About the Community Partnership Fund
The Community Partnership Fund (CPF) gives funding over several years to support important ongoing services that meet Council priorities and fill service gaps.
What is the funding period?
1 January 2027 to 30 June 2030
What is funded?
Staff costs, program planning and basic running costs needed to deliver the service during the funding period.
What is not funded?
One-off events, short-term projects, past costs, or services that don’t match Council priorities. For a full list, check the Community Grants Guidelines [PDF]
Who should apply?
Experienced organisations delivering essential, specialist, or priority services across the Knox community.
Key changes
- Streamlining funding streams from 6 to 3.
- Making all CPF funding streams open to a competitive application process.
Key 2026 dates
| When | Time | What | Where | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April | 10 am – 12 pm | Knox City Council grant information session | Knox City Council | Book grant information session |
| 6 May | 6:30 pm – 9 pm | Grant writing training session | Knox City Council | Book grant writing training session |
| 13 May | 7 pm – 9 pm | Knox City Council grant information session | Online | Book grant information session |
| 25 May | 9 am | Applications open | NA | NA |
| 28 May | 7 am – 9 pm | Knox City Council grant information session | Knox City Council | Book grant information session |
| 9 June | NA | One‑on‑one support session | Knox City Council | Book one‑on‑one support |
| 11 June | AM | One‑on‑one support session | Knox City Council | Book one‑on‑one support |
| 11 June | PM | One‑on‑one support session | Westfield Knox Library | Book one‑on‑one support |
| 22 June | 11:59 pm | Applications close | NA | NA |
| 26 October | 7 pm | Council meeting (endorsement of Panel recommendations) | Knox City Council | NA |
| 1 November | NA | Funding starts | NA | NA |
Funding streams
You must apply for more than $15,001. Each funding stream can give up to $150,149.50 for 2027–2028. Ask for an amount that is realistic, but you might not get the full amount. The final amount will depend on the assessment and may vary between streams.
Apply for a grant
You must apply online using the SmartyGrants system. Do not leave your application until the last minute. Technical problems or errors in your form could stop you from submitting it. Late applications will not be accepted. If your application is incomplete or unclear, it may affect your chances of being successful.
You can submit up to 3 applications, as long as each one is for a different project or event. You need to fill out a separate form for each application.
Documents required as part of your application include:
- Public Liability Insurance Certificate of Currency
- Financial Income and Expenditure Report / Balance Sheet
- Annual Report
- Evidence of Current Legal Status
If your application is unsuccessful
After the October Council meeting, we will email the contact person for each unsuccessful application to let them know the outcome.
Council’s decision is final. You can ask the Community Grants team for feedback and apply again in the future.
Your privacy
Under the Information Privacy Act, Council collects your information to register and manage your grant application for the funding period. We may also use your information to send you updates and to check how satisfied you are with our services. We will not share your information unless the law requires us to. We will not share it with others for marketing purposes.
Learn about other grants
Council runs information sessions for community groups to learn about different funding options. Contact the Community Grants Team for session schedules and help with finding out which grant best suits your organisation, group or club needs.
More information
You may find the following information and templates useful:
- Community Grants Guidelines [PDF]
- Grants Framework Policy (PDF)
- Grants Lingo @ Knox – guide to grants terminology
- SmartyGrants guide for applicants
Community group updates
We have regular updates for not-for-profit and volunteer-based community groups.
Need help?
Contact us and we will come back to you.
Or call our Grants team on 9298 8000 or email [email protected].
