Early Years
Aboriginal controlled organisations and community-led have the skills, knowledge and experience to implement strategies to create these nurturing environments for children.
CAGES Foundation invests in these organisations in two ways.
Our community grants stream provides one off grants to organisations providing services to children and their families.
Our strategic partnership stream provides long-term funding to organisations working on a community driven childhood initiative.
Our Grants
CAGES Foundation invests in these organisations and activities in two ways:
- Early Years
- Economic Inclusion
For examples of previous funding, please see our Annual reports.
Early Years Partnerships Guidelines
Strategic Partnerships Criteria
CAGES Foundation’s strategic partnerships in the Early Years are focused on opportunities which build a robust First Nations led early childhood system. Initiatives may be specifically for children aged 0-5 or the family, workers, organisations and community who build an environment for children to thrive in the first five years of their life.
Early Years Strategic Partnership Guidelines:
- Preference for Aboriginal controlled or led organisations
- Long-term work involving core organisational funding, skills transfer, infrastructure, systemic change/advocacy and/or program development
- Activities focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the first five years of life
- Primarily focusing on organisations working in NSW (there may be exceptions for advocacy or systems change at a national level)
- Any activity must be endorsed by community
- Organisations must have DGR1 tax status.
Strategic Partnerships all start with a conversation. There are no grant rounds. Opportunities are limited due to the long-term nature of our existing partnerships.
To discuss further please email info@cagesfoundation.org or click the Enquire here button.
Once we receive your enquiry we will be in touch within two weeks.
- Long-term work involving skills transfer, infrastructure, systemic change or program development.
- Activities focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the first five years of life.
- We will be primarily focusing on organisations working in NSW or based on the east coast who have a national reach.
- There is a strong preference for Aboriginal controlled organisations or organisations that can demonstrate they are working at the request of community.
- Any activity must be community endorsed. All organisations must have DGR1 tax status.
Community Grant Guidelines
Community Grant Criteria
Our aim for these grants is to reduce barriers for organisations to access funds, allowing them to take the next steps in realising the aspirations they have for the children and families they service.
Grants are always open and are distributed three times per year.
Community Grant Guidelines:
- Aboriginal controlled or led organisations are only eligible
- Activities will be focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the first five years of life and their families.
- Request for funding up to $25,000 will be considered
- Grants are one-off (i.e. funding requests that are short-term in nature rather than those likely to require ongoing funding)
- Any activity must be community endorsed
- All organisations must have DGR1 tax status (in the case your organisation does NOT have DGR1 status, please contact us to discuss before applying).
Important to note: to balance the limited availability of funds with equitable access, priority will be given to:
- organisations which do not currently have a pathway to philanthropic funding or have not recently received a donation from CAGES Foundation
- organisations which have existing early years/family led work embedded in their service or in their strategy
When we receive your application, we will be in touch to advise when the next distribution will be.
Any questions, please contact us info@cagesfoundation.org
Our aim for these grants is to reduce barriers for organisations to access funds, allowing them to take the next steps in realising the aspirations they have for the children and families they service.
Grants are always open and are distributed three times per year.
Community Grant Guidelines:
- Aboriginal controlled or led organisations are only eligible
- Activities will be focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the first five years of life and their families.
- Request for funding up to $25,000 will be considered
- Grants are one-off (i.e. funding requests that are short-term in nature rather than those likely to require ongoing funding)
- Any activity must be community endorsed
- All organisations must have DGR1 tax status (in the case your organisation does NOT have DGR1 status, please contact us to discuss before applying).
Important to note: to balance the limited availability of funds with equitable access, priority will be given to:
- organisations which do not currently have a pathway to philanthropic funding or have not recently received a donation from CAGES Foundation
- organisations which have existing early years/family led work embedded in their service or in their strategy
When we receive your application, we will be in touch to advise when the next distribution will be.
Any questions, please contact us info@cagesfoundation.org
Economic Inclusion
First Nation people are the first entrepreneurs and business people in Australia. Colonisation created structures that prevent and exclude Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from wealth creation.
Our economic inclusion grants are designed to help build sustainable economic solutions created by, and for Indigenous people. Ways we might assist include:
core operating expenses, including salaries, communications and business development costs. developing internal investment products within Aboriginal controlled non-government organisations.
Grants are made on a rolling basis and are open for enquiry all year. These grants are separate to any financial impact investment that the investment committee of CAGES Foundation may make from the foundation’s corpus.
Economic Inclusion Grant Criteria
- Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation.
- Any activity must be community endorsed.
- All organisations must have DGR1 tax status.
First Nation people are the first entrepreneurs and business people of Australia. Colonisation created structures that prevent and exclude Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from wealth creation.
CAGES Foundation Economic Inclusion Grants exist to assist First Nations businesses and enterprises to attract investment and build revenue whilst supporting sustainable communities.
These grants are separate to any financial impact investment that the investment committee of CAGES Foundation may make from the foundation’s corpus.
Economic Inclusion Guidelines:
- Preference for Aboriginal Community Controlled or led organisation
- Organisations that are working toward breaking down systemic barriers and creating opportunities that exist for First Nations businesses
- Funding might include:
- Core operating expenses, including salaries, communications and business development costs.
- Developing internal investment products within Aboriginal controlled non-government organisations.
- Any activity must be community endorsed
- All organisations must have DGR1 tax status.
All partnerships start with a conversation. There are no grant rounds. Opportunities are limited due to the long-term nature of our existing partnerships.
Once we receive your enquiry we will be in touch within two weeks regarding any potential funding opportunities and next steps.
Economic Inclusion
First Nation people are the first entrepreneurs and business people in Australia. Colonisation created structures that prevent and exclude Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from wealth creation.
Our economic inclusion grants are designed to help build sustainable economic solutions created by, and for Indigenous people. Ways we might assist include:
core operating expenses, including salaries, communications and business development costs. developing internal investment products within Aboriginal controlled non-government organisations.
Grants are made on a rolling basis and are open for enquiry all year. These grants are separate to any financial impact investment that the investment committee of CAGES Foundation may make from the foundation’s corpus.
Economic Inclusion Grant Criteria
- Aboriginal Community Controlled organisation.
- Any activity must be community endorsed.
- All organisations must have DGR1 tax status.
Strategic Partnerships Criteria
- Long-term work involving skills transfer, infrastructure, systemic change or program development.
- Activities focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the first five years of life.
- We will be primarily focusing on organisations working in NSW or based on the east coast who have a national reach.
- There is a strong preference for Aboriginal controlled organisations or organisations that can demonstrate they are working at the request of community.
- Any activity must be community endorsed. All organisations must have DGR1 tax status.