ClosedNon-Profit2026–27

Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27

Department of Veterans' Affairs · Australia

The Australian Government is inviting eligible ex-service organisations to apply for funding under the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27. The program supports free compensation and wellbeing advocacy services for veteran and defence communities over a 3-year period.

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Closed

15 Apr 2026

Duration

3 years

Location

Australia

Who Can Apply

Must be an ex-service organisation (ESO). Eligible entity types include company, cooperative, incorporated association, Indigenous corporation, statutory entity, and certain state or territory corporate entities. Trust applications require both the trustee and trust to be ESOs. Non-ESO applicants are not eligible; sponsored applications must be submitted by an eligible ESO sponsor.
To be eligible to apply in your own right, applicants must be an ex-service organisation (ESO) and one of the following entity types: Company, Cooperative, Corporate State or Territory Entity, Incorporated Association, Indigenous Corporation, or Statutory Entity. If applying as a Trustee on behalf of a Trust, both the Trustee and the Trust must be ESOs and the Trustee must be an eligible entity type. If an ESO is not an eligible entity type, another ESO with an eligible entity type may apply on its behalf as a sponsor, and the sponsor must complete and submit the application. Organisations that are not ESOs are not eligible to apply. Additional eligibility requirements apply as set out in section 4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines.

What's Funded

Delivering free advocacy services to veterans and families of veterans, supporting compensation and wellbeing advocates, improving the quality of claims submitted to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and promoting wellbeing services to veteran and defence communities.

Before you apply

Check Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27 fit and evidence gaps before 15 Apr 2026

Use this non-profit grant page to sanity-check eligibility, funding fit, evidence gaps and application effort before you commit days to drafting. If you already know the grant you want, the 48-hour audit gives a practical go/no-go view, reviewer-readiness score and next-step risks.

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Expected Outcomes

Veteran and defence communities have access to free compensation and wellbeing advocacy services, claims lodged with the Department of Veterans' Affairs are of a high standard and complete, and ex-service organisation advocates help improve claims assessment efficiency.

Free Eligibility Check

Answer a few quick questions to find out if you qualify for this grant. Takes about 2 minutes.

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Applications for this round are closed. A new round may open in the future.

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Key Information

Applicant Types

companycooperativetrustindigenous_organisationother

Stage

established

Funding Purposes

communitytrainingother

Keywords

veteransdefenceex-service organisationsadvocacywellbeingcompensationcommunity servicestraining

Official Grant Page

Department of Veterans' Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27?

The Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27 is a non-profit grant offered by Department of Veterans' Affairs in Australia. The Australian Government is inviting eligible ex-service organisations to apply for funding under the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27. The program supports free compensation and wellbeing advocacy services for veteran and defence communities over a 3-year period.
2

Who is eligible for the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27?

Must be an ex-service organisation (ESO). Eligible entity types include company, cooperative, incorporated association, Indigenous corporation, statutory entity, and certain state or territory corporate entities. Trust applications require both the trustee and trust to be ESOs. Non-ESO applicants are not eligible; sponsored applications must be submitted by an eligible ESO sponsor.
3

When does the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27 close?

Applications closed on 15 Apr 2026.
4

What activities are funded?

Delivering free advocacy services to veterans and families of veterans, supporting compensation and wellbeing advocates, improving the quality of claims submitted to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and promoting wellbeing services to veteran and defence communities.
5

How do I apply for the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27?

Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.

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