Fortescue Innovation Grants 2026

IMPORTANT: Please read the information below to assist you in completing your submission.

Before you begin

Thank you for your interest in the Fortescue Innovation Grants Program.

Fortescue's online grant application service is powered by SmartyGrants. If this is the first time you are applying using SmartyGrants, click ‘Start a Submission’, then ‘Register here’.

This section of the application form will help you determine your eligibility for the program before proceeding further. Please read it carefully and complete all questions, as this will help ensure you are applying for funding that aligns with the purpose and intent of the program.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or need support with the application process, please contact our team at community@fortescue.com.

If you need help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants or check out Applicant FAQ's.

About the Fortescue Innovation Grants

The Fortescue Innovation Grants are designed to empower Pilbara-based organisations to deliver bold, practical, and community-led solutions that drive environmental and sustainability outcomes. From smart waste initiatives and circular economy events to community gardens and youth-led climate action, we’re supporting the ideas that will shape a greener, more sustainable Pilbara.

For the purpose of this application, the term project may refer to a program, event, activity, or other initiative with a defined objective and outcome.

Before continuing, please ensure you’ve reviewed the following resources:

• Fortescue Innovation Grants Guidelines - Here

Important Information

• Only not-for-profit organisations, schools, and incorporated community groups are eligible to apply. Commercial businesses and government agencies (excluding schools) are not eligible.
• Projects must take place within one of the following Pilbara local government areas:

Town of Port Hedland, City of Karratha, Shire of Ashburton, or Shire of East Pilbara.

• The closing date of this round is the 30th of September 2025 at 5pm (AWST). No late applications will be accepted.

Funding Available

Applicants can apply for grants of up to $25,000 (excluding GST). The funding must be used for direct project costs and align with the program’s focus on community-driven environmental innovation.

Funding Limits and Eligible Expenditure

Applicants may request up to $25,000 (excluding GST) through the Fortescue Innovation Grants Program.

Funding is available to support the delivery of innovative, community-led projects that contribute to environmental sustainability and positive social impact in the Pilbara.

Examples of eligible expenses include:

• Planning and delivery costs directly related to the proposed project, such as marketing and communications, venue or equipment hire, printing, materials, and signage.
• Travel and accommodation for project facilitators, speakers, or technical experts delivering sustainability-focused workshops or activities.
• Community engagement initiatives such as environmental education sessions, youth-led sustainability projects, circular economy events, clean-up campaigns, smart waste management pilots, and local climate action programs.

What Fortescue Innovation Grants Do Not Fund

• Retrospective costs (e.g. projects already delivered, or expenses already incurred).
• Core operational costs such as ongoing wages and salaries unrelated to project delivery.
• Alcohol or associated licences.
• Deficit or debt repayment for an organisation.
• General administrative overheads exceeding 10% of total project costs.
• Routine, seasonal, or recurring club activities that do not demonstrate innovation or sustainability outcomes.
• Ceremonial or religious activities that are not inclusive of the broader community.
• Applicants with overdue acquittals or outstanding obligations from previous Fortescue funding.

Supporting Information Required

The application form will ask for details and documentation to support your request, which may include:

• Applicant and authorised contact details.
• ABN or incorporation number.
• Auspicing details (if applicable).
• Project overview including key activities, timeline, and location.
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Alignment with the Fortescue Innovation Grants program objectives.
• Community benefit, support, and inclusion considerations.
• Budget (including the amount requested, total project cost, income sources, and detailed expense breakdown).
• Quotes or pricing evidence for any single item or service over $500.
• Bank details (including proof of account).
• Your approach to recognising Fortescue’s contribution if successful.
• Formal business registration document (a document that shows the key company details such as the legal entity name, type of organisation and tax identification number such as an ABN extract (Australia), Certificate of Incorporation (UK), W9 Form (US) or any other local alternative that is used in the vendor’s country of registration / origin.
• Independent confirmation of Vendor bank account details, in one of the following ways: o Letter directly from the bank; or o Bank statement less than 6 months old; or o Void Cheque *Any documentation from banks located outside of Australia, must display the account’s IBAN or SWIFT code

Attachments

You may need to upload/submit attachments to support your application. This is very simple but requires you to have the documents saved on your computer, or on a storage device.

You need to allow enough time for each file to upload before trying to attach another file. Files can be up to 25MB each; however, we do recommend trying to keep files to a maximum of 5MB – the larger the file, the longer the upload time.