- Cook Labor Government funding of $2 million to be administered by Western Australian Council of Social Service
- Grants of up to $10,000 per organisation available in metro, regional, and remote locations
- Grants will support the costs of transport and food for organisations providing existing food relief services.
Applications to access the Cook Labor Government's $2 million targeted Food Relief and Access Support grants are now open.
Administered by the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS), the grants will support frontline community organisations in WA that are already providing food relief services and facing rising operational costs and demand pressures due to global instability.
Western Australia's food relief sector is experiencing increased costs due to rising global fuel prices, impacting the ability for organisations to deliver essential food relief services to people experiencing food insecurity.
Grants of up to $10,000 will be available for existing organisations to ensure the continuity of critical food relief services across metropolitan, regional, and remote WA.
The grant program will be delivered over a 12-month period and will end in April 2027. The grants will be available to incorporated, not-for-profit community service organisations, or community groups being auspice through incorporated organisations.
The grants guidelines provide additional information about the program. To view the guidelines and to submit grant applications, please visit the WACOSS website .
The Food Relief and Access Support grants are part of the Cook Labor Government's $3.8 million targeted support package to Western Australia's food relief sector.
This support package also includes $1.5 million in targeted funding for major food relief providers (Foodbank, OzHarvest, and SecondBite) to offset escalating freight and logistics costs and ensure continued distribution of essential food supplies across Western Australia.
As stated by Community Services Minister Matthew Swinbourn:
"The Cook Labor Government acknowledges that food relief organisations are on the frontline of supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community during these times of global instability.
"This targeted grant support will assist these organisations to continue to deliver essential food relief services right across our State.
"These grants complement other government food relief initiatives, such as our election commitment to expand the School Breakfast Program to over 680 schools in partnership with Foodbank.
"I would also like to acknowledge WACOSS for providing administrative support for the delivery of these grants to community food relief organisations."
As stated by WACOSS CEO Louise Giolitto:
"These grants will provide much needed financial respite to food relief community organisations that have had to provide services 'as usual' in incredibly difficult circumstances.
"The global situation has had local implications. People are struggling, and our food relief organisations have struggled to support them.
"We are pleased that the government has recognised the challenges that these organisations are facing and have responded quickly with this funding."
