Participation Grants 2025/26

The Participation Grant Program funds projects up to $20,000 that target system change on a small scale, either through engagement in regulatory or policy decision processes or through small, targeted research projects that investigate a system barrier in the energy system.

Please read the Participation Guidelines for more details. 

Information on previous Grants can be found by accessing the Grants Archive on Energy Consumers Australia’s website.

Grants typically support activities or initiatives that demonstrate the following characteristics, grouped into two distinct streams:

Stream 1: Regulatory Engagement

Grants under this stream support initiatives that:

• Engage directly in regulatory processes where consumer perspectives can influence decisions (e.g., network revenue determinations, rule changes, pricing reviews, or market reforms).
• Strengthen the capacity of the consumer advocacy sector to represent energy consumers in regulatory or policy forums.
• Generate and share evidence about consumer needs, impacts, and experiences to inform regulatory decisions.
• Ensure the voices of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers are meaningfully included in regulatory and policy processes.

Stream 2: Small research projects

Grants under this stream support projects that are:

• Small in scale – with targeted objectives, a modest budget, and a clear achievable scope.
• Research-focused – producing new evidence, data, or insights that strengthen advocacy.
• Consumer-centred – addressing issues that matter to energy consumers, particularly those experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage.
• Impact-oriented – designed with a clear pathway to influence advocacy, regulatory processes, or system change.