Latest research commissioned by Australia Post has found that 40% of regular-giving Australians have donated less in the past 12 months due to cost-of-living pressures, with half of Australians saying they give less to charity because of the increased cost of groceries and essentials1.
To help address growing financial pressures faced by community groups nationwide, Australia Post is awarding over $400,000 in grants across 200 grassroots community and not-for-profit groups around Australia through its People of Post grants program.
Now in its eighth year, the People of Post program is a unique employee-led community grant initiative that enables Australia Post team members, including Posties and Post Office workers, to nominate local community or not-for-profit groups for a grant of up to $2,000. To date, the program has supported 2,158 not-for-profit community organisations across Australia, delivering a total of nearly $2 million in grants.
The research, which explores shifting donation trends, also found that over half (57%) of Australians want to support local causes which address immediate community needs, with a third agreeing they have seen the direct impact and benefit these causes have had on the community or someone close to them.
In response to falling donations from the community, Australia Post significantly increased its grants for this year. The 2025 program has provided 224 grants to initiatives spanning metro, regional and remote areas, a 47% increase on last year's program. Community groups in Victoria received the highest number of grants this year with 35% of grants issued, followed by Queensland (25%) and New South Wales (20%), with remaining recipients from Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT.
Over half (54%) of the grant recipients focus on initiatives supporting mental health, with environment and sustainability making up 25%, disaster support and resilience 12%, and indigenous children's literacy and learning 3%. A further 5% combined mental health with other areas.
Australia Post General Manager Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Nicky Tracey said, "Being part of a community and feeling connected is more important than ever before. That's why Australia Post continues to support local communities through the People of Post grants.
"We know that people want to continue to support their local not-for-profit, but with cost of living impacting both households and communities, many people are finding it increasingly difficult. We're proud to continue supporting our team members to champion the causes they see making a real difference at a local level and strengthen Australia Post's commitment to creating a culture of giving for our people."
Melbourne based Australia Post team member Hannah Meyer nominated local grant recipient Brunswick Neighbourhood House and said: "The People of Post grants are such a meaningful way for team members like me to give back to the community groups we're personally connected to and champion the causes we care about.
"Through Australia Post's support, I was able to nominate the Brunswick Neighbourhood House's Chatty Café program, a local organisation doing incredible work creating a safe, welcoming space for vulnerable people to connect. I knew this substantial grant could make a real difference; one I couldn't have made on my own. With increasing financial pressures this initiative is more important than ever."
Employee-led corporate social responsibility is common practice throughout the country and increasingly valued by employees. Australia Post's research found almost half of Australians (47%) would be more likely to work for an organisation that supports a charity in their local area, and over a quarter (26%) stated it would positively influence their perception of the organisation.
Since its launch in 2018, People of Post grants have supported many causes, including delivering intergenerational programs to tackle social isolation and loneliness in Victoria and planting initiatives to restore the habitat and healthy eco-systems for native animals in Queensland.
The full list of Australia Post's 2025 People of Post Grants recipients, listed by state/territory, and more information about the People of Post Grants program is available at auspost.com.au/popgrants.
Media contact:
Kathleen Carrero, Public Relations Advisor
M: 0467 734 995
Methodology: This research was conducted in April 2025 and engaged 1,000 Australian consumers. The survey was distributed through independent research platform, Pollfish.
About Australia Post:
As Australia's postal service for more than 215 years, we're at the heart of every community. Last financial year we delivered more than 2.5 billion items to 12.7 million delivery points. Australia Post has one of the largest retail networks nationally, with more than 4,000 Post Offices. Australia Post employs people of all ages, genders, and abilities in our extended workforce of more than 63,000 team members, reflective of the diverse communities we operate in. We are proud to be included in the inaugural Indigenous Employment Index with 3 percent of our workforce identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and we are one of the largest Australian employers to be certified as a Disability Confident Recruiter.
1 Survey conducted by Pollfish in April 2025 on a nationally represented sample of 1,000 Australians.
