Most NFP boards I’ve spoken to assume a website comes out of the general budget — if there’s budget for it at all. The idea that grants could fund it doesn’t always come up, because the people managing grant applications aren’t usually the ones thinking about the website.
But there are real programs — federal, state, and corporate — that can either fund your website directly or reduce the cost of everything around it. Some of them are specifically designed for digital projects. Others accept websites as part of a broader community project. And some of the most valuable ones aren’t grants at all — they’re free tools and platforms worth thousands of dollars a year.
Here’s what’s available in 2026, with a focus on WA where I’m based.
Lotterywest — the biggest opportunity for WA organisations
If you’re a not-for-profit in Western Australia, Lotterywest should be your first conversation.
Their Grassroots Community-Led grants are open year-round — no fixed application rounds, no deadline pressure. They fund projects that strengthen communities, and digital projects absolutely qualify. Lotterywest has funded some significant digital work — One Tree Community Services received over $1.1 million for a digital transformation project. You’re not going to get that for a brochure website, but it shows that Lotterywest takes digital infrastructure seriously.
For a typical small NFP, you’d be looking at their smaller grant categories. The key is framing. A grant application for “we need a new website” is weaker than one for “we need a digital platform that enables online referrals, volunteer recruitment, and community access to our services.” Same website — but the second version connects it to your mission.
Lotterywest also funds the WA Digital Inclusion Project through WACOSS, which received $3.97 million in Phase 1 plus $1.5 million in Phase 2 (from July 2025). This focuses on building digital capability across WA’s community services sector. If your organisation delivers community services and your digital capability is low, this is worth knowing about.
How to apply: Visit lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants or contact them directly. They have grants officers who’ll talk you through the process before you apply — use that. It’s free guidance from people who want to fund good projects.
Google Ad Grants — $120,000 a year in free advertising
This is the single most valuable program that most small charities don’t know about.
Google for Nonprofits gives ACNC-registered charities access to Google Ad Grants — up to USD$10,000 per month in free Google Search Ads. That’s roughly $120,000 AUD per year in free advertising. Not a discount. Free.
The grant covers Search Ads only (not Display or YouTube ads through this program), and there are rules — you need to maintain a minimum 5% click-through rate, your ads need to link to relevant content, and you can’t use single-word keywords. But for a small charity that’s never done any paid advertising, this is a significant boost to online visibility.
To qualify, you need to be registered with the ACNC and apply directly through Google for Nonprofits. Your eligibility is verified by Goodstack (Google’s third-party verification partner for Australia). The application process takes a few weeks. Once approved, you manage the ads through Google Ads — or you can find someone to help you set up the campaigns.
Here’s the catch though: Google Ad Grants drives traffic to your website. If your website isn’t set up to convert that traffic — clear calls to action, a donation page that works, a volunteer signup form — you’ll get visitors who don’t do anything. The grant is most powerful when your website is already doing its job.
Stronger Communities Programme — federal, up to $20,000
The Stronger Communities Programme has previously offered grants of $2,500 to $20,000 for small capital projects, explicitly listing “significant upgrades of websites or applications/application software” as eligible expenditure. Round 9 closed in 2025, and no Round 10 has been announced at the time of writing.
There’s a catch with this one: your local federal MP needs to nominate your project. Each MP can support a limited number of projects per round. So the process is to approach your MP’s office, explain the project, and ask if they’ll nominate you. Building a relationship with your local MP’s electorate staff before you need something is worth the effort.
The program requires matched funding — your organisation contributes at least $1 for every $1 of grant money (either cash, in-kind, or volunteer time). For a $5,000 website project, that means $2,500 from the grant and $2,500 from your organisation.
Free and discounted tech tools
These aren’t grants, but they reduce your costs significantly.
Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits — free and discounted licences for email, Word, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint. The free tier (Business Basic) gives you custom email addresses, online Office apps, and 1TB of cloud storage. Access through Connecting Up (connectingup.org), Australia’s TechSoup partner, which provides discounted and donated technology from Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, and over 70 other brands for ACNC-registered charities.
