Civic engagement — active participation in the democratic and community life of society — is foundational to a healthy democracy. In Australia, voting is compulsory — but participation goes far beyond casting a ballot: community advocacy, engagement with local government, participation in public consultations, informed citizenship, and involvement in civil society. Grant funding supports civic education, community advocacy, participation for marginalised groups, youth civic engagement, and the institutions that build the informed, active citizenry democracy requires.
Australia's democratic context
Participation gaps
Why civic engagement matters
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC)
Electoral education and enrolment support.
State electoral commissions
State-level electoral education.
Local government
Community consultation and participation.
The Paul Ramsay Foundation
Systemic change including civic participation.
The Myer Foundation
Community and democracy.
Philanthropy Australia
Some advocacy for civil society.
Lord Mayor's Charitable Fund
Community participation.
GetUp!
Progressive civic engagement (membership-funded).
Electoral literacy and participation
Community advocacy training
Youth civic engagement
CALD civic engagement
First Nations civic participation
People with disability
Women in civic life
Participatory democracy
Community advocacy organisations
Media and information
Local government — councils — is where civic engagement is most accessible:
- Local government decisions affect daily life (roads, parks, planning, rates)
- Councillors are accessible (most will meet constituents)
- Community members can stand for council
- Public participation in council meetings
Grant funding for local civic engagement — community participation in council decisions, training people to engage effectively with councils — builds democracy at the most local level.
Enrolment focus
Australia's compulsory voting system requires enrolment, and many eligible Australians — particularly young people and new citizens — are not enrolled. Applications specifically driving enrolment among under-registered groups are high-impact.
Deliberative processes
Citizen assemblies and deliberative democracy processes have produced significant policy insights (Irish Citizens Assembly, ACT Citizens Assembly). Applications developing deliberative democracy infrastructure are building new democratic capacity.
Marginalised voices
The communities most affected by government decisions are often least represented in civic processes. Applications that specifically build civic participation for disadvantaged communities address a genuine equity gap.
Nonpartisan
Civic engagement grant funding is most credible when genuinely nonpartisan — building participation capacity without favoring particular political perspectives. Applications with clear nonpartisan commitments are more credible to diverse funders.
Tahua's grants management platform supports civic engagement funders and democracy organisations — with programme participant tracking, civic action measurement, community reach data, and the reporting tools that help civic engagement funders demonstrate their investment in building an engaged, empowered Australian democracy.