Background Background

Bupa Foundation Community Grants

Healthier People, Healthier Communities, Healthier Planet


Bupa Foundation – 2026 Community Grants

SUPPORTING work that protects the health of communities

The Bupa Foundation Community Grants program funds and supports innovative, capable organisations working to prevent and control disease*. As a health promotion charity, we are committed to making a positive difference in communities by offering funding of $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 for eligible organisations and charities conducting projects and initiatives designed to positively impact the communities where Bupa operates.

The key focus areas include: Healthier People, Healthier Communities, Healthier Planet.

*For the purposes of this program, diseases include any mental or physical ailment, disorder, defect or morbid condition, whether of sudden onset or gradual development and whether of genetic or other origin. Examples include asthma, cancer, clinical depression, diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and viral infections.

Before you apply, please read the full guidelines here.

ABOUT BUPA foundation

The Bupa Foundation is a health promotion charity dedicated to helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world.

Since 2019, The Bupa Foundation Community Grants program has awarded over $2 million to organisations that build mentally healthy and resilient communities and support a healthy planet for healthy people. Visit the Foundation website to view past recipients.

Guidelines

How the program works

Applications will be accepted for the following grant streams: 

  • Stream 1: One-off grants of $10,000 (20 grants available)
  • Stream 2: One-off grants of $25,000 (10 grants available)
  • Stream 3: One-off grants of $50,000 (6 grants available)
This is a competitive grant round; therefore, we encourage organisations to seek an amount that is appropriate to their current resources, operating scale, and delivery capability.
 
Eligible organisations can submit no more than one application.
 
Bupa Foundation reserves the right to decide, in its sole discretion, whether and how the grant money is distributed.

Organisation eligibility

To be eligible for a grant, an application must meet the requirements set out below. Only eligible applications will be considered.

  • Applicants must be registered in Australia or New Zealand as a not-for-profit or charitable organisation, through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) or Charities Services
  • Applicants must have a current ABN/NZBN
  • Government Schools without charity status are eligible to apply
  • If the majority of your program participants are First Nations people, you must be a First Nations-led organisation or operate a First Nations-led program (i.e. 50% board/leadership representation).

Although not compulsory, it is preferred that organisations are: 

  • (Australia) Endorsed by the ATO with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status and covered by Item 1 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth), OR
  • (New Zealand) An approved donee organisation and registered under the Charities Act 2005.

 

Program eligibility

One-off grants of $10,000, $25,000 and $50,000 will be awarded to eligible organisations and charities conducting projects and initiatives designed to positively impact the communities where Bupa operates.
 
Organisations undertaking national-scale (or working in a minimum of two states) projects and initiatives will be looked upon favourably. This may include advocacy and systems change work, program enhancement and project delivery, capacity building and program evaluation.

Application process

To access and submit an application, you must be logged into the Australian Communities Foundation Grants Portal and enter the access code BUPA2026 on the Apply page.

Please create an account on the Australian Communities Foundation Grants Portal here. If you already have an account, please use your existing username and password. Make sure to note your username and password as you will be able to save and continue the form at a later date.

Important dates

  • Applications open 14 September 2026
  • Applications close 15 October 2026 at 5pm (AEST)
  • Successful applicants will be notified by the end of November 2026
  • Funds will be granted by mid-December 2026
  • Projects undertaken and completed 12 months from funds granted
  • Completion report within 12 months of funds granted (interim report at 6 months).

All applications must be submitted online by 5pm AEST on the closing date, 15 October 2026. No extensions will be provided.

Need help?

If you have any questions in relation to the grant guidelines or require technical assistance with the application process, please contact Gabby Lam (Philanthropy Lead, Australian Communities Foundation) on 03 9412 0412 or email [email protected]. Australian Communities Foundation’s office hours are Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

Contact Us
Level 6, 126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne VIC 3002

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Australian Communities Foundation is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of LGBTQIA+ communities and the movement toward equality.