Nearly 50 community groups across regional Australia will benefit from a share of $2 million worth of funding, flights and marketing support as part of this year's Qantas Regional Grants program.
This is the largest group of recipients in the program's history, with nearly 3,000 applications received - a 70 per cent increase on last year and the biggest response since the program launched in 2019.
Recipients include:
- MHA Care Moira Foodshare (Victoria) - to purchase and equip a refrigerated van to transport perishable food safely and efficiently to vulnerable communities across rural Victoria.
- STEM Changemakers (Queensland) - to deliver a free two-month program to inspire girls to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.
- Tweed District Rescue Squad (New South Wales) - to fund two-way portable radios to support the work of local emergency volunteers.
- Remote Op Shop (Northern Territory) - to purchase and fit out a truck to serve as a mobile op shop and delivery vehicle supporting remote First Nations communities.
- Sam's Spares Incorporated (Western Australia) - to provide 100 refurbished laptops to regional students in need.
QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan said the grants program continues to highlight the important role local groups play in regional Australia.
"This year's recipients are doing incredible work across a wide range of areas - from empowering young women to explore STEM and supporting First Nations communities, to providing food relief and rescue services," Ms Yangoyan said.
"We were blown away by the number of applications this year, which shows just how many incredible organisations are out there, often quietly making a huge difference in their communities.
"It made the judging process tougher, but it also made us more proud to support this year's recipients, who are doing inspiring work across the country.
"Qantas has been part of regional communities for more than 100 years, and it's incredibly rewarding for our people - many of whom live and work in regional towns - to know they're contributing to the communities they support and connect every day."
Now in its fourth year, Qantas' Regional Grants program has awarded $7 million in grants to nearly 130 not-for-profit groups and projects, helping them deliver frontline services and build stronger communities across regional Australia.
The judging panel included QantasLink Chief Pilot Captain David Nelson, two QantasLink team members and two independent community panellists. The panel assessed applications based on need, potential impact and alignment to the program's goals.
The program complements Qantas' ongoing investment in regional Australia, including year-round discounts for residents in 16 regional and remote towns to make air travel more accessible, with more than 300,000 discounted tickets purchased since the program was launched in 2017.
Qantas is Australia's largest regional airline, connecting more than 58 regional communities to capital cities. In the 2025 financial year, the Qantas Group spent more than $1.1 billion with regional suppliers.
Applications for the 2026 Regional Grants Program will open on 21 February 2026 via qantas.com/regionalgrants.
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Full list of recipients can be found here.
