Applying for a Glencore SmartyGrant

Glencore Coal’s Community Investment Program supports activities and programs that make a positive contribution to the communities in which they operate, including our local area of Tieri/Capella.

To receive funding through this program, community initiatives must fall within at least one of the Glencore’s focus areas – health, environment, education and training, Indigenous and/or an identified local need – and applicants must demonstrate how their initiative will make a positive contribution to their community.

A 2025 Oaky Creek Community Investment grant is available for application three times a year. Round 2 is currently accepting submissions (see below). The amount of funding available per organisation allows for multiple community groups to benefit from the program. Glencore will accept applications up to a maximum of $10,000 and assess them on their merit and value to the community.

The 2025 Oaky Creek Local Family and Community Events grant accepts applications all year round, until 15th December. Again, to allow multiple community groups to benefit from the grants, the funding per organisation is assessed on the number of applications received, the site budget, and the community value the event offers. To note, the maximum that can be given to any organisation is capped at $10,000.

For either grant, applications for a portion of the total project, initiative or event cost will only be considered if funding for the remaining project costs have already been secured, either from the organisation itself, or through other funding sources.

Is your community project eligible for funding?
As previous grant recipients, Friends of Capella Cultural Centre, suggest in their interview , “firstly, and importantly, make sure you are in fact eligible for the grant you’re applying for”.

To be eligible for either an Oaky Creek Community Investment grant or a Local Family and Community Events grant, applications must:

• be from a not-for-profit, incorporated organisation operating a separate, auditable organisational bank account
• demonstrate the organisation’s ability to manage the proposed project/activity in a professional manner
• primarily benefit at least one of the communities where we operate (i.e. Tieri)
• address a substantiated need in the community
• demonstrate how the initiative will directly benefit the
local community
• demonstrate a high level of community involvement (i.e. be widely beneficial to the community)
• demonstrate financial sustainability (i.e. not become reliant on ongoing funding from Glencore)
• have clearly defined objectives and time frames
• be received at least 8 weeks prior to the planned project/activity/event implementation, or within the funding round time frame.
• Complete projects/initiatives/events within 12 months from the time of funding (unless an agreed multiyear project is approved).

What information is required?
“Read the guidelines provided as they will tell you exactly what information you need to pull together,” explains the Friends of Capella Cultural Centre, and it’s a great tip to follow.

Simply head to the relevant application page (see below), and you can either preview the application form online, or download it. Either way, it shows you exactly what information you need to gather before completing and submitting your application.

2025 Oaky Creek Coal Community Investment Round 2 – NOW OPEN!
Note: Submissions close midnight 31st August 2025 (AEST). With round 3 opening 1st September to the 15th December (AEDT)

2025 Oaky Creek Coal Local Community and Family Events Grants – NOW OPEN!
Note: Submissions close midnight 15 December 2025 (AEST).

Here’s an idea of some of the questions you can expect to be asked in the application:
Details about your organisation:

• ABN
• Entity name
• Are you registered for GST?
• Main business location
• Primary contact details
• How long has your organisation been established?
• How many members does your organisation have?
Details about the aim of your proposed project, initiative or event
• Name of the project/event?
• Who will manage or oversee it?
• A short (~100 words) description of your project/event and what you are hoping to do
• Which Glencore focus area (health, environment, education and training, Indigenous and/or an identified local need) your project addresses
• What community need does it address?
• Who will benefit from the project/event? (gender, age and location/region of those participating in the project)
• What 3 things do you want your project/event to
achieve in terms of benefits for participants and/or others (~200 words)
• What contribution will your organisation make to the project/event?
• What steps will your organisation take to implement this project/event?
• When do you propose to start the project?
• When is the estimated completion date?
Financial details
• How much money are you applying for?
• What is the total budgeted cost of your project/event?
• Provide a breakdown of items or services that need to be purchased for the project/event, their respective cost, and where the money is coming from (e.g. a local council grant, other industry grant, your organisation)
• Attach all relevant quotes that you have received for the various items or services required

“There’s a common misperception that the application takes a long time to complete, but previous applicants continually tell us that’s not the case,” says Kate French, Senior Environment & Community Advisor at OCC.
“The part that takes the longest is nailing down exactly what you need for the project or event, and what it’s going to cost you. That’s all information any organisation should be gathering regardless of whether they’re applying for a grant or not. Once you know the specifics – the rationale and goal for your project, the desired outcome or benefit it will bring to the community, what resources you need for it to be successful, where you’re going to get those from, how much they’re going to cost you, and so on – the application for a Glencore SmartyGrant is smooth sailing.”