Apply for a Grant

What could you make happen with a Wayahead grant?

Grant applications are now OPEN

Making grants accessible for everyone

The Small Grant Program is open to community groups, not-for-profit organisations, schools, local services, and grassroots initiatives across NSW. Applicants must be able to deliver a Mental Health Month project or event during October in line with the annual theme.

Applications for the 2026 Small Grant Program are open until June 5th

Wayahead team

Assessment and Judging Process

Grant applications are assessed by an independent judging panel comprising mental health experts, sector professionals, and individuals with lived or professional experience working with specific communities, including Youth, LGBTQIA+, CALD, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Wayahead staff do not participate in the assessment or decision-making process.

Applications are assessed against the following criteria:

  • Innovation and creativity

  • Community reach and engagement
  • Feasibility and planning

  • Alignment with the Mental Health Month theme

  • involvement of people with lived experience of mental ill-health and/or people from marginalised groups in the planning and implementation of the project

Eligibility Checklist

Before applying, please ensure that:

  • Your organisation, group, or initiative is based in NSW or delivers services to NSW communities

  • You are a community group, not-for-profit organisation, school, or local service

  • Your proposed project or event will be delivered during Mental Health Month (October)

  • Your activity aligns with the Mental Health Month theme

  • You have the capacity to plan and deliver the project or event within the required timeframe

  • You can provide formal invoicing documentation (e.g. tax invoice or equivalent) to receive grant funds

  • You have a nominated contact person responsible for managing the grant

You do not need prior experience running Mental Health Month events or professional grant-writing skills to apply.

Not eligible:

  • The funding request is for ongoing operational costs (e.g. rent, wages, utilities)

  • The funding is used to profit your organisation/group/community.

  • Your organisation/group or initiative is not based in NSW/Does not benefit the NSW population

  • You cannot provide an invoice

Commonly Asked Questions

Yes. If your event, project, or program is being delivered solely to a NSW-based population, you are eligible to apply for a grant.

You are encouraged to apply under the category that best aligns with your project or target population. However, if the judging panel feels your application is better suited to a different category, they may recommend it be reassigned to a more appropriate category for assessment.

Funding is allocated per program, project, or event, not per application or category. This means that if the same initiative is submitted across multiple categories, it will only be considered for one and can only receive a single grant.

Yes. As long as you are able to provide an invoice, you are eligible to apply. The funding must be used directly to support the delivery of the project, program, or event.

We encourage partnerships in the delivery of your event, program, or project. Please ensure you clearly outline who you are partnering with, whether they are contributing financially, and the amount of any funding or support being provided. This will be on the application form.

Grant categories you can apply for

Please find below all the grant categories that Wayahead offer. When grant applications are open simply click on the Apply button under each grant to start your application.

Please be aware that the grant application forms do not have a save function. We suggest drafting your responses in a separate document and then transferring them to the form. If you have any inquiries or require alternative methods for submitting your application, feel free to contact us.

If you’re looking to apply for a grant, you can view all the application questions associated with each grant here.

General Grant

The General Grant category invites groups and organisations to deliver a project or event during October that promotes mental health awareness. Initiatives are aligned with the annual theme and take a creative approach in how they engage their communities. Through this grant, Wayahead supports these initiatives to strengthen their reach and impact at a local level.

Apply Here

Youth Grant

The Youth Grant category invites groups and organisations to deliver a project or event during October that promotes mental health awareness among young people. Initiatives are aligned with the annual theme and take creative approaches that engage and support younger people. Through this grant, Wayahead partners with recipients to help strengthen the reach and impact of youth-led/youth-targeted mental health initiatives within their communities.

Apply Here

LGBTQIA+ Grant

The LGBTQIA+ Grant category invites groups, and organisations supporting LGBTQIA+ communities to deliver a project or event during October that promotes mental health awareness and support. Initiatives are aligned with the annual theme and take creative approaches that engage the community. Through this grant, Wayahead partners with recipients to help strengthen the reach and impact of LGBTQIA+ mental health initiatives within their communities.

Apply Here

CALD Grant

The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Grant category invites groups and organisations supporting CALD communities to deliver a project or event during October that promotes mental health awareness and support. Initiatives are aligned with the annual theme and take creative approaches that engage CALD communities or groups. Through this grant, Wayahead partners with recipients to help strengthen the reach and impact of culturally inclusive mental health initiatives.

Apply Here

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Grant

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Grant category invites groups and organisations supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deliver a project or event during October that promotes mental health awareness and support. Initiatives are aligned with the annual theme and reflect the strengths, culture and priorities of their communities. Through this grant, Wayahead partners with recipients to help strengthen the reach and impact of community-led mental health initiatives.

Apply Here