If your club or community group is inside the Brisbane City Council area, the Lord Mayor's Community Fund is one of the simplest grants you can apply for. It is small, local and decided ward by ward, which means the competition is your neighbours, not every club in Queensland.
The 2026-27 application forms are live on Council's grants portal, with a separate form for each ward.[3] This guide covers what the fund pays for, what it doesn't, and the timing rule that most often costs clubs the money.
How much you can get
Community organisations can apply for between $250 and $10,000, GST exclusive. The $10,000 is a cap per organisation per financial year, not per application, so a club that receives $6,000 in July can only ask for $4,000 more before 30 June.[1]
Each ward has its own allocation, published on Council's website.[1] In past years applications have stayed open until a June closing date or until the ward's budget was spent, whichever came first.[2] In practice that makes the fund first in, best dressed. A ward that has funded a lot of projects early in the year can run dry well before June, so apply as soon as your project is ready rather than waiting for a deadline.
What it pays for
Council's guidelines give examples of what can be funded:[1]
- community events, including fundraisers and festivals with an entry fee
- equipment hired for a community event
- equipment and activities for a community sporting organisation in the ward
- improvements and equipment for community facilities
- improvements to school facilities, where there is a documented usage agreement with a community organisation
Projects must take place within the ward you apply to,[3] and they must contribute to the Brisbane Vision, which Council describes as a city that is friendly and safe, active and healthy, clean and green, or vibrant and creative.[2]
What it won't pay for
The guidelines rule out:[1]
- ongoing running costs such as insurance, electricity, rent or administration
- donations and sponsorships
- motor vehicles and alcohol
- projects outside the Brisbane City Council area
- projects with a political purpose
- projects that have already started before funding is approved
That last one matters more than it looks. If your club buys the new equipment or books the event before the grant is approved, the project is no longer eligible.
The timing rule that catches clubs out
Applications must be submitted online at least 10 business days before the project starts.[1] The ward form repeats the point: no retrospective funding, and the project cannot begin before the application is approved. It also needs to be finished within 12 months of approval.[4]
So the order is: decide the project, get your quotes, apply, wait for approval, then spend. Working backwards from an event date, a club should be applying at least three to four weeks out, and earlier is safer.
How to apply
1. Read the guidelines and terms and conditions on Council's website.[1] 2. Work out which ward the project is in. It is the project's location that counts, not your committee's home addresses.[3] 3. Talk to the ward office before you apply. Council recommends it, and the office can tell you whether there is budget left this year.[3] 4. Complete the online form for that ward. Most fields are mandatory and an incomplete form may not submit.[3]
If you are funded, Council asks that you acknowledge the program with the words "Supported by the Lord Mayor's Community Fund".[2]
Pairing it with bigger grants
At up to $10,000, the Lord Mayor's Community Fund suits equipment, small facility upgrades and events. For bigger projects, Queensland clubs usually look at the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, which has offered up to $35,000 in its standard rounds. Round 127 closed on 28 September 2026 and the next round has not yet been announced, so the work to do now is getting quotes and paperwork ready.
Want us to check it for your club?
Ask for a free grant check. We will tell you which open grants your club can apply for, including your ward's Lord Mayor's Community Fund, and give you a fixed price if one is worth writing.