Business Advisory Grants
The Business Advisory (BA) Grants Stream provides eligible organisations with access to grants to engage specialist professional advisory support. Designed to build on the findings of a Growth Readiness Assessment, the stream funds targeted consultancy across the capability areas most critical to organisational growth, finance, business planning, asset management, and risk management.
Please note: The grant application form is available to download now so organisations can prepare their submission in advance. Applications will only be accepted from 1 July 2026. Any applications submitted before this date will not be considered. Submit your completed form to team@chfwa.org.au between 1 July and 15 July 2026 at 5 pm AWST.
Key Information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $50,000
- Application opened: 1 July 2026
- Application closed: 15 July 2026
- Link to the Application: Business Advisory Grants Application template
- Link to the Grant Guidelines: Business Advisory Grants Guidelines
About The Stream
The Business Advisory Stream operates on a milestone-based funding model, with projects able to extend across 12 months depending on scope. Organisations may apply for support across multiple activity areas within a single application, provided the proposed work forms a consistent strategy aligned with program objectives. Tier 2 and Tier 3 registered CHOs and ACHOs implementing recommendations from a completed Growth Readiness Assessment may be eligible for grants exceeding $50,000.
What The Grant Can Fund
Business Advisory grants can be applied to professional consultancy services across the following four areas:
- 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.
- 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
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 BA capability focus areas
- Propose activities that will lead to demonstrable organisational capability uplift and contribute to social and affordable housing growth
Grant Conditions
- 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 BA Approved Supplier List. Advisors not on the list must undergo the same CHFWA vetting process before funds are released.
- The BA Approved Supplier List will be published after 15 June on our website.
- 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.
