Qantas, the national carrier of Australia, reinforces its long-standing commitment to the region by offering grants totalling $10 million provided to not-for-profit community groups and projects. The initiative is spread over 5 years, with $2 million being available each year.
Qantas Offering Regional Grants
Since its launch in 2019, the airline’s scheme has provided funding to over 80 community groups, supporting a wide range of local initiatives in sectors including health and wellbeing, sport and recreation, family and children’s services, and education. In 2024, 28 regional community groups received a funding boost to support the delivery of vital projects in their local areas. Some of these groups are as follows;
- BlazeAid (operating in VIC, WA, SA, TAS, NSW, and QLD) supports rural communities recovering from natural disasters by helping rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure. The latest grant funding will provide remote internet access for better communication with volunteers.
- Reading Out of Poverty (operating in VIC, NSW, and QLD) highlights the critical role of literacy development by offering essential resources and services to families and children ages 0-5 years. The initiative particularly benefits those from low socio-economic backgrounds, including new migrants, refugees, and Indigenous communities. The grant supported an expansion of the program to 15,000 new regional families.
- GP Lyf Hacks (operating in SA) offers free health education to remote health workers and patients, mainly focusing on towns without a permanent doctor and those too far away to access local training. Thanks to funding, in-person health forums have been made possible in these remote areas.
QantasLink CEO, Rachel Yangoyan, stated that as Australia’s national airline, Qantas is deeply committed to contributing to and supporting communities across the country:
Across our regional operation we fly more than 8.5 million people around the country each year, playing a vital role in maintaining connectivity for communities, supporting business, tourism and facilitating access to health services. Through our grants program we’re able to take our support further, providing valuable funding to hard working organisations delivering high impact projects that enhance the lives of people in regional communities.
she continues:
We see a huge number of quality applications each year and I encourage all regional community organisations to apply, including those who may have been unsuccessful last year. There are so many people and organisations doing incredible work. We’ll be looking for applications driving positive initiatives and innovation in the regions and that demonstrate measurable impact for the community.
How to Apply?
Interested organisations can apply at qantas.com/regionalgrants, with applications closing on May 10, 2025. A panel of charity and community representatives, along with Qantas employees, will select the final recipients, who will be announced in July 2025.
Qantas is Australia’s largest regional airline, connecting more than 58 regional communities with capital cities. In the 2024 financial year, the airline spent $1 billion with regional suppliers and contributed $14 million to the Australian tourism industry through marketing and tourism contributions.
The Qantas Regional Grants program is one of several initiatives the national carrier supports for regional Australia. Among these efforts are year-round discounts for residents in 16 regional and remote towns, making travel more accessible. Since its introduction in 2017, over 280,000 discounted tickets have been purchased through the program.
Qantas’ Core Values
The airline claims to hold several values close to the heart, especially when making key decisions. These values are likely linked to their regional grants that benefit local communities in Australia. In a statement they said:
We’re proud to be Australian. We want to bring the best of this beautiful country to the world. No matter what you do at Qantas or where you’re based, our values can help you do just that.
A few of their named values are to be inclusive, caring, and innovative. These ideologies seem to coincide nicely with their decision to boost local communities. Qantas also has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and was one of the first to announce a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Do you think you have an idea that could boost your community? Let us know below!
My elves aren’t this creative!