The UTS Social Impact Grants support researchers and practitioners within our community to contribute to positive social change through projects aligned with strategic areas of impact.
Individual grants of $5000 are available.
- Read the 2026 application guidelines
- Register for the information session
- Check out our FAQs
- Apply for a grant
Eligibility
All UTS staff members and students are eligible to apply. This includes professional and academic staff and both undergraduate and higher degree research students. We encourage researchers and practitioners at all career stages, including early-career researchers, to apply.
Students who apply will need to have a nominated staff supervisor for their project, who will receive the funds, act as a mentor and take joint responsibility for the project.
Projects and staff from the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion are not eligible for funding.
All applications must have a UTS staff member as the project lead. While each application must have a project lead from UTS, we encourage project teams made up of people from different faculties, fellow universities, community organisations or industry.
Previous Social Impact Grant recipients may apply, but will not be considered for a similar or related project in the 2026 round.
Safe and inclusive UTS: to be eligible for this grant, you must have an internal partner (another faculty, unit or division). You must also get endorsement from your area’s relevant Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee, and your Dean (faculties) or relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice Chancellor (Units, Centres, Division etc.).
Thriving communities: to be eligible for this grant, you must have an external partner (a person, group or organisation outside of UTS). You must also provide a letter of endorsement from that community partner and receive endorsement your Dean (faculties) or relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice Chancellor (Units, Centres, Division etc.).
Themes
The Social Impact Grants support research projects and practical initiatives aimed at making a positive change on campus and/or in the wider community. To apply, your project must align to one of the following themes:
Safe and inclusive UTS
Projects aligned with this theme focus on creating a more welcoming and inclusive campus for UTS students and staff from diverse equity groups. To maximise impact, all projects must involve collaboration across different faculties, units, or areas of the university. These equity groups include, but are not limited to:
- students from low-SES backgrounds
- students from rural, regional, and remote areas
- First Nations students & staff
- culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) communities
- people with disability
- LGBTIQA+ communities
- women.
In 2026, 2 grants within the Safe and inclusive UTS theme will be dedicated to advancing anti-racism at UTS. This is in alignment with the university’s developing Cultural Diversity and Anti-Racism (CDAR) Action Plan and the current national focus on racism in higher education, including the ongoing Human Rights Commission Survey into racism at Australian universities.
We welcome proposals that seek to address issues of systemic racism, support culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) staff and students, and contribute to a more inclusive, safe, and equitable campus.
In particular, we are interested in projects that build anti-racism capability, strengthen race literacy and racial dignity, create culturally safe spaces, elevate CARM voices and leadership, and foster belonging and intercultural connection within the UTS community. While the CDAR Action Plan is still being finalised, applications that speak to these priorities will help lay the groundwork for its implementation.
Thriving communities
Projects aligning to this theme will aim to address social, health, or environmental challenges in the wider community, and must involve a partnership between the university and the external community.
Community partners may include:
- an NGO or charity
- a peak body organisation or activist/advocacy group
- an individual community member
- a grassroots community organisation
- Traditional Owners or Elders
- a local health district.
We will not accept commercial partners, industry partners, or other academics as community partners.
Endorsement
Applications under the Safe and Inclusive theme must get endorsement from your area’s relevant Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee, and your Dean (faculties) or relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice Chancellor (Units, Centres, Divisions etc.).
Applications under the Thriving Communities theme must also provide a letter of endorsement from their community partner and receive endorsement from your Dean (faculties) or relevant Pro-Vice Chancellor/Deputy Vice Chancellor (Units, Centres, Division etc.).
Applications from the Business Faculty must also get endorsement from the ADR (Kathy Walsh) and additionally our ADE (Katie Schlenker) for teaching-related research.
Please see the Application Guidelines or FAQs for details on how to seek endorsement from your Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee if required.
How to apply
Applications open on 1 September and close 28 October 2025.
All applications must be submitted online, through the Good Grants platform.
The Good Grants platform will allow you to save your application progress as you go. Late and incomplete applications will not be accepted for review.
If you wish to prepare your responses to the application questions before completing the online application form, you can access blank forms for each theme below:
If you require more information or have any issues with Good Grants, we encourage you to email us at socialimpactgrants@uts.edu.au
Selection process
All completed applications received will be shortlisted to confirm they meet eligibility requirements.
Shortlisted applications will then be reviewed and selected for funding by a panel comprised of:
- Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Justice & Inclusion) (Chair)
- A faculty Dean
- Two representatives from faculties at various stages of careers
- A community member
Successful applications will be notified mid-December 2025 via email. The Social Impact Grants team will then work with all successful recipients in 2026 to release the funds and commence the project.
Please see the application guidelines for specific assessment criteria.
Key dates
- 1 September 2025: Applications open
- 19 September 2025: Social Impact Grant information session
- 28 October 2025: Applications close
- Mid December 2025: Successful applicants notified
- Feb 2026: Required 1-day evaluation workshops for all grant recipients
- July 2026: Progress check-in
- 8 December 2026: Total grant budget must be expended
- 28 February 2027: Final report due
For further information, please read the application guidelines, register for the information session or email socialimpactgrants@uts.edu.au