Active travel — walking, cycling, and other non-motorised transport for everyday journeys — has significant health, environmental, and transport benefits. Grant funding for active travel infrastructure and programmes comes from transport, health, environment, and sport sectors. This guide covers the key funding sources for active travel in Australia.
Active travel funding comes from multiple sectors:
- Transport agencies: Infrastructure for safe walking and cycling
- Health agencies: Physical activity and chronic disease prevention
- Environment: Reducing car dependency and emissions
- Sport: Cycling and walking as sport and recreation
- Local councils: The most important funding partner for active travel infrastructure
Department of Infrastructure: Active transport infrastructure investment:
- Active Travel Fund: Federal investment in walking and cycling infrastructure
- Urban Congestion Fund: Some cycling infrastructure investment
- Regional infrastructure: Federal regional grants that can include active travel
State transport agencies fund active travel infrastructure:
- Victoria: VicRoads / DoT cycling and walking infrastructure
- NSW: Transport for NSW — cycling infrastructure, Safe Routes to School
- Queensland: Department of Transport and Main Roads — cycle lanes, paths
- WA: Main Roads WA — cycling infrastructure
- SA: Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Local councils are the most important active travel funder:
- Footpath and shared path construction: Council capital works
- Cycling lane painting: Road marking and infrastructure
- Bike parking: Secure cycling facilities
- Safe Routes to School: Council-funded programme support
Community organisations advocating for active travel should build council relationships first.
Active travel intersects with health priorities:
- Heart Foundation: Active transport for cardiovascular health — Heart Foundation Walking programme
- State health departments: Physical activity for chronic disease prevention
- Primary Health Networks: Community physical activity programmes
- Cancer Council: Active living and walking
Bicycle Network (Victoria), Amy Gillett Foundation, Bicycle Queensland:
- Walking and cycling advocacy
- Some programme grants for community cycling infrastructure
Amy Gillett Foundation: Cycling safety — safer cycling infrastructure advocacy and some programme investment.
Enabling children to walk or cycle to school safely:
- State transport agencies: Safe Routes to School programmes
- Local councils: School zone improvements
- Heart Foundation: School walking groups
- Community foundations: School active travel programmes
Cycling and walking for recreation (not commuting) can access:
- State sport and recreation agencies: Trails and paths for recreation
- Tourism agencies: Trails with tourism and visitor benefit
- Conservation agencies: Trails on conservation land
Active travel reduces vehicle emissions:
- State environment agencies: Some active travel funding as emissions reduction
- Climate resilience funders: Sustainable transport investment
- Community foundations: Sustainability grants
Strong active travel applications demonstrate:
- Problem context: What is the barrier to walking or cycling in the target area?
- Infrastructure specifics: Proposed path, lane, or facility with cost estimates
- User numbers: How many people will use the active travel infrastructure?
- Safety: How the infrastructure improves safety for active travellers
- Connection: How the project connects to existing infrastructure
- Health outcomes: Physical activity increase, chronic disease reduction
- Emissions reduction: Vehicle trips avoided if relevant to funder
- Community support: Local community engagement and support for the project
Tahua's grants management platform helps organisations manage multi-funder active travel grant applications, track infrastructure project funding, and demonstrate the health and transport outcomes that funders value.