Community Grants

To be eligible for and receive an SA Power Networks Community Grant, applicants must:

• be an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, registered charity on the ACNC, school or community group with a registered Australian Business Number (ABN);
• deliver the funded activity in South Australia within 12 months from the date of receiving funding;
• agree to share activity outcomes with SA Power Networks, in the form of photographs or short videos, written updates and a short acquittal upon activity completion;
• agree to SA Power Networks promoting you and the activity your grant supports on SA Power Networks websites, social media, through annual reports and other channels;
• be open to SA Power Networks participating in the activity and related promotional activities; and
• hold a current bank account in Australia in its name.

Through SA Power Networks Community Grants, we are seeking to fund activities, programs, events or equipment which will help make a positive impact in one or both of the following areas:

• Growing a sustainable SA
• Supporting innovation for future growth

Please find some activity examples below.

Growing a sustainable SA

Championing environmental and social sustainability for our State.

• Electrifying community facilities (eg replacing gas appliances/hot water with electric etc)
• Supporting energy self-sufficiency and the adoption of renewable energy technologies (eg installing solar, battery, EV chargers on community facilities)
• Energy education for vulnerable customers (eg developing and delivering energy education/awareness/efficiency courses, materials & resources for diverse and vulnerable customers)

Supporting innovation for future growth

Promoting innovative approaches to tackle current or future challenges.

• Driving operational efficiencies and security through technology (eg using AI & data, improving cyber security etc)
• Supporting STEM & future STEM uptake
• Supporting vulnerable customers and communities (eg designing and delivering energy ‘self-help’ or other energy innovations)
• Challenging processes with lean or innovative thinking, showing innovation and commitment to safety
• Using robotics for industrial automation, digitalisation and sustainability

SA Power Networks Community Grants cannot fund:

• individuals, commercial businesses and government entities (except public schools and kindergartens);
• activities outside of South Australia;
• activities which have already been completed prior to the Application Period;
• activities which occur during the Determination Period
• organisations or activities which do not reflect SA Power Networks values;
• organisations or activities which do not reflect local community standards;
• activities which denigrate or exclude members of the community;
• activities which are or could be perceived to be unsafe or cause harm to people, animals or the environment;
• political or religious pursuits;
• organisations or activities associated with gambling,  drugs or alcohol; and
• organisations, individuals or bodies unwilling to provide sufficient details on the proposed program.

We’ve made a few changes to the 2024 program including changes to the focus areas and revising the grant assessment criteria.  

Our 2024 grants program will focus on two key areas: sustainability and innovation. We are committed to supporting community projects, ensuring a greener, more sustainable future. Please be aware that our target areas may vary each year, which could affect your eligibility for the program.

Yes. We expect to receive more applications than we can fund. Applications will therefore be assessed against six criteria.

It's worth exploring other community grants available, including those offered by local councils, state governments, and other organisations to maximise your chances of securing funding for your initiatives.

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria: 

• Location – Where will the activity be delivered? Where do the beneficiaries of the activity live? 
• Beneficiaries – Who will benefit from the activity? What benefit(s) will the activity deliver?
• Reach – How far does the support go to those in the community?
• Previous funding – What funding or support (this includes in-kind support) has the organisation received from SA Power Networks in the past two calendar years (2022 and 2023)? Have you applied for and/or secured funding for the activity from other funding sources?  
• Project impact – What long term impact will the activity have? How will the impact be measured? 
• Alignment with focus areas – How does the activity outcomes align with the focus areas (Growing a sustainable SA and/or Supporting innovation for future growth)?

Funding decisions will be made by a panel that includes representatives from across SA Power Networks as well as our Community Reference Group and our Community Advisory Board.

The program will use an online application form, submitted through the SA Power Networks’ Talking Power website.

Applications will open 9am, Monday 4 March 2024 and close at 5pm Sunday 14 April. Register your interest, by competing the form at the top of this web page, and we’ll send you a reminder when applications are open.

All applicants will be advised of the outcome no later than 30 June 2024. Therefore, activities that qualify for funding must commence after this date.

Applicants can only apply once per funding round. If you have applied in a previous round, you are welcome to reapply again if you meet all the criteria. 

A printable information sheet with all the questions and eligibility criteria is available to download to assist organisations prepare their application. However, the application must be completed and submitted using the program’s online form. Any applications that are not submitted through the online form will be ineligible for consideration of funding.

Download the information sheet with the application questions.

Our community grants program provides funding to support activities that make a positive difference in South Australia. An important part of your application is explaining how you will evaluate the impact of your activity and therefore demonstrating how our funding will make a positive difference in our community.

Thinking about how you will evaluate impact is an important part of project planning and can help you think about what benefits your activity will deliver.

Evaluating impact is equally relevant to all activity types: programs, events, equipment purchase etc.

A good way to think about how you will evaluate impact is to first of all outline the logic model. A logic model is a clear explanation of how the funding will deliver the outcome. Next, think about how you will measure the outcome, what data you will need to calculate your expected outcomes and how you will collect and record this. Finally, think about how you will evaluate your activity, comparing the outcomes that you expected with the outcomes that you achieved.