Dementia Australia has opened applications for its latest round of Community Engagement grants, offering funding for up to 12 dementia-friendly initiatives across Australia.

With grants of up to $10,000 available, local groups have the chance to create projects that help people living with dementia and their carers feel included, supported, and connected in their communities.

“There are an estimated 29,000 people in Australia living with young onset dementia. This figure is expected to increase to an estimated 41,000 people by 2054,” Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said.

“It is important we take action to ensure people living with dementia, no matter their age, feel included, respected and embraced by their communities.”

Since 2018, Dementia Australia’s Community Engagement Program has funded more than 100 grassroots projects, with total funding exceeding $1.16 million.

Past grant recipients, such as Lisa Hendry from the Southern Yorke Peninsula Memory Lane Café, show the difference these grants can make.

“We initially piloted two Memory Lane Café sessions,” Ms Hendry said.

“The program has since catered to over 300 participants across several towns, providing a rare and essential combination of social engagement, peer support, community connection, education, and access to services. It helps reduce isolation and stress, empowers communities with increased understanding, and we’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback on the program’s effectiveness.”

On Kiama’s South Coast, the Dementia-Friendly Kiama Project has been building stronger, more inclusive support for people living with dementia.

The Dementia-Friendly Kiama Project began in late 2014 as a partnership between the University of Wollongong (UOW), Dementia Australia (formerly Alzheimer’s Australia) and Kiama Council, and has worked continuously to improve the dementia inclusiveness of the Kiama local government area.

Gerringong resident Graham Fairbairn has been involved since the project’s pilot in 2014, motivated by his personal experience caring for his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

“People often think dementia is just about memory, but it’s so much more than that,” Mr Fairbairn said. “Every person is different; the key is to help them live fully and stay engaged with their community.”

He said connection was critical, particularly as people living with dementia can easily become isolated.

“One of the biggest issues with dementia is that people can isolate themselves and try to do it all on their own,” he said. “These activities give people a chance to come together and talk about how things are going.”

The project runs a range of local activities to support people living with dementia and their carers, including café meetings at Barroul House, the Alchemy Chorus, and monthly dementia dance sessions at Mayflower in Gerringong. These initiatives are volunteer-driven, with support from Gerringong Rotary Club, Kiama Council and Dementia Australia, showing how grassroots partnerships can create lasting impacts.

Over the years, the Dementia-Friendly Kiama Project has trialled a variety of engagement strategies, from pop-up stalls at local markets to formal education sessions for the wider community.

When COVID-19 disrupted face-to-face activities, the project adapted by moving online, hosting weekly social Zoom meetings and monthly Alliance meetings to keep participants connected and supported.

Professor Buchanan said the Community Engagement Grants aim to support projects like these.

“We want to see initiatives that meaningfully engage people living with dementia and their carers, helping them feel included, respected, and embraced by their communities,” she said.

Applications for the grants close on 16 February 2026. Local groups, community associations and businesses interested in developing dementia-friendly programs are encouraged to apply. For more information, visit Dementia Australia’s website.