Apply now for Territory Events Program 2026–27 (Australia)

Deadline: 09-Oct-2026

The Territory Events Program provides funding for events across the Northern Territory that contribute to economic growth, strengthen community participation, and enhance the region’s tourism offering. The program supports events through four funding streams, with amounts ranging from up to $25,000 for local precinct activations to uncapped funding for major events of national or international significance.

About the Territory Events Program

The Territory Events Program is a strategic initiative of Tourism and Events NT designed to invest in events that contribute to the economic, social, and tourism development of the Northern Territory. The program supports the delivery of the Territory’s Visitor Economy Strategy by investing in events that can help rebuild the local economy, strengthen community lifestyle, and attract visitors. Through a diverse range of events, the program aims to increase visitor activity while creating opportunities for communities across the Northern Territory to participate in events and activities. What Does the Program Support? The Territory Events Program supports events that can deliver benefits across one or more areas, including: - Economic growth. - Tourism development. - Increased visitor activity. - Community participation. - Improved liveability. - Activation of public spaces. - Development of the Northern Territory’s visitor economy. Funding is available through four distinct streams, allowing the program to support major events as well as community-focused and smaller-scale activations. Four Funding Streams The Territory Events Program provides funding through four streams: - Major Events. - Tourism Enablers. - Community and Lifestyle. - Activation Fund. Each stream has a different focus and funding limit, except for Major Events, where there is no fixed funding cap. Major Events The Major Events stream supports marquee events with national or international significance. There is no fixed funding cap for this stream. Funding is determined on the merit of individual proposals. Major Events applications are assessed based on their potential contribution to the Northern Territory and alignment with the program’s priorities. Tourism Enablers The Tourism Enablers stream provides funding of up to $500,000. This stream supports events that can contribute to tourism growth by: - Extending visitor stays. - Attracting visitors to the Northern Territory. - Opening new tourism markets. - Strengthening the region’s visitor economy. Events seeking support through this stream should demonstrate how they can create meaningful tourism and economic benefits. Community and Lifestyle The Community and Lifestyle stream provides funding of up to $150,000.

It supports events that strengthen:

- Community participation. - Community lifestyle. - Liveability. - Social and community connections. The stream recognizes the role of events in creating vibrant communities and providing opportunities for residents to participate in shared activities. Activation Fund The Activation Fund provides funding of up to $25,000.

It is designed to support:

- Precinct activations. - Public space events. - Smaller-scale activities that help activate local areas. The fund provides an opportunity for eligible organizations to deliver events that create activity and engagement in public spaces. Multi-Year Partnerships Multi-year partnerships of up to three years may be available for some funding streams.

These partnerships are subject to:

- Performance. - Alignment with program priorities. Multi-year support can provide longer-term certainty for eligible events that demonstrate strong performance and continued alignment with the objectives of the Territory Events Program. Who Can Apply? The program is open to a range of incorporated organizations, businesses, community groups, and event-related entities.

Eligible applicants include:

- Incorporated not-for-profit associations. - Community organisations. - Local government councils and shires. - Registered businesses. - Event companies delivering public events. - Sporting organisations with appropriate governance. - Cultural organisations with appropriate governance. - Arts organisations with appropriate governance. - Industry bodies. - Consortia auspiced by an eligible entity. Applicants must meet the relevant governance and eligibility requirements for their organization type.

Eligibility for Consortia and Industry Bodies

Industry bodies and consortia may be eligible when they are auspiced by an eligible entity. This allows collaborative event proposals to access the program where the appropriate eligible organization takes responsibility for the application and associated requirements. Who Is Not Eligible? Certain organizations, applicants, and events are excluded from the program.

Ineligible applicants include:

- Unincorporated individuals or informal groups unless auspiced by an eligible entity. - Entities with overdue acquittals. - Entities with compliance issues. - Northern Territory Government agencies seeking funding for their core functions. - Entities under insolvency administration. - Political parties. Events may also be ineligible when they do not demonstrate sufficient public benefit or present unacceptable risks. Public Benefit Requirement Events supported through the program should demonstrate a clear public benefit. Applicants should explain how their proposed event will benefit the Northern Territory through economic activity, tourism, community participation, liveability, or other relevant outcomes. Events that do not demonstrate adequate public benefit may not be eligible for support. Risk Considerations The program does not support events that present unacceptable risks. Applicants should therefore demonstrate that their event can be delivered responsibly and that potential risks have been appropriately considered and managed. Supporting the Northern Territory Visitor Economy The Territory Events Program is