Illawarra local Dianne Proud with 50 tote bags she handmade for Escabags. Photo: Escabags.
A coffee warming elderly hands in a Port Kembla garden; a lifesaver thrown to a woman escaping crisis; a playground where kids can be kids — they’re all a part of a growing network of diverse wins across the Illawarra, fuelled by the NSW Ports Grants.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NSW Ports Community Grants Program, offering one-off grants of up to $25,000 to support not-for-profit organisations, community groups or schools with innovative project ideas, programs or initiatives delivering positive outcomes to communities close to Port Kembla.
NSW Ports is accepting applications to fund projects delivering positive outcomes in economic development, arts and culture, health and wellbeing, education, environment, social welfare and emergency services.
The eligible postcodes around Port Kembla are 2500, 2502, 2505, 2506, 2518, 2519, 2525, 2526 and 2528.
Last year, 17 Illawarra groups received funding for a diverse range of projects.
Among them, Illawarra-based charity Escabags was successful in its applications for a $10,000 grant to fund to provide more of their free “Escape Bags” to individuals and families escaping domestic and family violence.
In the Illawarra, the grant provided almost 650 to distributors across Wollongong, including Wollongong Library, Dress for Success, Wollongong Community Corrections Office, all of the Lifeline South Coast branches, SASSI, Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, The Disability Trust locations, Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service and more.
Escabags founder Stacy Jane said demand was higher than ever.
“We weren’t expecting so many organisations to go through them so quickly,” she said.
“That’s a huge amount for the Illawarra, and that’s just the organisations that are aware our services exist. We know in reality, demand is much higher.”
Escabags has applied for a grant again this year, upping the requested amount to $25,000 in response to demand.
Stacy said the grants were a vital funding source for the region’s schools, community groups and not-for-profits.
“Grants like this are particularly important to us on a grassroots level, because we’re still purchasing 95 per cent of the products included in the escape bags and a lot of the organisations we supply Escabags to haven’t got the funding to purchase them.
“Local grants enable us to continue our service and maintain the quality of our escape bags.
“Simply put, we wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand without grants like this.”
Applications for the 2026 NSW Ports Community Grants Program close at 5 pm on Sunday 12 April. Read the Program Guidelines carefully before progressing to submit your Application Form.
