Australia has awarded new grants to five Solomon Islands civil society organisations under the Civil Society Strengthening Program (CSSP), the Australian High Commission said on 6 November 2026.
The funding will go to the Solomon Islands National Youth Council, the Solomon Islands National Council of Women, Dreamcast Theatre, the National Disability Forum Solomon Islands and the Men's Care Initiative run through the Anglican Church of Melanesia.
The High Commission said the grants will help the organisations expand their work in youth leadership, women's empowerment, disability inclusion, community engagement, social awareness and family wellbeing.
CSSP has provided around SBD$17 million over three years to support more than 50 civil society organisations, peak bodies, non-government organisations, community-based organisations, media organisations and faith-based organisations across Solomon Islands.
The programme aims to help those organisations strengthen their governance and organisational capacity, and to put them on a more sustainable footing. The High Commission said it also aims to help them serve their members better and advocate for community priorities, and to contribute to national development.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Jeff Roach said civil society organisations play a vital role in building communities that are inclusive and resilient, and in making them more prosperous.
"Civil society organisations are trusted voices within communities and make an important contribution to Solomon Islands' development," Roach said.
He said Australia supports organisations working with women, young people, people with disabilities and communities across the country, and that the grants reflect Australia's commitment to locally led development and to partnerships with Solomon Islands civil society.
The National Youth Council will use its grant to host Provincial Youth Council annual general meetings and to strengthen youth participation and leadership opportunities. The National Council of Women will support women's leadership and advocacy through a National Women's Fair.
Dreamcast Theatre Solomon Islands will expand the herART Co Storytellers Collective, a women's art initiative for emerging photographers and filmmakers, and launch the premiere of its film on the Second World War, a dramatisation of local Solomon Islanders' perspectives.
The National Disability Forum Solomon Islands will host a National Government Dialogue to strengthen advocacy and promote the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in decision-making and budget processes.
Under the faith-based support stream of CSSP, the Men's Care Initiative of the Anglican Church of Melanesia will expand programmes that promote positive masculinity and respectful relationships, and support stronger family and community wellbeing.