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Seeding Strength Grants

Round 3 of the Seeding Strength Grants is distributing up to $100,000 to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations fighting injustice and building Blak power.

Picture of two First Nations People walking and smiling at each other. On the left is a woman wearing a grey shirt and jumper with her hands crossed. On the right is a man wearing a black cap and shirt, with his hands leaning on the woman's shoulder.
SHR

In December FYA is opening up rapid response grants for young mob organising Invasion/Survival day actions.

What are the Seeding Strength Grants?

Seeding Strength Grants provide funding to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (16-35) and organisations fighting injustice and building Black power across the country. Round 3 of the grants is opening in July and is distributing $100,000 total of funding available in 2024. We are offering two types of grants:

  • Rapid response: First Nations young people (aged 16-35 years) can apply for rapid response grants of $2,000 to $10,000 for urgent campaigns / movements / initiatives relating to social change in response to systematic oppression & specific injustices of First Nations young people. In December FYA is opening up rapid response grants for young mob organising Invasion/Survival day actions. See the ‘When are applications open?’ section below for more details on this.
  • Campaign, movement or project based (CLOSED): First Nations young people (aged 16-35 years) can apply for grants (from $2,000 to $50,000) to support core funding for existing or new campaigns, movements and projects in our five impact areas:
    • Truthtelling and storytelling
    • Decolonising, dismantling and re-Indigenising
    • Building and strengthening movements, campaigns
    • Global solidarity
    • Facilitating vision creation.
View Grant Guidelines
Apply here

Why?

FYA’s Seeding Strength grants program is a unique initiative where young First Nations people determine the impact areas and select the applications through our First Nations Governance Group. We acknowledge that, as a mainstream organisation, it is our responsibility to provide resources and remove barriers for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals accessing funds in their communities.

Young First Nations people decide why, how, and to who these grants are administered to. 

View our 2023 & 2024 Recipients


When are applications open?

Rapid response: Applications for Rapid Response grants are open for all of 2024. You can apply anytime. 

In December FYA is funding $10k to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (16-35) organising Invasion/Survival day actions across the country on January 26, 2025. Applications from young First Nations people working with larger community groups representing a range of ages are still eligible, however priority will be given to grassroots movements and not for profit organisations. 

Applications open 9 December, 2024
Applications closed 31 December, 2024
Decision Early January 2025
Funds released Mid January 2025

 

If you have questions you can contact Jordan Wimbis at jordan.wimbis@fya.org.au or Laura Murphy-Oates at laura.murphyoates@fya.org.au.

Apply here

Seeding Strength Round 3, 2024: Currently Closed

 

Who can apply?

Seeding Strength Grants are open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people and organisations led by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young people aged 16-35. 

We will prioritise applications from grassroots. By grassroots, we mean campaigns, projects and movements that are based in community and not attached to an organisation. Please read the grant guidelines for further information on eligibility. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the application process look like?

NOT RELEVANT TO JAN 26 GRANTS

  • Step 1: Fill out this short Expression of Interest form, by writing or video. If you need help, book a time with our team.  Someone else can also apply on your behalf.
    You can attach any supporting documents that you think will strengthen your application. For example, a written letter of support from community. Though you don’t have to complete this step until your application has been shortlisted, we have linked a Budget template and Theory of Change template in preparation for the final interview.
  • Step 2: You’ll be notified if you have made it onto the shortlist by 18 August 2024. If you are on the shortlist, you’ll be invited to do a more detailed application (including a breakdown of budget and the theory of change) and/or interview. This will involve meeting with a member of our First Nations team to complete the documents and you’ll also record a short video.
    If you aren’t comfortable recording your own video, we can help with that. 
  • Step 3: The panel will consider your application. You’ll be notified of the outcome of your application by 4 September 2024. If you are unsuccessful, there will be an opportunity for you to meet with the First Nations team to get more feedback. 
  • Step 4: If you are successful, the funds will be released to you by mid-September. 
  • Step 5: There’ll be a reporting process, but we’ll keep it simple. We’ll tailor this to your needs.

 

What happens after I submit my application?

NOT RELEVANT TO JAN 26 GRANTS

  • The shortlist: You’ll be notified if you have made it onto the shortlist by 30 August 2024. If you are on the shortlist, you’ll be invited to meet online with a member of the First Nations team to finalise a more detailed application (including a breakdown of budget & theory of change) with an accompanying video explaining your project/ program.
  • Final decision: The panel will consider your application. You’ll be notified of the outcome of your application by 27 September 2024. If you are unsuccessful, there will be an opportunity for you to meet with the First Nations team to get more feedback here.
  • If you are successful, the funds will be released to you by mid-October.
  • Reporting: There’ll be a reporting process, but we’ll keep it simple. We’ll tailor this to your needs.

 

How will recipients be chosen?

Grant recipients will be selected by a panel of three First Nations people from our First Nations Governance Group. These are all young mob aged under 35 years. You can read more about our First Nations Governance Group here.

Priority will be given to grassroots and not-for-profit campaigns, projects, organisations and movements. 

We will also aim to fund a diverse mix (age, ability, gender, mobs) of people and projects recognising that there are multiple layers of discrimination and injustice for intersectional mob. We select grant recipients based on the following criteria in our grant guidelines.  

 

What happens if my application is successful?

Successful recipients will:

  • Spend the fund within a 3 month period on the initiative they outline in application. 
  • Have access to governance and operational infrastructure support so you can focus
  • Be supported by the FYA First Nations team to submit a short evaluation report to demonstrate the impact of your work with the aim of securing ongoing sustainable funding for long term change.

 

What happens if my application is unsuccessful?
If you don’t make the shortlist or your final application to the panel is unsuccessful, you can still get some feedback from our team on these documents for your next funding application.

 

Who can I contact for more information?

If you have questions you can contact Jordan Wimbis at jordan.wimbis@fya.org.au or Laura Murphy-Oates at laura.murphyoates@fya.org.au.