SA Power Networks Community Grants
In 2026, our grants program focused on one key theme – Connection.
Eligible community groups applied for grants of up to $5,000 to support initiatives that strengthen human connection and create meaningful social impact across South Australia.
Social isolation and disconnection continue to impact many communities across South Australia, particularly in regional areas and among vulnerable groups. Strong social connections are essential to wellbeing and community resilience.
As an organisation connected to households and communities across the state, SA Power Networks is committed to supporting initiatives that bring people together in meaningful ways and help strengthen social connection at a local level.
2026 Recipients
Over $150,000 was shared across 34 projects and organisations, see below a list of successful recipients.
| Organisation | Project | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Koala and Wildlife Centre | Creating a permanent outdoor volunteer gathering and support space, including a year-round pergola, to support volunteer wellbeing and retention. | Metropolitan |
| Border Bubs and Families (through Pinnaroo Community Incorporated) | Funding a childhood first-aid course for families and caregivers in Pinnaroo. The training will build confidence and practical skills to respond to childhood emergencies, particularly where ambulance response times can be lengthy in a regional area. | Murraylands |
| Bute 2000 Onwards Committee | Hosting the free Bute Summer Community Connections Event, featuring shared dining, live music, children’s activities, entertainment and a neurodivergent-friendly calm play space. | Mid North |
| Charles Campbell College | Delivering Joining Generations – an eight-week intergenerational program connecting students with older people from local aged-care providers. Activities including storytelling, exercise, art, music, and cooking, with the aim to reduce social isolation, challenge ageism and build confidence and connection. | Metropolitan |
| Collab4Good (through GOGO Foundation) | Delivering Peers4Good: Participant Reconnect – a six-week series of peer-led meetups for women who previously participated in a reintegration program following prison, providing an opportunity to reconnect and lower social isolation. | Metropolitan |
| Communication Language & Culture Network | Delivering two free community barbecue events for job seekers, students, graduates, skilled migrants, employers and local businesses to build networks and pathways to employment, mentoring and volunteering. | Metropolitan |
| Community Care and Transport (Care in Motion) | Providing branded high-visibility vests for volunteer community transport drivers travelling across regional and remote South Australia. The vests will improve volunteer visibility, safety, comfort and professional identification while supporting those in the community with limited mobility the ability to access essential medical, shopping and social appointments. | Yorke Peninsula |
| Delta Therapy Dogs | Expanding therapy dog visits across Adelaide health and community services to reduce loneliness and strengthen social connection for vulnerable community members. Funding will support volunteer recruitment, assessment, training, placement and ongoing program support. | Metropolitan |
| Edithburgh Progress Association | Installing reliable free public Wi-Fi at the Edithburgh Institute to improve digital access, communication, safety and use of the historic community facility. | Yorke Peninsula |
| Eudunda Christmas Party Committee (through Eudunda Community, Business & Tourism Committee) | Hosting the annual Eudunda community street parade and Christmas party, featuring local floats, music, market and food stalls, free children’s activities, rides and entertainment. Funding will support the rides and entertainment that make the event accessible and enjoyable for the whole community. | Mid North |
| Flinders Foundation | Implementing a trained Facility Dog program at the Noarlunga Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit to support wellbeing, engagement and social connection. | Metropolitan |
| Gawler Environment Centre | Transforming an underused outdoor area into an accessible, paved community gathering and presentation space. The upgrade will support environmental education, workshops, school visits, nature-based play, volunteer activities and community events. | Metropolitan |
| Greenhill Water Supply Company | Producing a short oral-history video documenting the community-led establishment of the Greenhill Water Supply Company and its role in local water security. | Adelaide Hills |
| HAS Foundation Australia | Delivering connection-focused workshops for bereaved mums, dads and siblings following the death of a child, helping families build lasting peer-support networks. | Metropolitan |
| headspace Port Lincoln | Establishing a youth makerspace through the purchase of a 3D printer and materials for young people aged 12-25. Participants will learn design and printing skills while creating practical items, and, building confidence, creativity and digital literacy. | Eyre Peninsula |
| Hills Football League | Delivering a Gather Round-style opening weekend for the 2027 Hills Football League season at The Summit Sport and Recreation Park. The event will bring clubs together through football matches, junior clinics, family activities, food, music and inclusive participation opportunities. | Adelaide Hills |
