RSL NSW Veteran Support Fund
Find out how ESOs and other organisations access financial support from RSL NSW for 2025 and beyond.
How charities and not-for-profit organisations can access financial support from RSL NSW for 2025 and beyond
For over 100 years, the Returned and Services League in NSW has been committed to supporting the veteran community, including other ex-service organisations and registered charities delivering critical services and programs to current and former serving members of the Australian Defence Force.
The RSL NSW Veteran Support Fund was established to bolster the ongoing financial support that the League in NSW provides to organisations that align with our charitable purpose; supporting veterans and their families by connecting them to services to improve their wellbeing and connecting them to their local community through camaraderie, mateship, recreation, and commemorating their service.
RSL NSW welcomes applications for donations to support initiatives delivered by other veterans' charities in 2025 and beyond. To be eligible:
- Your organisation must be a registered charity that aligns with the RSL NSW charitable purpose; supporting veterans and their families
- The initiative should align with the RSL NSW Strategic Plan 2021-2026
- Your initiative, service, or program is not already being delivered by our partner charity, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services, or any other RSL charity
- Your organisation must be willing to recognise RSL NSW for its support.
Here’s how the process works:
Sub-Branch identifies an initiative to nominate
Sub-Branch completes the VSF Funding Proposal Form and submits it to their District President by 31 March each year.
Proposals are assessed by District Presidents' Council.
Approved initiatives and targets are published at rslnsw.org.au by 1 August and sponsorship agreements are prepared.
If you have any questions about the RSL NSW Veteran Support Fund, please contact support@rslnsw.org.au or our members at your local RSL NSW sub-Branch.
Contact your local RSL NSW sub-Branch to find out what your organisation will need to provide to be nominated.
Find a sub-BranchVeteran Support Fund Dashboard FY2023/24
Strategic Plan Implementation
It is critical for RSL NSW to maintain a presence across the state, modernise and innovate, and reassert itself as the leading advocacy service for Australian veterans in local communities. Your contribution to the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2021-2026 will assist in the re-positioning of the RSL NSW brand, so that by 2026, every veteran in NSW knows what the RSL stands for, what it does, and wants to be involved as a member.
RSL LifeCare Veteran Services
RSL NSW partner charity, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services delivers life-changing services and support to veterans and their families. Your contribution will be instrumental in ensuring veterans and their families across NSW can continue to access support encompassing assistance with DVA claims and advocacy services, housing and homelessness support, employment opportunities, financial aid, wellbeing programs including the SPUR Equine Program, and disaster relief.
President’s Shield
The support that ANZAC House offers to sub-Branches and its delivery of strategic outcomes is significant, and it is essential that this function is funded effectively. Your contribution to the President’s Shield will assist ANZAC House in continuing to provide support for commemorations and major events, guidance and advice to sub-Branches regarding trust deeds and property transactions, sub-Branch administration and training, and membership services, as well as helping to advance the veterans’ policy and advocacy work of RSL NSW.
Reveille
A long-established magazine, Reveille is vital in assisting RSL NSW to connect members and the wider veteran community to important information, services and support, and fostering camaraderie. Your contribution will help fund the production, printing and postage of Reveille, and associated online content, for 26,000 RSL NSW members each quarter, ensuring that it remains a free resource.
National Capitation Fees
RSL NSW is a member of RSL Australia (National), and to maintain membership, the State Branch is required to pay a capitation fee based on the number of current service members. Rather than charge individuals to pay to belong to RSL NSW, it is proposed to fund the National Capitation Fees from returns on investment, donated to the Veteran Support Fund. Your contribution will help to keep membership free for all service members, making it easier for veterans and their families to access support and services through RSL NSW.
Sport & Recreation Program
The RSL NSW Sport & Recreation Program encourages veterans and their families to engage in a wide range of activities, fostering camaraderie, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging. Your contribution will help to ensure equitable access to funding for activities in all communities across NSW. Donations assist with funding the safe delivery of activities, equipment purchases, venue hire, promotional signage, and larger statewide activities such as the annual Congress SRP activity and the City2Surf team.
Sponsorships
As an open initiative, sponsorship funding is to be aligned with a charity or community event in which RSL NSW sees a strategic opportunity to sponsor. Increased visibility and recognition will assist the League in reaching our 2026 goal that every veteran in NSW knows what the RSL stands for, what it does, and wants to be involved as a member. Your contribution will assist RSL NSW in targeting events and opportunities to promote the organisation, encouraging new members to join and access support.
RSL Scholarships
RSL NSW recognises the value that veterans’ experience brings to the workforce and is committed to enabling access to education and opportunities that help them to utilise their skills. Your contribution will help assist veterans and their families in need of financial support for education and training, helping them to gain new work skills, as well as important self-esteem and a sense of belonging.
Illawarra Kokoda Scholarship
The Illawarra Kokoda Scholarship aims to empower veterans by inviting them to embark on the challenging 10-day Kokoda Trek, where they can harness resilience, build mental wellness, and regain a sense of purpose. Your contribution will help sponsor an annual cohort of veterans to undertake the transformative Kokoda Trek experience, giving them an opportunity to build lasting connections, and emerge as valuable leaders in their community and custodians of the veteran legacy.
Gallipoli Scholarship Fund
Founded in 1996, with support from RSL clubs, RSL sub-Branches and other organisations, the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund honours the memory and legacy of Australian and New Zealand veterans through the granting of tertiary scholarships. Your contribution will assist in providing financial support to deserving and meritorious students, and in doing so, reminding young Australians of the perseverance, courage, self-sacrifice and mateship that were established so indelibly in the cause of world peace at Gallipoli.
