Business Advisory Grants
Western Australia needs more social and affordable housing, and community housing organisations are at the heart of delivering it. The Business Advisory (BA) Grants Stream exists to help eligible organisations build the business capability they need to grow and do more for their communities. Through funded access to specialist professional advisory support, the stream targets the areas that matter most to housing growth: finance, business planning, asset management, and risk management.
Key Information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $50,000
- Application for round 2 opens: July 2027
- Link to the Approved Supplier List
About The Stream
If your organisation is serious about growing your social and affordable housing delivery, this stream is designed for you.
The Business Advisory Stream provides targeted, time-limited funding so that registered and emerging community housing organisations can bring in specialist advice and build the internal capability needed to grow. Projects are structured around one or more of five capability focus areas, with funding available for up to 12 months (or 18 with an extension). You can apply across more than one focus area in a single application, as long as the project forms a clear, cohesive plan and demonstrates the capability being built in each area. Funded activities should aim for lasting improvements that directly strengthen your organisation’s readiness to deliver more social and affordable housing.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Business Advisory grant, an organisation must:
- Be operating in Western Australia and delivering or actively developing community housing services.
- Be one of the following organisation types:
- Registered Community Housing Organisation (Tier 1, 2 or 3)
- Organisation registered under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH)
- Be an Aboriginal Community Housing Organisation (ACHO), whether registered or unregistered
- Be an aspiring or emerging community housing organisation working toward housing service delivery or have a National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH) registration
- Demonstrate that the proposed activities align with one or more of the four Business Advisory capability focus areas
- Propose activities that will lead to demonstrable organisational capability uplift and contribute to social and affordable housing growth
What The Grant Can Fund
Applications must align with one or more of the five capability focus areas below. Your chosen focus area shapes everything, the advisory work funded, the eligible expenditure, and the advisor expertise required. Before applying, identify the most significant capability gap your organisation faces on its path to delivering more social and affordable housing.
- Finance: Financial modelling, cashflow forecasting, funding strategy, financial risk analysis, and building the financial knowledge an organisation needs to plan and support housing growth.
- Business Planning: Business and strategic planning, preparing business cases, option analysis, forming partnerships, and building internal planning capability.
- Asset Management: Developing asset management frameworks, asset planning, lifecycle analysis, maintenance programming, portfolio performance monitoring, and preparing Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs).
- Risk Management: Understanding, managing, monitoring and mitigating business, financial, governance and policy risks relevant to housing operations and growth plans.
- Registration Assistance: Support to develop the policies, procedures, business plans and governance frameworks required to apply for WA state registration or pursue a tier upgrade.
What the Grant Can Be Spent On
- Professional advisory or consulting services from an advisor on the BA Approved Supplier List, or a nominated advisor who has completed the same CHFWA vetting process. You choose your own advisor. CHFWA does not assign or recommend individual suppliers.
- A time-limited internal role created specifically for the project — fixed-term with defined deliverables and additional to existing staffing. A CV and evidence of relevant qualifications must be provided at application.
- Systems and digital tools that directly support the capability project, including design, configuration, implementation, and operational or module purchases. Ongoing licences and subscriptions are not eligible. Value for money justification is required.
- Minor project delivery costs directly tied to delivering a funded activity, including printing or materials, regional travel where face-to-face engagement is necessary, and minor administrative costs associated with managing the grant (capped at $5,000 in total).
What the Grant Cannot Be Spent On
- General operating costs: rent, utilities, insurance, standard IT support, office supplies
- Salaries for existing staff, or backfilling positions while existing staff work on the project
- Capital works, construction or property acquisition
- Costs incurred before the Funding Agreement is signed
- Costs not included in the approved budget, unless a formal variation has been approved in advance
- Activities already funded by another source
- Retrospective costs: work that has already been done
How Applications Are Assessed
All eligible applications are independently assessed by a Grant Panel that includes members with lived experience of housing need, community housing industry expertise, and a government representative. Applications must reach a minimum score of 75% to be considered for funding.
| Criterion | What we look for | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Growth & Impact | Will materially improve your organisation’s ability to plan, finance, or deliver social and affordable housing. Outcomes are clear, practical, and achievable. | 30% |
| Financial & Budget | Budget is realistic, clearly costed, and proportionate to scope. All costs are eligible and demonstrate value for money. | 20% |
| Capacity to Deliver | Appropriate internal oversight and a credible plan to manage delivery and implement outputs. | 20% |
| Purpose & Alignment | Clearly identifies the capability gap and demonstrates alignment with your organisation’s housing growth direction. | 15% |
| Readiness & Timing | Organisation is ready to commence. Timeline and milestones are realistic and achievable within the funding period. | 10% |
| Priority & Equity | Priority for Aboriginal-led organisations, Tier 2/3 CHOs, and organisations in regional and remote communities with demonstrated barriers to accessing advisory services. | 5% |
Tips for a strong application: specific, evidence-based responses score more favourably than general statements. Attach supporting documents where they add weight, such as a quote from your proposed advisor or evidence of a Growth Readiness Assessment recommendation.
How To Apply
Round 1 has now closed. Thank you to all organisations that submitted an application. Applications for Round 2 will open in 2027. We encourage you to keep an eye out for early engagement opportunities in early 2027, where we’ll share information about the next funding round. To stay up to date, follow Community Housing Futures WA on LinkedIn for program news, funding announcements, and sector updates. In the meantime, we invite you to explore our Growth Readiness Assessments or reach out to our team. We’re always happy to have a conversation.
Grant Conditions Summary
- Grants are capped at $50,000 (ex GST) per project.
- Grants exceeding $50,000 may only be approved for Tier 2 or Tier 3 CHOs implementing recommendations from a completed Growth Readiness Assessment.
- Any funds not spent must be declared in the final acquittal and returned to the program.
- Organisations are encouraged to engage advisors from the Business Advisory Approved Supplier List. Advisors not on the list must undergo the same CHFWA vetting process before funds are released.
- Successful applicants consent to the publication of their organisation name as a grant recipient; project scope and budget details will not be publicly disclosed.
Community Housing Futures WA and Shelter WA acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country and their ongoing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples and to the Elders past and present. We support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and our recognition and acceptance of your invitation to walk with you towards a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
