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Grants for 2026 National Science Week engagement activities
National Science Week Grants 2026
Closing date: Monday 29 September 2025 5:00pm AEST Mon 29 Sep 2025 5:00pm AEST
What do you get?
Grants of between $2,000 and $20,000 for community participation in National Science Week 2026 activities.
Who is this for?
Individuals and organisations
About the program
National Science Week is Australia’s major national celebration of the sciences, occurring in August each year. National Science Week 2026 will be held from 15 to 23 August 2026. National Science Week is run across Australia and provides the opportunity for wide community participation in high profile science engagement activities across the nation.
The objectives of the grant opportunity are to:
- inspire wide community participation in STEM
- provide an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge
- encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public
- encourage younger people to become fascinated by the world we live in
- encourage new and innovative ways of engaging with audiences.
The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:
- increase national and international interest in Australian science
- improve critical engagement with key scientific issues by the public
- increase inspiration drawn from science and improve the value of science as perceived by the public.
Up to $500,000 is available for National Science Week Grants 2026.
- The minimum grant amount is $2,000.
- The maximum grant amount is $20,000.
Check if you can apply
You can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are a set of rules that describe who we can consider for this grant. You can apply if you:
- are an eligible entity
- have an eligible project
- have eligible expenditure.
The rules are in the grant opportunity guidelines.
You can apply if you:
- are an individual 18 years of age or older, or
- have an Australian business number (ABN).
You can’t apply if you are:
- an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s list of Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme
- an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
- a non-corporate Commonwealth entity (unless you are a publicly funded research organisation, as defined in section 14 of the grant opportunity guidelines)
- a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust).
Partner with other organisations
You can partner with one or more other organisations to deliver the project. But you must decide who the lead organisation is.
The lead organisation must fill out the application form, be the main driver of the project and eligible to apply.
If your application is successful, the lead organisation:
- signs the grant agreement
- is responsible for making sure your group follows the rules in the grant agreement
- identifies all members of the proposed group and provides a letter of support from each project partner (as detailed in Section 7.2 of the grant opportunity guidelines). A template letter of support is located on this page under ‘key documents’
- has a formal arrangement in place with all parties prior to execution of the grant agreement.
You must complete your project by 21 September 2026.
To be eligible our project must:
- be directed towards a science-related activity that will be available to the general public and aim to cater to the wider community
- be conducted in Australia during National Science Week 2026, or where appropriate, in the week before or after National Science Week 2026
- address one or more of the following purposes:
- draw the nation’s attention towards the sciences
- spark broad interest and engagement in the sciences
- provide an opportunity for all Australians, including those historically underrepresented in the sciences, to participate in science events and activities
- foster partnerships between the community, research organisations and industry
- trial new and innovative science communication activities
- be delivered in at least one of the following formats:
- an in-person event involving physical attendance
- an online event involving two-way audience participation or involvement
- include eligible project activities.
Examples of eligible activities include:
- events relating to existing exhibitions (including travelling exhibitions)
- cinema and theatre
- debates
- quizzes
- open days
- interactive presentations and workshops
- expos and fairs
- forums
- online events that include two-way audience participation or involvement, such as interactive virtual tours, online Q&As or online workshops.
We may also approve other activities.
You can apply for a grant between $2,000 and $20,000.
You can use this grant funding for:
- travel and accommodation
- external venue hire
- equipment hire
- external presenter fees and travel
- consumable materials used during your event
- tools that directly relate to the project
- prizes
- event advertising and promotion, including graphic design
- visual displays and signage for the event
- costs associated with a change in delivery method (for example, virtual tours and online streaming of events) if required
- bilingual support, interpreting and translation costs
- development of video and online content in preparation for the event.
How to apply
Check if you’re ready to apply for a grant
Finding a suitable grant opportunity is just the start of the process to get funding. The application process can take time and effort. Understanding the entire process will help you be grant ready and may improve your chances of getting funding.
Use our checklist to find out what it takes to apply for a grant.
When you're ready to apply
Apply using our online portal:
- Create or log into your portal account.
- Follow the instructions to complete your application.
- Submit your application before the close date.
Make sure you include enough detail and supporting evidence in your application to help us decide whether to award you the grant.
Don’t submit the application until it’s complete. You can’t correct a mistake.
We first review your application against the eligibility criteria. If eligible, your application will be assessed against the assessment criteria. Only eligible applications will proceed to the assessment stage. We may undertake due diligence processes when assessing eligibility and merit.
We consider your application on its merits, based on:
- how well it meets the criteria
- how it compares to other applications
- whether it provides value with relevant money.
To be competitive you must score highly against all of the assessment criteria.
- Assessment criterion 1: The reach, impact and benefits of the project (70 points)
- Assessment criterion 2: Your capacity, capability and resources to carry out the project (30 points)
When assessing the extent to which the application represents value with relevant money, we will have regard to:
- the overall objective/s of the grant opportunity
- the evidence provided to demonstrate how your project contributes to meeting those objectives
- the relative value of the grant sought
- how the grant activities will engage with groups or individuals, especially those historically underrepresented in STEM.
We refer your application to the National Science Week Grants Committee (the Committee), an independent committee of experts. The Committee may also seek additional advice from independent technical experts or advisors to inform the assessment process. Any expert or advisor, who is not a Commonwealth Official, will be required to perform their duties in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles (CGRPs).
The Program Delegate who is a Manager within the Business Grants Hub in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) with responsibility for administering the program, decides which grants to approve, taking into account the recommendations and advice of the committee and the availability of grants funds.
Apply now
Apply for the National Science Week 2026 Grants now
Before you apply, make sure you:
- read and understand the grant opportunity guidelines
- read the sample application form
- read the sample grant agreement.
Sample applications
The best way to understand what information you need to provide is to start an application. We have also provided a version to download at the bottom of this page.
Technical help
See our customer portal's frequently asked questions to help with your queries. If you can't find your answer, contact us for assistance.
We can’t consider the application you submit after the close date under any circumstances.
Past and future rounds
Contact
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