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Grants for community projects
We support and inspire local community groups across Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra through our Community Grants Program.
Applications now open
Community groups can apply for a grant of up to $10,000 (minimum of $5,000) to fund their initiative. Projects should bring communities together for learning, education and collaborative action.
We're looking for initiatives that empower people to protect, conserve and value water – now and into the future. These may include activities that build understanding of local waterways and systems, including First Nations connection to water, support adaptation to growth and climate change, or increase awareness of how water is delivered to homes and workplaces.
Your project will contribute to a sustainable and resilient water supply for communities.
We invite applications from grassroots community groups, volunteer organisations, education institutions, local government with community partners, sporting groups and other community-minded organisations that share our vision of creating a better life for today and generations to come.
We encourage applications that respectfully incorporate First Nations knowledge, cultural stories and teachings, recognising their deep connection to water and Country.
2026 program theme and focus areas
Water is an essential part of daily life. It's at the heart of the places where we love to live and play. We couldn't imagine a world without it. How we value water connects us with our environment and each other.
This year, we're seeking projects under the theme Driving a sustainable water future. Projects will be selected for their impact on one or more of these focus areas:
Water education
Projects that educate our community about our connection to water, First Nations connection to water and its cultural value, water in our environment, and water efficiency to ensure a resilient water future. They have a clear call to action that will inspire, and drive behaviour change surrounding water in the community.
Healthy waterways
Projects that support the health of our waterways, including rivers, beaches, and parks and green spaces that interact with waterways. They benefit the health of our local aquatic environments through clean-ups, restoring vegetation or increasing biodiversity.
Water conservation
Projects that reduce, reuse and recycle water to lower water consumption and drive a resilient water future. They result in significant water savings through the development and implementation of water-saving technologies, devices, appliances and systems, as well as engaging and educating community on saving water.
Key dates
- Applications open Monday 4 May 2026
- Applications close 5pm Tuesday 9 June 2026
- Announcement of community grant recipients August 2026
If you have questions, email us at communitygrants@sydneywater.com.au.
Key documents and information
Our 2025 community grant recipients
| Grant recipient and project | Suburb |
|---|---|
Afghan Resource Centre Incorporated | Auburn |
Arndell School | North Ryde |
Australian Aid Youth Association Incorporated | Guildford |
Beecroft Primary School Parents & Citizens Association | Beecroft |
Georges River Combined Councils' Committee Incorporated | Fairfield |
Hunters Hill High School Parents & Citizens Association | Hunters Hill |
Primbee Public School | Primbee |
Past community grant projects
Hewitts Creek Community River Restoration
Thirroul's Hewitts Creek site experienced multiple significant flooding events from 2022 to 2024, which resulted in severe erosion, bank instability and extensive loss of riparian vegetation. Flood levels reached heights not recorded in living history, leaving the creek and surrounding environment extremely damaged.
The community came together with a strong commitment to restoring and protecting their local waterway.
The project was awarded a Sydney Water Community Grant in 2024 to support efforts to stabilise riverbanks, re‑establish native riparian vegetation, reduce sediment run-off and improve water quality.
Community members collaborated throughout the project on activities that included landholder engagement, site assessments, revegetation workshops, coordinated planting days and the implementation of ongoing weed management programs.
Strong community participation and collaboration with revegetation experts ensured the Hewitts Creek Community River Restoration project delivered significant outcomes. More than 1,200 native plants were planted along the creek, residents received expert revegetation advice and guidance, and a dedicated community group continues to care for Hewitts Creek into the future.
Hewitts Creek working bee, with team hard at work
Communities in Fellowship Together
Communities in Fellowship Together is a community group that focuses on empowering women and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to overcome challenges and barriers so they can thrive. Using grant funds, the group ran several events and multilingual workshops focused on water education and conservation, for children and families. These events included water-themed art competitions and a holiday program for children to learn about water in the Blacktown local government area.
To improve water literacy and increase social connection for families, the group also posted educational content on social media. These activities led to many great conversations in the community, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and stewardship among children and families.
Communities in Fellowship Together event
Advance Diversity Services – multicultural water field education
Advance Diversity Services, a 2024 community grant recipient, delivered 6 healthy waterways education sessions for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including Chinese, Ukrainian, Arabic, Nepalese and Thai, at Carss Park, Georges River.
Leaflets were produced in 6 languages to create awareness of the healthy waterways sessions to explore, learn and protect our waterways while connecting with community.
Delivered by environmental officers, each session addressed the water cycle, wastewater education, river health, stormwater management and waterways protection work. Participants gained a deeper understanding of stormwater systems, and the measures implemented to reduce pollution. Useful tips were also shared on how to maintain healthy waterways and protect natural water resources. Each workshop concluded with a cleanup activity by the river.
Chinese community healthy waterways workshop
SF3 Smartphone Filmmaking Masterclass Series
The SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3) team used community grant funding to deliver the Sydney Water and SF3 Smartphone Filmmaking Masterclass Series. The program equipped participants with new digital storytelling skills through engagement with water education while fostering creativity and environmental awareness.
Participants wrote, edited and shot their own short water-themed film. Two Illawarra-based workshops (one for youth and one for adults) were delivered in partnership with Screen Illawarra, and a 4-part series was also delivered for Stage 2 and 3 students at Scarborough Public School.
The final cuts reflected strong creative interpretations of water, with all films screened at a free public event.
SF3 free public event