Australasian bus and coach operator Kinetic has opened its third round of the Moving Communities Fund, with $160,000 being committed to grassroots organisations making a difference in their local communities.
Grants of up to $10,000, plus in-kind support such as free charters, volunteer time and promotional space, are available to local organisations such as not-for-profits, sporting clubs and schools operating in communities where Kinetic runs services. The program delivers community-based solutions to organisations often missed by traditional funding.
Since launching in Australia in 2024, Kinetic has committed almost $320,000 to the Moving Communities Fund across Australia and New Zealand, with funding growing year on year as the program expands its reach into more communities.
The fund has supported 65 community projects spanning youth mentoring, literacy, family violence awareness, road safety, homelessness support and more.
Kinetic Australia managing director Matthew Campbell says the fund continues to grow in both reach and impact across Australia.
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“Over the past two years, we’ve seen the Moving Communities Fund make a real difference across the country. We’re proud to have supported organisations like Rosie’s Reading, bringing books to more Tasmanian children; Safe Steps, putting family violence awareness on buses across Melbourne; and PCYC programs in Cairns that get young people into sport and competition,” Campbell says.
“This third round is about building on that momentum and extending the fund’s reach even further into regional communities across Australia. We’re committed to showing up for the people who show up for their communities every day, whether that’s $1,000 to help a regional sporting team get to their next competition or larger support for a youth program navigating tough times.”
The Moving Communities fund launched in New Zealand for the first time in 2025.
Kinetic New Zealand managing director Calum Haslop says the response from organisations across the country in the fund’s first year had been “fantastic”.
“The applications we received in our first year were incredibly inspiring. They ranged from Orange Sky Aotearoa providing laundry services and support for people experiencing homelessness, to CCS Disability Action researching the transport barriers disabled New Zealanders face every day, and the Wairarapa Road Safety Council supplying high-visibility vests to students on rural roads, including many on our own school bus routes,” Haslop says.
“Our people live and work in the communities we serve across Aotearoa, so we know the incredible work happening at the grassroots level – but the breadth and heart of these organisations, doing so much with limited resources, really stood out. We’re pleased to be able to support them, and we’re looking forward to hearing from the next wave of groups doing vital work across the country.”
The Moving Communities Fund forms part of Kinetic’s broader community investment across the region, which has totalled more than $2.3 million since 2024. This investment includes partnering with impactful organisations such as the Gold Coast Titans, Western Chances and DV Safe Phone, the donation of buses to support community services and for historical exhibits, the operation of Foodbank Victoria’s mobile supermarkets and free advertising space for social enterprises.
Kinetic says it is proud to be launching its 2026 fund with the backing of new majority shareholder TPG and existing minority shareholder Foresight. TPG, via its dedicated climate investing platform TPG Rise Climate, recently completed its acquisition of Kinetic’s Australia and New Zealand business and Kinetic’s 51 per cent share of the Go Ahead business.
Applications are now open at www.wearekinetic.com/community and close June 24, 2026, with successful recipients to be announced in August.
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