Successful grants

A man and woman in a broadcasting studio smiling in front of a computer monitor

In Round 1 2025/26, we are pleased to continue funding a thriving, impactful and resilient future for community broadcasting where it is at the heart of every community.

In this round, 84 volunteer grant assessors were involved in independently assessing applications as part of our peer-to-peer review process – with assessments reviewed by our Grants Advisory Committees.

We received a combined total of 298 applications requesting $18,518,848. This includes:

147 Development & Operations applications requesting $12,900,511 – 130 applications have been offered funding totalling $6,881,194 with a further $946,489 in multi-year funding
85 Content applications requesting $3,038,875 – 68 Content applications have been offered funding totalling $1,709,450 with a further $358,790 in multi-year funding
61 Specialist Radio Programming applications requesting $2,052,662 – 61 applications have been offered funding totalling $1,691,808 (includes ongoing ethnic programming totalling $938,401 and ongoing first nations programming totalling $725,275 and ongoing Radio Reading programming of $28,132)
5 Sector Coordination grants requesting $526,800 – 5 Sector Coordination applications have been offered funding totalling $370,200

Overall, we have so far allocated a total of $10,652,652 across 264 grants in 2025/26 funding, with a further $1,305,279 in multi-year grants across 10 of those grants.

More details about individual grants are provided in our Round 1 2025/26 Grant allocations spreadsheet.

Content grants - June 2025

Assorted Grains (Loud & Proud Stories aired on 4ZZZ)

$19,968

Loud & Proud Stories will amplify contemporary LGBTQIA+ voices in Southeast Queensland through a podcast series and community radio broadcasts. Many queer stories remain unheard in mainstream media—this project provides a dedicated, accessible platform for authentic storytelling.

Community Broadcasting Foundation funding will provide essential support for professional production, editing, and distribution, ensuring these stories reach 4ZZZ Radio in Meanjin/Brisbane, podcast platforms, and additional community media outlets. Funding will also allow the program to capture stories at key community events (Loud & Proud Logan, Brisbane Pride Fair Day), increasing visibility and engagement. Without this grant, these stories may go untold, limiting representation and impact.

Yokai Healing Our Spirit (Truth Justice Healing: Yokai Radio via RTRFM)

$19,930

Yokai and RTRFM have come together to produce a specialist series of truth telling programs ‘Truth Justice Healing – Yokai Radio’ to air on RTRFM and as a podcast. There are three areas covered by the ‘Truth Justice Healing’ umbrella: History and Stories of Stolen Generations, Linking to Country: Exploration Radio, and Contemporary Conversations on Reconciliation ‘Bicentenary or Bust’. The rollout of episodes will be aligned within each area and anniversaries such as the National Apology, Invasion (Australia) Day and Reconciliation Week.

8CCC Community Radio (102.1 FM) (8CCC Big Brekky)

$88,255 over 3 years

This project will continue to employ 8CCC’s Breakfast Production team to support extensive community participation through live radio interviews, ensuring a diversity of voices within 8CCC’s broadcast and cross-platform content. The program supports connection between 8CCC’s station and other community media creators amplifying voices within its community by sharing content through different platforms.

Funding will support improvements to the program’s production values through program theme music, mentoring and marketing. The Breakfast show is live to air 480 hours each year with over 720 guests interviewed. 8CCC has built a dedicated team to support an accessible radio format, securing significant engagement with its broad and diverse community – demonstrating the valued role of its producers who spend an additional 480 hours per year connecting guests with the program and packaging interviews for podcasting and distribution.

Peri-M Party TV Series auspiced by C44 Adelaide Limited

$15,958

Funding will support the production of the Peri-M Party TV Series. Over 5 episodes, the program will open conversation and understanding around perimenopause and menopause. Many women feel ill-informed, experience uncomfortable symptoms, and face societal taboos. The series aims to provide a supportive platform for sharing experiences, insights, and expert knowledge. In-studio interviews will be supported by four live in-person events which will be filmed, aired as 4 ‘event episodes’ as well as integrated into the main 5 series episodes. Expert interview guests will provide educational and informational resources made freely available to viewers via the Peri-M Party website.

Inverell Community Radio Incorporated (STA FM) (STA FM Journalist for Local News)

$54,667

Funding will enable STA FM to employ a news journalist for 25 hours per week to investigate local issues, conduct interviews, provide live local sport updates and prepare four news bulletins each weekday for broadcast at 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am, 12pm, 1.00pm and 5.00pm. This will overcome the gap in news services in station’s region, which has widened since the contraction of local newspapers and commercial radio.

5UMA Umeewarra Aboriginal Media Association (Nunga Beats: Empowering Youth Through Music, Media, and Culture)

$26,250

This project aims to empower young people with leadership skills, media training, and hands-on experience in radio broadcasting and podcasting. By combining practical training with real-world media production, Umeewarra will equip youth with the confidence and skills to amplify their voices, share their stories, and engage with their communities in meaningful ways.

3OCR OCR FM (Sharing Older Voices)

$2,900

Funding will support the creation and broadcast of a new program by OCR FM covering discussions with older members of the station’s local community. These recordings will be edited into episodes chronicling the local history and people who have grown up or lived within OCR FM’s broadcast area. The funding will support the start up costs to produce the series – with hopes for the success of the program to generate further recordings in the future highlighting other small towns within our listening area.