| Jamestown Community School Student Leaders | Supporting students to volunteer across Jamestown through activities such as fundraising barbecues, visiting older residents, helping Meals on Wheels, planting trees, cleaning public spaces and supporting local businesses. The initiative builds young people’s sense of belonging while giving back to the community. | Mid North |
| Light Country Community Centre | Fitting out a new Food Relief and Community Hub in Kapunda, including accessibility and safety improvements to support food relief, community meals and visiting services. | Mid North |
| Migrant Women Professional Network South Australia | Delivering six connection-focused events for professional migrant women, including networking evenings, storytelling forums, wellbeing sessions, peer-support workshops, a leadership panel and a community celebration. | Metropolitan |
| Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Australia | Expanding its volunteer program to recruit, train and support more volunteers assisting people living with motor neurone disease, their families and carers. Volunteers will contribute to programs including Listening and Support, Special Memories photobooks and Carers Walks. | Metropolitan |
| Mount Barker Family House | Delivering free monthly community barbecues to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together in a welcoming, inclusive environment. The social gatherings will support people experiencing isolation and encourage connection with local services, community-centre programs and volunteering opportunities. | Adelaide Hills |
| Northern Wolves Soccer Club | Hosting a junior disco for young players and their families, creating a safe and inclusive opportunity to build friendships, celebrate participation and strengthen club connections outside regular competition. | Metropolitan |
| Parents Who Have Been There | Delivering Dinners On Us, a project providing fortnightly meals, drinks and connection opportunities for parents and families with premature or sick babies in neonatal care. The initiative reduces practical pressures and helps families feel supported during a challenging time. | Metropolitan |
| Port Lincoln Junior Primary School | Developing an authentic Barngarla language and culture resource kit for educators to use confidently in classrooms, and help strength daily learning about language, identity, culture and connection to Country for school students. | Eyre Peninsula |
| Port Pirie Smelters Picnic Committee | Hiring an Autism SA Sensory Zone Kit and engaging a qualified support person for the Port Pirie Smelters Picnic. The calm, adaptable space will provide children and families with a safe place to rest, regulate and participate in the annual event. | Mid North |
| Remote and Isolated Children’s Exercise (RICE) | Purchasing portable photography and videography equipment to strengthen online learning and outreach for geographically isolated families. The equipment will help RICE capture diverse learning environments, expand digital engagement and showcase life in remote and regional South Australia. | Mid North |
| Spirit of Woman | Engaging an artist to develop a design for a scalable public-art memorial in Mount Gambier to honour victims of domestic and family violence. | Limestone Coast |
| St John’s Youth Services | Delivering Connection to Thrive, a program providing flexible practical support to young people aged 16–25 who have experienced, or are at risk of, homelessness. Funding will remove barriers to participating in community, cultural, social and wellbeing activities, helping young people reconnect and build supportive networks. | Metropolitan |
| The Here for Good Foundation | Piloting facilitated ‘Men’s Learning Circles’ for South Australian men aged 18-35 experiencing disconnection or limited opportunities for meaningful peer engagement. The sessions will build trust, communication skills, emotional awareness, positive social norms and supportive relationships. | Metropolitan |
| The South Australian Country Women’s Association | Upgrading the Crystal Brook branch hall kitchen with commercial-grade refrigeration to replace ageing appliances that do not meet modern food-safety requirements. The improvements will create a safer, more energy-efficient community facility for local groups, events and fundraising activities. | Mid North |
| Thrive – Streaky Bay and Districts | Enhancing the Thrive Community Garden by purchasing a pizza oven and solar-powered festoon lighting to support hosting regular “garden to plate” pizza nights. | Eyre Peninsula |
| Together in Pride Port Augusta | Helping bring to life the free Port Augusta Pride Picnic 2026 – an inclusive, family-friendly foreshore event for LGBTQIA+ people, families, allies and the wider community. | Mid North |
| Veteran’s Wellness Foundation | Building and fitting out a portable Veterans Outreach & Connection Trailer to support veteran gatherings, community barbecues, remembrance events and pop-up advocacy and wellbeing services across regional South Australia. | Regional South Australia |
| What Were You Wearing? Australia | Delivering free, culturally safe and trauma-informed healing groups for victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence. The groups will provide accessible support, reduce stigma and isolation, and create pathways to healing and connection. | Metropolitan |
Thank you to everyone who applied for a grant. With applications now closed for 2026, our grants program will be back in 2027.
