Here are some highlights from our ever-expanding online Funding Database.

Volunteer Grants
Provides funding for eligible not-for-profit organisations to support their volunteers and encourage volunteering by: purchasing small equipment and sporting items to help their existing volunteers and; contributing towards fuel costs incurred in their volunteering work. Website www.fahcsia.gov.au/SA/VOLUNTEERS/FUNDING/Pages/default.aspx Closes 25 September

Gordon Darling Foundation Grants
The Gordon Darling Foundation supports visual arts programs undertaken by public institutions throughout Australia and assists in the distribution of knowledge and enjoyment of the visual arts to as wide an audience as possible. Consideration is given to innovative projects that might otherwise not receive funding. Funding is available for catalogues and publications, exhibitions development, professional education initiatives, purchase or commission of art works of local or unique importance, research projects and symposia. Email gdarling@bigpond.net.au Closes 30 September

Myer Foundation - The Arts and Humanities (Small Grants)
Expressions of interest called for in the current priority areas: training, development and mentoring for artists; new works by artists or organisations in Indigenous arts, in regional areas or in experimental and emerging artforms; and projects that support the humanities.Website www.myerfoundation.org.au/_109.asp Closes 30 September

Community Development Grants - General Grants
Expressions of interest from not-for-profit incorporated organisations are invited for projects that promote cultural expressions, enhance community development, or for minimum capital purchases. Funding of up to $18,200 is available in this category. Priority areas are: emerging or small ethnic communities; communities that are geographically or socially isolated; promotion of community harmony and mutual understanding between and within communities of different cultural and religious backgrounds; development of community networks and structures, and; projects that address critical issues relating to cultural diversity at a local level. Website crc.nsw.gov.au/services/grants Closes 2 October

Heywire
Heywire is open to young people aged 16 – 22 years of age who create their own story about life in Australia outside the major cities. The story can be created in any form of media: text, video and audio. Successful stories are presented on the ABC through ABC Radio, triple j and abc.net.au and winners also attend the Heywire Forum in Canberra. Website blogs.abc.net.au/heywire/competition-heywire.html Closes 9 October

Myer Foundation - G4 (Small Grants)
The G4 Small Grants Program supports small community based organisations and projects that: benefit the Australian community; have young people, aged 12-25, as participants, drivers or targets; and have a project budget up to $30,000. Priority areas are: Capacity building for youth organisations; Environmental education targeting and involving young people aged 12-25 years; Youth-driven events; and Activities and initiatives addressing the health of young people. Website www.myerfoundation.org.au/_110.asp Closes 27 October

The Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarships
To provide support for students in a variety of categories to help them further their cultural education and achieve their dreams. The 2010 scholarships will be offered in: Acting; Instrumental Music; Painting; Poetry; Prose; and Singing. To be eligible for this award, you must be a native-born Australian aged 21-35 at the closing date of entries. Website www.trust.com.au/philanthropy/awards/marten_bequest/ Closes 30 October

Gillette Champions
Men aged 18 to 34 can submit a 'pitch' to have their idea funded. Four will be chosen and given $10,000 to make their dreams a reality. The four areas are Local Community, Innovation & Design, Sport & Adventure and Entrepreneurship. Website www.gillette.com.au/en-au/index.shtml#/home/championsgrants/en-AU/index.shtml/ Closes 1 November

Australia Council Skills and Arts Development - Music
Skills and arts development grants support skills development for professional artists and artsworkers, and projects that foster skills development for the applicant and/or other participants. The music board supports music education projects that link practising artists with school-aged students through grants to legally constituted organisations. Website www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants/grants/skills_and_arts_development_-_music Closes 15 November

Australia Council New Work - Indigenous
New work grants support projects that assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, arts organisations or community organisations to create new work with an expected public outcome. Projects may be in any artform or combination of artforms. Examples include theatre productions of new work, writing for publication, song writing for recording or performance, or the creation of new works of art for exhibition. Website www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants/grants/new_work_-_aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_arts Closes 18 November

Australia Council Skills and Arts Development - Indigenous
Skills and arts development grants assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts organisations to develop ideas and skills, not necessarily with a public outcome. Applications might include mentorship programs involving the sharing of artistic and cultural skills and knowledge, support for arts workshops, professional development projects, conferences or seminars, management planning and development. Website www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants/grants/skills_and_arts_development_-_aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_arts Closes 18 November

But wait, there's more.....

M&G NSW Showcases Available
M&G NSW has 16 showcases and 14 plinths available for purchase at minimal cost, from our recent GREAT COLLECTIONS touring exhibition. These will be available for purchase from mid-September and will need to be collected from Sydney. For further information including showcase dimensions, prices and images, please contact: Mimi Kelly, Manager Exhibitions & Gallery Development, at mimik@mgnsw.org.au or (02) 9339 9906.

4th Edition of the Small Museums Cataloguing Manual
Museums Australia (Victoria) is pleased to present the Small Museums Cataloguing Manual (4th edition), the industry-standard reference for community museums wishing to start or develop their collections cataloguing. This essential practical tool is now FREE to download. This user-friendly, full-colour edition has been fully revised to include guidance on using cataloguing software on computers, ‘how to’ examples of worksheets and up-to-date lists of useful resources. The Small Museums Cataloguing Manual accords with Benchmark A2.4.2 of the National Standards for Australian Museums & Galleries and links to the Community Collections Training program. Further information & download: www.mavic.asn.au/services/small-museums-cataloguing-manual/