Canva for Nonprofits — free Canva Pro access. That’s normally $165/year per user. Apply directly through Canva’s nonprofit program — they verify your eligibility through Goodstack.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits — free Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet) with your organisation’s domain. Apply directly through Google for Nonprofits.
To access Microsoft and other donated technology, register with Connecting Up at connectingup.org. They verify your ACNC registration and give you access to discounted software. For Google and Canva programs, apply directly through those platforms.
Other programs worth knowing about
Telstra Connected Communities — provides grants of up to $10,000 for digital projects that support community connection. Not always open — check their website for current rounds.
Other programs that have historically supported NFP digital projects include Web Prophets IT Grants (up to $5,000/year, though it’s unclear whether the program is currently active) and the Little Phil Foundation’s digital marketing grants (listed as up to $30,000, though this typically requires co-contribution and partnership with their platform — check the terms carefully).
YouTube Nonprofit Program — available through Google for Nonprofits. Gives you access to features like donation cards on videos, Link Anywhere cards, and production resources. Less directly relevant to websites, but useful if video is part of your content strategy.
How to include website costs in a grant application
If you’re applying for a grant that doesn’t specifically mention websites, you can still include website costs — you just need to frame it right.
Connect it to your mission. “A website that enables online referrals and service access” is infrastructure that supports your purpose. “A new website because ours is outdated” is an operational expense. Same project, different framing. The first gets funded. The second doesn’t.
Include the full cost of ownership. Don’t just quote the build cost. Include hosting, domain renewal, ongoing maintenance, content updates, and any platform fees over the grant period (usually 12 months). A $1,000 website with $500 in annual running costs is $1,500 in year one — and the grant body wants to see you’ve thought beyond the launch.
Show the impact. What will the website enable that you can’t do now? More volunteer signups? Online donations? Wider reach for your services? Quantify it where you can — “we currently receive 3 referrals per month by phone; an online referral form could increase this based on similar organisations’ experience.”
Budget realistically. Grant assessors can tell when costs are inflated. A $10,000 quote for a basic informational website will raise questions. Know what a reasonable build costs — my NFP website guide covers the pricing ranges — and budget accordingly.
A note on timing
Grant applications take time. Lotterywest’s Grassroots grants have no deadline but the assessment process runs several weeks. Federal programs like the Stronger Communities Programme operate in fixed rounds when open. Google for Nonprofits takes 2–4 weeks to verify.
If you need a website now and you’re hoping to fund it through a grant, start the application process first — but don’t wait for approval before planning the project. Know what you need, get quotes, and be ready to move when the funding comes through.
And if the grant doesn’t come through, a professional website for a small NFP doesn’t have to cost thousands. I charge $500 for a one-page site and $1,000 for a full build, with discounts for not-for-profits on a case-by-case basis. The grant is a bonus — not a prerequisite.
If you’d like to talk through your options, book a 15-minute chat — I’m happy to help you figure out which programs are relevant and what a realistic website budget looks like for your organisation. My page on websites for community organisations has the full picture of how I work with NDIS providers and NFPs.
Frequently asked questions
Can Lotterywest fund a website for my WA not-for-profit?
Yes. Lotterywest's Grassroots Community-Led grants are open year-round and can fund digital projects including websites. Your application will be stronger if the website directly supports your mission delivery — for example, enabling online service access, volunteer recruitment, or community engagement. Lotterywest has funded digital transformation projects worth over $1 million for WA organisations.
How do I get Google Ad Grants for my charity?
You need to be an ACNC-registered charity and apply directly through Google for Nonprofits, where your eligibility is verified by Goodstack (Google's third-party verification partner for Australia). Once approved, you get up to USD$10,000 per month in free Google Search Ads — roughly $120,000 AUD per year. There are rules about how you use the grant (search ads only, minimum click-through rates), but for most small charities it's a significant boost to online visibility.
Can I include website costs in a grant application?
Yes — many grants accept website development as an eligible expense. The federal Stronger Communities Programme has previously listed website upgrades explicitly (Round 9 is now closed; future rounds may reopen). For other grants, frame the website as infrastructure that supports your mission — 'enabling online referrals,' 'improving community access to services,' or 'building volunteer recruitment capacity.' Include the full cost of ownership over the grant period, not just the build.
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