2026-27 MRC Community Grants Program Round 1

Important Information

Please read the information below before completing your submission.

Before You Begin

Welcome to Murray River Council's online grant application service, powered by SmartyGrants.

If this is your first time applying through SmartyGrants, click "Start a Submission" and then "Register Here" to create an account.

• Click here to view the Community Grants Program Guidelines.
• Click here to view Council's Privacy Policy.

If you have questions about the grant program, eligibility, assessment criteria, deadlines, or the application form, please contact Murray River Council on 1300 087 004 during business hours or email admin@murrayriver.nsw.gov.au . Please quote your submission number in all correspondence.

For assistance using SmartyGrants, please refer to the Help Guide for Applicants or the Applicant FAQs.

Navigating the Form

A Form Navigation panel is displayed throughout the application process. This allows you to move directly between sections of the application form.

You can:

• Click on a section name in the Form Navigation panel to jump to that section.
• Use the "Next Page" and "Previous Page" buttons to move through the form sequentially.

We recommend saving your application regularly as you work through the form.

Saving a Draft Application

Your application will automatically save whenever you:

• Click "Next Page"
• Click "Previous Page"
• Select a page from the Form Navigation panel

If you need to leave your application before completing it:

1. Click "Save and Close".
2. Log out of SmartyGrants.

To continue working on your application later:

1. Log back into SmartyGrants.
2. Select "My Submissions" from the top menu.
3. Open your draft application by clicking the submission number or application name.

You can download a PDF copy of your application at any time by:

• Clicking the red PDF icon within My Submissions, or
• Selecting "Download PDF" from the Review and Submit page.

Submitting Your Application

Before you can submit your application, you must complete the Review and Submit section.

SmartyGrants will identify any:

• Required fields that have not been completed; or
• Validation errors that need to be corrected.

Once all sections are complete and any errors have been addressed, submit your application by clicking the "Submit" button.

Important

Once an application has been submitted:

• No further changes can be made.
• Additional documents cannot be uploaded.
• The application cannot be edited unless specifically reopened by Council.

A successful submission will generate:

• A confirmation screen; and
• A confirmation email containing a copy of your submitted application.

The confirmation email will be sent to the email address associated with your SmartyGrants account, or the submission owner's email address if you are collaborating on the application.

If you do not receive a confirmation screen and confirmation email, you should assume that your application has not been submitted.

Please also check your junk or spam folder if you cannot locate the confirmation email.

You can view the status of your application at any time through the My Submissions page.

Supporting Documents and Attachments

You may be required to upload supporting documentation as part of your application.

To upload documents:

• Ensure files are saved on your computer or storage device before commencing the application.
• Allow sufficient time for each document to upload before attaching additional files.

File size limits:

• Maximum file size: 25MB per file
• Recommended file size: 5MB or less per file

Smaller files generally upload faster and reduce the risk of upload issues.

Collaborating on an Application

Multiple people can collaborate on an application, provided that:

• A SmartyGrants Organisation has been created; and
• Only one person is editing the application at a time.

To avoid losing information, all users should save regularly when working on an application.

Session Time-Out

For security reasons, SmartyGrants will automatically log you out after 20 minutes of inactivity.

You will receive a warning message approximately 90 seconds before your session expires, giving you the option to extend your session or log out.

If no action is taken, your application will be automatically saved before the session ends.

While SmartyGrants includes an auto-save function, applicants are strongly encouraged to save their work regularly, particularly when preparing longer responses.

Need assistance?

For grant program enquiries, please contact Murray River Council on 1300 087 004 or email admin@murrayriver.nsw.gov.au  We're happy to help.