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IMB Bank Community Foundation: building better, brighter communities.

Now in its 25th year, our Community Foundation supports grassroots and diverse communityprojects run by inspirational people in the places IMB calls home.

25 years

of Foundation support  

OVER

$12m

funded to projects

MORE THAN

900

community projects funded

Building better, brighter communities

The IMB Bank Community Foundation has been empowering communities for 25 years, supporting grass roots local heroes who commit their time, energy, and expertise to make our communities more prosperous and sustainable.

Since 1999, we’ve donated over $12m to over 900 transformational grassroots projects and witnessed the remarkable and positive impact on our local communities.

Applications for 2024 grants have now closed. We are looking forward to announcing successful applicants later in the year.

What we fund

Key themes we support

Each year, we fund a wide variety of important projects across six key themes:

Social

Educational

Community Development

Environmental

Cultural

Community Connection

Is your community project eligible?

Here’s the six things we value when we choose who to fund:

Impact

We seek high-impact projects that deliver measurable benefits in communities where our members live and work, with evaluation plans in place.

Self-sustaining

We invest in enduring initiatives that build and transfer skills and knowledge and provide economic and social benefits in communities that deliver long-term, measurable benefits.

Innovation

We love fresh, ‘new to community’ ideas with potential for breakthrough impacts and opportunities to partner with entrepreneurial organisations.

Connection

We look for initiatives with strong community support with wide-reaching benefits.

Commitment

We favour applicants who have, will, and are able to continue to commit their time, energy, expertise, and physical and financial resources to their initiative.

Not-for-profit

The initiatives and organisations we fund need to be not-for-profit. There’s more detail on that below.

Important things to know before applying

Essential criteria for organisations applying for funding

How much are individual grants?

ACT

Far
South Coast

Newcastle

Illawarra

Shoalhaven

Sydney

Melbourne

Southern Highlands

Investing in communities where we live and work

The Foundation supports projects that support the communities we’re a part of. To receive funding, your project will need to serve communities in these regions, and you’ll need to be able open an IMB Bank Account in one of our branches.

What

When

Applications Open

01 May 2024

Applications Close

21 June 2024

Projects assessed

July 2024

Meetings with shortlisted projects

August 2024

Recipients announced

October 2024

Key dates

55
funded community projects for 2023

Congratulations to our 2023 recipients

These 55 community-building initiatives received funding from the IMB Bank Community Foundation. Their dedication to  our communities and those most in need is a true inspiration.

See recipients

project spotlight

Building better futures with The LIVEFree Project

The IMB Bank Community Foundation is proud to support The LIVEFree Project, which is creating opportunities and changing lives for kids and families in Newcastle NSW.

2 mins

Feb 3, 2023

Got a question on Community Foundation?

Can I save my grant application as I go and return later to complete and submit the final version?

Who do I contact if I have questions about the application and assessment process?

Can you tell me more about the ‘types’ of projects the Foundation funds that is mentioned in the form?

If my project is successful, how will we receive the funding?

Can I print my Foundation grant application?

Need support?

Contact us

Get in touch with one of our Australia-based team.

Locate us

Our friendly branch staff are looking forward to helping you achieve your financial goals.

Important Information

1. The IMB Bank Community Foundation may consider funding for professional fees and wages for trainer or instructor related costs where the project is dependent on such positions to be successfully completed, and where the project is otherwise able to demonstrate that it is sustainable.


2. The Committee closely assesses each application before anything is ruled out on these grounds. It is accepted that either type of expenditure may well be an integral part of a whole project.


If your application is successful, your organisation will be required to have open a current bank account with IMB for the purpose of direct transfer of funds. If there are extenuating circumstances, e.g. local government organisation procedures, etc.., we will discuss with you the possibility of specific alternative arrangements.