Latrobe Health Services Small Grants Program
Funding health outcomes for rural and regional Australia
The Latrobe Health Services Small Grants Program funds programs and initiatives that strengthen health outcomes for Latrobe Health Services members, and rural and regional Australians. Got an idea that could make your community healthier? That’s exactly what this program is here to back (wherever in Australia you are).
Why the Small Grants Program exists
Latrobe Health has a long history of being active in health and community outcomes. Challenges with accessibility, equity and affordability of health services across rural and regional locations are well known and long standing, and they’re only becoming more common. Research consistently shows that health outcomes for rural and regional Australians are poorer than for people in metropolitan areas.
As a regionally based health insurer, we see these trends affecting our rural and regional members every day. That’s what led to the Latrobe Health Services Small Grants Program.
What are the four health pillars?
Our focus sits across four health pillars, and we invite applicants to apply for grants that make an impact on one or more of them.
Applying for a small grant
Step 1: Read
To be eligible for a grant, your organisation must meet all of the following criteria:
- Your initiative directly impacts rural or regional Australia.
- You hold a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN).
- You’re a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, or a not-for-profit community group.
- You’ve been operating for more than 12 months.
Before applying, read the Latrobe Health Grant Guidelines.
Step 2: Collate
Have your supporting documentation ready, such as:
- quotes
- proposals
- designs
- letters of support
- other relevant documentation.
Step 3: Submit
- Application deadline: the current round of Small Grants closes at 5pm on Sunday 11 October.
- Assessment period: we consider all grants once applications close.
- Notification: every applicant hears the outcome of their application by the end of November 2026.
- Project start date: projects should begin within three months of receiving funding.
Being a not-for-profit health insurer means being active in health and community outcomes
Grant FAQs
What types of projects and organisations have been funded?
Here are the successful recipients of the January-February 2026 round of the Latrobe Health Services Small Grants Program:
| Applicant | Project | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Zoe Support Australia | Safe Minds, Strong Families: Strengthening Staff Capacity through Mental Health First Aid Training | Build the capacity of Zoe Support staff based in Mildura to better understand, support and respond to the mental health and wellbeing needs of young mothers and their children through accredited Mental Health First Aid Training. |
| The Sisterhood Project Inc | Gippsland Families First Aid & Health Literacy Program | Delivery of free baby and child first aid and health literacy sessions for parents and carers across Gippsland. |
| KidsXpress | Expressive Therapy for Vulnerable Children in the Snowy Valleys | Free trauma-informed Expressive Therapy for vulnerable children in the Snowy Valley (New South Wales). |
| Australian Dental Foundation | Healthy Smiles for Latrobe Seniors | Activation of a dental outreach team through new infection control equipment to service aged care facilities across the Latrobe Valley. |
| Life Education NSW Ltd | Strong Starts, Stronger Communities: A regional initiative to embed preventative health and wellbeing from the classroom into the community | Preventative health education in schools and early learning centres combined with a Healthy Harold Festival of Health for children and families in disadvantaged and rural communities in Parkes, Moree and Kempsey in New South Wales. |
| Cystic Fibrosis Queensland | Mental Health First Aid – Caring for our Rural Communities | Upskill accredited Mental Health First Aid instructors to deliver online training to rural and regional participants across Queensland and the Northern Territory. |
| Earbus Foundation of WA | Clinical Outreach program for Carnarvon and newborn hearing screening for remote WA | Delivery of mobile ear and hearing health services, including equipment for newborn hearing screening in the Perth and Geraldton region, and clinical outreach across the Carnarvon/Gascoyne region. |
| Lions Eye Health Program – Australia | Lions Children’s Vision Screening Program – Western Queensland Run | A no-cost children’s vision screening program delivered to isolated and rural communities in Western Queensland by a team of trained volunteers, supporting early identification of vision issues. |
| Traralgon Imperials Cricket Club | Purchase a defibrillator | Purchase of a defibrillator to provide a vital, life-saving resource for players, spectators and the broader community. |
| Rochester Business Network | Move, Nourish, Connect | Delivery of affordable and free healthy living activities in Rochester, including fitness classes, nutrition education and mental wellbeing sessions, with support from local health services. It aims to promote early intervention and improve long-term community health. |
| Kentish House, Glenhaven Family Care Inc. | Mini Health Station | A mobile health check service promoting early intervention in a region of Tasmania that finds it hard to recruit community nursing staff. There are plans to take the station to events focused on vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. |
| Mallala RSL | Hearty Health at the Plains | Installation of a Health Station at the Two Wells Library (South Australia) to engage veterans and farmers across the Adelaide Plains area. |
What is the purpose of the Latrobe Health Small Grants Program?