Case studies
Port Pirie: A Garden That Brings People TogetherFrom seedlings to shared meals, the Port Pirie Community Garden is helping bring people together. A new shelter, supported by a Community Grant, is making it easier for the community to connect, learn and give back. |
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Pinar, 'the talking treeOur grant helped fund a key feature of the project to revitalise the Station Master's House at Tailem Bend. |
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The Zimbabwe Community of South AustraliaThe Zimbabwe Community of South Australia (ZICOSA) launched their solar powered, purpose-built BBQ trailer, which was funded by an SA Power Networks Community Grant. |
Past recipients
2025 |
SA Power Networks’ Community Grants Program is continuing to support projects making a positive difference across South Australia. In 2025, $132,000 was shared across 30 community groups and organisations, with grants of up to $5,000 supporting projects focused on growing a sustainable South Australia and fostering reconciliation and cultural understanding. From connecting young people with culture and Country to supporting community organisations and sustainability initiatives, the grants are helping bring a diverse range of projects to life across the state. See the full list of 2025 Community Grants recipients who delivered local community projects. |
2024
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For the third year in a row, SA Power Networks' Community Grants program is making a real difference at a local level. This year, over half of the funding is dedicated to projects in regional and remote communities, empowering South Australians across the state. We are thrilled to announce that 30 diverse groups are receiving grants of up to $5k in 2024. These passionate organisations will deliver impactful projects that benefit their communities. Imagine solar panels and battery storage powering community centers, schools equipped with cutting-edge STEM tools, vibrant community gardens flourishing, and educational programs addressing energy transition, bill reduction, and upcycling. These are just a few examples of the exciting initiatives our grants are supporting this year. For a list of the 2024 recipients, go to Announcing the 2024 SA Power Networks Community Grant Recipients!. |
2023
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The recipients of the 2023 SA Power Networks Community Grants have been announced. Successful projects include upgrades to parks, gardens, playgrounds and other community facilities, as well as support for mental health, inclusion programs and equipment and training for emergency response agencies. In total, 30 projects will be funded across the State, with over half of the funding supporting activities in regional and remote communities. SA Power Networks is delighted to be able to support our communities, and the many volunteer-led grass-roots organisations, through these grants. While we couldn’t support every application received, we know that our small investment will make a big difference to the local communities that we could fund. We would like to thank all organisations that applied for funding. We’d also like to thank the members of our Community Advisory Board and Community Reference Group who participated in the Assessment Panel. Their knowledge and expertise were invaluable for the Panel. For a list of the 2023 recipients, go to introducing our 2023 SA Power Networks Community Grant recipients. |
2022 |
We were delighted to award grants to 25 groups across South Australia. The funded activities were split between metro/suburban Adelaide and regional areas such as Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula, Hawker in the Flinders Ranges, Murray Bridge, the APY Lands and Kangaroo Island. We supported a range of wonderful ideas, from sustainable community gardens and lighting and solar upgrades to education programs for young people and innovative safety projects for remote areas. We are excited to announce the recipients of the inaugural SA Power Networks Community Grants 2022. |