects are protected and managed for generations to come. This makes NGT particularly appealing to donors seeking lasting environmental impact and an enduring legacy for future generations.
This is not an exhaustive list of organisations within these cause areas. Find a wide range of funding proposals on our Funding Platform. Filter by location, cause area and target population to find a project that aligns with your funding interests.