Development & Operations grants - June 2025

2TLP Ngarralinyi Mid North Coast Broadcaster Indigenous Corporation (Upgrade Studio Equipment and Antenna)

$62,000

2TLP received funding for new studio equipment which will enable the station to upgrade and replace outdated mixing consoles, microphones, audio interfaces, and transmitters with state-of-the-art models. The new equipment will enhance sound quality and reliability, reduce technical disruptions and offer a more professional listening experience. It will also expand programming capabilities, including better live broadcasts, remote reporting and ensure that they continue to provide language, educational, local news, and community-driven content to their audience. The funding will also support the costs of replacing the station antenna which was badly affected by a lightning strike in January 2025.

4DDB Darling Downs Broadcasting Society Inc (Roof replacement, restoration and solar power preparation)

$85,441

102.7FM (4DDB Darling Downs Broadcasting Society Inc) is a community station dedicated to high-quality radio programming for Toowoomba, the Darling Downs & the Lockyer Valley. Funding will support replacement of their deteriorating and leaking roof and an upgrade to their roof structure to prepare for installation of solar power. The works will also restore window structures, damaged by the leaking roof, protecting valuable equipment and office records, ensuring the long-term sustainability of their operations, and ensuring the safety of volunteers, visitors and staff. The installation of solar panels will also reduce operational costs in line with the station’s sustainability goals.

Print Radio Tasmania Inc (7RPH) (Implement core activities to enhance resilience and long-term sustainability)

$148,138

Print Radio Tasmania has been Tasmania’s sole reading radio service since 1982 and provides accessible content for individuals with disabilities, including visual impairments and literacy barriers. Broadcasting via three transmitters, they reach both regional and metropolitan Tasmania. This Community Broadcasting Foundation grant will partially fund salaries and operational costs to support Print Radio Tasmania’s new strategy aimed at financial self-sustainability. With a new committee, the station is currently focusing on alternative income streams beyond 2025. Funding will also enable governance training for the station’s Committee of Management and the replacement of UPS batteries for reliable transmission during emergencies. These core activities will enhance Print Radio Tasmania’s resilience and long-term sustainability.

6HFM Heritage FM Inc (107.3 HFM Radio) (Upgrade outside broadcast equipment to allow for more community connections)

$15,438

107.3 HFM covers the council areas of City of Gosnells, Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, City of Armadale and City of Canning – engaging with the community through outside broadcasts, community fundraising events, volunteer events and a wide range of broadcasted programs offering numerous music genres and shows for diverse audiences.

107.3 HFM’s current outside broadcast equipment is aging, posing a reliability risk and a lack of flexibility along with limited technical support available from manufacturers. Funding will support equipment upgrade to increase the station’s capacity to do more outside broadcasts with easier setup/broadcast and enable integration with an app to allow mobile phone connectivity for more volunteers to use. Community Broadcasting Foundation funding will also support new marketing material to help increase station exposure at community events including more volunteers in branded apparel.

Phoenix FM Central Victorian Community Broadcasters Inc (Station Manager funding support)

$49,920

Phoenix FM received support to engage a Station Manager to continue to develop the station’s operations and improve its financial outlook. In the last 12 months, a volunteer member has increased station engagement and built new relationships with a diverse range of local community groups. This current momentum has resulted in increased membership, new sponsors, increase in outside broadcasts, new presenters, more diversity in programming and improved the station’s standing as a cultural asset. Funding has been provided to engage the volunteer in a paid Station Manager role – a first for the station – to support its increasing momentum and continued growth.

3BBR West Gippsland Community Radio Inc (FM Transmitter Replacement)

$13,592

3BBR received support to replace transmission equipment (FM exciter and RF power amplifier) that had become increasingly unreliable over the past 12 months. The station is seeking a new exciter/transmitter combination that will also provide an interface for remote status monitoring – to serve as a future-proof alternative input solution to its Studio Transmitter Link (STL).

Assessor feedback for applicants - June 2025

Each grant round, our volunteer Grant Assessors look closely at applications, providing comments and scores.

We’ve listed some of the most common feedback about applications from our most recent grant round to help when preparing future applications.

Development & Operations:

To strengthen your application, it would have been helpful to include more detailed supporting information about the items you were requesting funding for. For example, this could include things like quotes for requested items, an equipment replacement plan, rent invoices, photos of old or damaged equipment, a transmission site block diagram, current financial report or organisational chart.

In the Capacity section, it’s important to show that the key people at your organisation are the best people for the job by referring to their skills and experience and attaching resumes/CVs if required.

In the Capacity section, it’s important to explain which goals you have achieved to date and not just what you plan to do. For example, how have you been tracking in relation to your Strategic Plan in the last year? How do the activities you are seeking funding for fit within your organisation’s strategic goals?

If applying for salary support, we encourage applicants to outline a plan on how it will contribute to the organisation’s financial sustainability

Applications for funding transmission costs should provide an explanation about how that frees up your resources to achieve your organisation’s outcomes

Content:

Consider including a demo, pilot or sample of a previous production that showcases the quality of the content to be produced. This helps assessors get a clearer sense of your vision and production standards.

Aim to provide clearer details about the content expected to be created from the project. This helps assessors better understand your goals and the nature of the project.

It can be helpful to identify who the target audience for your content is and explain how your content will be specifically created and promoted with them in mind.

Providing a clear, itemised budget – including breakdown of wages for salary costs – helps demonstrate a strong understanding of what’s involved in the financial management of the project/activities or funding.

Get in touch

Don’t forget, you can always ask for feedback on your application from your  Grants Support Team member.

Further resources