Grants for Individuals

Up to $10,000 for individuals and organisations in remote and very remote Australia, reducing the barriers that distance creates in education, health, training and community life.

About the Grant
The Connellan Airways Trust Grants for Individuals supports individuals in Remote and Very Remote Australia to overcome challenges caused by distance, isolation, and limited access to opportunities.

The grant is open three times a year for applications up to $10,000.

CAT welcomes applications from individuals across Remote and Very Remote Australia, overcoming isolation and accessing opportunity is valuable in its own right. However, CAT prioritises applications that show a meaningful benefit to your community, whether through the skills you develop, the knowledge you share, the services you go on to provide, or the example you set for others around you.

CAT gives additional weight to applications from individuals in Very Remote communities.

Who can apply

You are eligible to apply if you:

Live, work, or study in a Remote or Very Remote area of Australia for a minimum of two years
Are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
Are seeking support for something that your remoteness makes difficult or impossible to access without financial assistance
Can demonstrate a meaningful benefit to you or your community

Talk to Us Before You Apply

We strongly encourage all individual applicants to contact us before submitting an application.

A short conversation with our Executive Officer will help you understand whether your request is likely to be eligible, how to frame your application effectively, and whether we are the right source of funding for your situation.

Many of our successful individual applicants have spoken with us first. A 15-minute call can save you time and significantly improve your chances.

What we fund — and what we don't

CAT funds reasonable, evidence-based costs directly linked to your participation in an approved activity, including:

Travel: Flights, ground transport, or fuel costs to access your opportunity
Accommodation: Reasonable short-term accommodation during attendance
Course or program fees: Accredited training, workshops, or enrolment costs (not university tuition fees or boarding school fees)
Equipment or materials: Items directly needed to participate in your opportunity
Innovation: Costs for testing or developing new innovative approaches, products, or solutions
Other reasonable costs: Directly linked to your stated activity and supported by evidence

What We Don't Fund

Retrospective funding (activities you have already completed, or activities that will be complete before grant outcomes are announced)
Personal living costs such as rent, food, groceries, clothing, utilities, or personal vehicles
University course tuition fees or boarding school fees
Sport, including competitions, team travel, training camps, or equipment
Arts and creative activities
Fundraising events, prizes, or donations
Activities where the budget does not clearly show what the funding will specifically be used for
Requests that do not demonstrate a clear link between your remoteness and the barrier you are facing

How applications are assessed

CAT uses a transparent, three-stage assessment process:

Eligibility Check: Applications are screened against eligibility, remoteness criteria, allowable costs, and evidence requirements.
Scoring: Each eligible application is independently scored using CAT's evaluation rubric. Additional weight is given to applications from individuals living in Very Remote areas.
Ranking & Allocation: Applications are ranked by score and funded in order of merit. The board retains discretion to make final funding decisions.

Question	What assessors look for	Weight
What do you want to do?	A clear, well-defined activity with strong expected benefits for the community	20%
Why is this needed?	Evidence of genuine need and understanding of local context	25%
When, where and who?	A realistic plan with clear timelines, location and demonstrated readiness to deliver	20%
Budget and value	A transparent, well-supported budget with good value for money	15%
How will you measure success?	Clear, practical indicators of community benefit and how change will be tracked	10%
How will you share outcomes?	A plan to share results within your community or sector	10%

How to apply

Applications are submitted online through the Connellan Airways Trust grants portal. When a round is open, complete all required fields and submit electronically — no paperwork needs to be posted separately.

|If your internet connection is unreliable, an offline application option is available. Contact the Executive Officer on 1800 733 810 to arrange this.

You can create an account and review questions outside of open rounds to prepare your application in advance.