What is the Regional Events Scheme?
One of two funding pools we have open to regional event holders, Regional Events Scheme (RES) provides funding to small-scale or developing regional events across Western Australia.
Tourism WA provides RES funding to regional events which bring more people to the regions, generate more visitor spend for local communities, attract media coverage, showcase a strong point of difference for an area, add vibrancy to the region and support local jobs.
In 2025-26 RES round, 63 events were awarded funding, including six through the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme.
The Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme (RAES) is part of the RES funding awarded each year with $150,000 available in 2025-26 for Aboriginal events.
To be eligible for RAES funding, your event must deliver Aboriginal activities and experiences through the leadership and participation of Aboriginal people.
How to apply?
The next round of applications will open in August 2025 for events held between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.
You can apply for funding between $5,000 and $40,000 per year. The total funding amount available in the 2026-27 RES round is up to $1 million including a separate pool of up to $150,000 exclusively for RAES events.
All applications are evaluated against a set criteria which can be found in the RES guidelines. Funding is awarded through a competitive process so sometimes events that meet the criteria may not be funded.
To be eligible for funding, your event must be held in one of WA's nine regions as determined by the Regional Development Commission Act 1993. These include the Peel, South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Mid-West, Gascoyne, Goldfields-Esperance, Pilbara and Kimberley regions.
RES funding recipients will also need a risk management plan that complies with the latest Australian Standard for risk management as well as up-to-date insurance certificates of currency for their event.