NCVH Liaison Officer
The RSL NSW Liaison Officer at the National Centre for Veterans’ Healthcare (NCVH) is the link between veterans, NCVH services and the support offered by RSL NSW and related entities, such as RSL LifeCare. Your contribution will help to ensure that the NCVH Liaison Officer can continue to identify and connect veterans in need of services to the NCVH, assist NCVH staff and veterans to navigate access to non-clinical support, and liaise with RSL NSW sub-Branches to ensure veterans are supported in their communities upon leaving the NCVH.
Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway
The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway is a living, growing memorial and educational resource, honouring all those who fought for Australia in WWII. Your contribution will help to keep the memorial in pristine condition, as a place of reflection and contemplation, providing presentations to thousands of visitors and school groups each year, and hosting significant commemorative services.
Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
The Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project aims to cultivate a connected community of veterans and their families in New South Wales through engagement with activities on, in and around water. Your contribution will help Saltwater Veterans to support the health and wellbeing of current and former serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families, reduce social isolation, empower participants with opportunities for sustained engagement within the sailing community, and engage within geographically remote / disadvantaged veterans in wider NSW.
Everyman’s Welfare Service
Everyman’s mission is to boost the morale of all serving members of the Australian Defence Force, by providing support on military bases, exercises and deployments. Your contribution will assist in providing serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families with support, encouragement and a ‘home away from home’, through club and recreational facilities on military bases, and ‘Brew Trucks’ offering food, drink, reading material and letter writing facilities on military exercises and operational deployments.
Integra Service Dogs Australia
Integra Service Dogs provides highly trained assistance dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD and their families, empowering them to reclaim their place in the community and rebuild their lives. Your contribution will help cover essential costs including dog food, veterinary treatments, obedience training, training equipment, identification cards and other support documentation, to ensure the program remains available to everyone who needs it.
Central Coast Veterans Centre
The Central Coast Veterans Centre operates out of the Toukley RSL house and provides compensation and welfare support to veterans and their families, in conjunction with RSL NSW, the National Centre for Veterans’ Healthcare, Legacy, Open Arms, Vets Connect and other local services on the NSW Central Coast. Your contribution will help fund the delivery of services including advocacy support, homelessness support, financial bill shock support, connection to mental health and medical services, and social work support.
Vietnam Veterans, Peacekeepers & Peacemakers Association of Australia
The Vietnam Veterans, Peacekeepers & Peacemakers Association of Australia (VVPPAA) provides ongoing support and advocacy to veterans and their families. Your contribution will assist the VVPPAA to continue providing critical advocacy assistance to current serving and ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force and their families, helping with claims and access to compensation and wellbeing services.
Nominated charities will be contacted by RSL NSW prior to 30 June 2024 to finalise sponsorship arrangements.
The Veteran Support Fund will support initiatives that are aligned with our charitable purpose and that are not already being delivered by a RSL NSW-related service provider.
For example, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services is our partner charity and provides a range of services and support such as Veteran Wellbeing Centres/Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs, wellbeing support and financial assistance, DVA claims and advocacy, employment assistance, homelessness and housing support, and equine therapy.
RSL NSW donations can only be made to charities that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Not-for-profit organisations that provide a service that is aligned to RSL NSW’s charitable purpose could receive funding as a recognised allowable expenditure but not a donation through the VSF.
For example, paying for a cadet unit to support a local ANZAC Day service, or running a sport and recreation activity for veterans and their families in the community, are allowable expenses which, if approved by the members attached to the sub-Branch, can be funded directly, but will not be an eligible VSF initiative.
No, an organisation must be nominated for funding by an RSL sub-Branch.
You will need to directly liaise with members at an RSL NSW sub-Branch, who will complete the VSF Funding Proposal form and submit it for consideration for funding with other state-wide nominations.
You can find a RSL NSW sub-Branch at: https://rslnsw.org.au/get-involved/find-a-sub-branch/
Yes, multiple initiatives for the same organisation can be included in a single funding proposal.
Separating the cost of each initiative is preferred so that the allocation of funds can be considered.
An organisation can seek support from multiple sub-Branches. Alternatively, it can select a lead sub-Branch and seek endorsement of their proposal from other sub-Branches in the region.
In any event, all nominations for funding will lead to the VSF for consideration.
RSL NSW and its sub-Branches are a registered charity, whereas RSL Clubs are not. RSL Clubs are typically not-for-profit entities that operate licensed premises and are governed by different legislation than for charities, and different legislation from RSL NSW.
RSL NSW and its sub-Branches do not own or operate any registered clubs, nor do they own or operate poker machines. In other States, RSL sub-Branches may own and operate clubs and hold poker machine licences.
Some RSL NSW sub-Branches may have an in-kind agreement in place to hold meetings or commemorative events at their local RSL or Services Club at no cost to the charity, however, they are completely separate entities.
Some RSL and services clubs donate ClubGrants to our partner charity, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services to deliver services and support to veterans and their families.RSL NSW has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the RSL and Services Clubs Association and Clubs NSW around shared objectives to support veterans and their families.
RSL NSW donations will occur annually. There is an opportunity for initiatives to be funded for up to five years.
RSL NSW will negotiate the terms of the commercial agreement with the beneficiary organisation before making any donation including how the League will be publicly recognised for its support and any reporting requirements.
No. However this is a great way for like-minded veterans to build a relationship with their local sub-Branch and support the volunteers who are delivering services and support to veterans and their families and organising local commemorative events in their community.
Follow this link to join RSL NSW for free.