The program aims to improve health outcomes in rural and regional Australia by funding initiatives that build health literacy, access, equity and affordability.
Who is eligible to apply for a Latrobe Health Small Grant?
To be eligible, your organisation must:
- run an initiative that directly impacts rural or regional Australia
- hold a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN)
- be a not-for-profit community group or charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
- have been operating for more than 12 months.
Can government departments or agencies apply?
No, government departments and agencies aren’t eligible. Only not-for-profit community groups or charities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission can apply.
Can members of the public apply for grants and partnerships?
No, individuals and sole traders can’t apply. Grants are open to eligible organisations across Australia.
Can organisations that aren’t health-focused apply?
Yes, as long as the project itself focuses on improving health outcomes and fits the program’s objectives.
What are the program’s key objectives?
The program funds initiatives that contribute to:
- Health literacy: improving the community’s understanding and knowledge of health.
- Health access: improving access to health services and resources.
- Health equity: reducing health disparities and promoting equality in health.
- Health affordability: making health care more affordable for the community.
What information and documents does the application need?
- A detailed proposal outlining your initiative and how it lines up with the program’s objectives.
- Evidence of your organisation’s knowledge, experience and capacity to deliver the initiative.
- Supporting documents such as quotes, plans or other relevant materials.
How do I apply for a grant?
Complete the grant application form on the Latrobe Health website. Answer every question fully, and upload any supporting documents (quotes and event programs are good examples).
What’s the deadline for an application?
Application rounds open multiple times a year. Check the Grant Guidelines for the current round’s dates.
What sort of projects might be supported?
We don’t want to limit your creativity, but your project does need to align with one of the four health pillars: literacy, equity, access or affordability. A few ideas that could work: a health education session run by qualified educators (literacy), first aid training for a community group (access and literacy), workshops that explain medical information and chronic disease management (literacy), or funding for a health station at a community event (access).
How are grant recipients selected?
The selection process includes:
- an initial check against the eligibility criteria
- a detailed review of the proposal and supporting documents
- consideration of the initiative’s potential impact on health outcomes for regional and rural Australians.
Can I submit a draft application for review before submitting the final version?
No, we don’t formally review draft applications, but we’re happy to answer specific questions about the process. Email us at grants@lhs.com.au and we’ll get back to you within 10 business days.
Who can I contact if I have questions about my application?
Email us at grants@lhs.com.au and we’ll get back to you within 10 business days.
What are the funding and reporting requirements?
Successful applicants must submit a final report detailing the project’s outcomes and how the grant funds were used. We’ll provide specific reporting requirements to every successful applicant.
Are there restrictions on how the grant money can be used?
Yes. Grant funds must be used for the purposes set out in your approved proposal and in line with the grant agreement. The Latrobe Health Small Grants Program won’t fund:
- programs or initiatives not delivered in rural or regional Australia
- assets not directly related to health outcomes that could be used for private purposes (for example, computers or vehicles)
- general fundraising activities
- core operating and administrative costs not related to the program
- programs or initiatives that don’t directly impact one or more of the four health pillars
- programs or initiatives that may present a hazard to the community
- gifts, such as gift cards.
Catering and marketing costs can be part of the program budget, provided they’re kept to a minimum. Latrobe Health Services can request amendments to these costs, or exclude them from funding.
The Latrobe Health Small Grants Program supports initiatives that strengthen health outcomes for Latrobe Health members, and rural and regional Australians.
Need a hand?
We’re here to help
Talk to our team on the phone, or send us a message and we’ll come back to you.