Community Inclusion and Participation Grants Funding Guidelines

Community Inclusion and Participation Grants funding guidelines

Please read the guidelines carefully and note the following important information:

All applications must be submitted in Word format with a maximum file size of eight megabytes.
Applicants must be registered for GST when submitting their application.
Applications must include a completed checklist (at the end of the grant application document).
Successful applicants withinitiatives involving children must provide evidence of a Working with Children Check before receiving their grant.

Timing of application

Applications will not be accepted for programs or activities that are completed less than three months from the grant round closing date. The assessment, approval and communication to recipients take a minimum of three months.

Community Inclusion and Participation Grants closing date

5pm, Friday,21 October 2016.

Number of applications

Organisations may submit more than one application. Auspicing organisations may also support more than one application.

Grant overview

The Community Inclusion and Participation Grants funding application form can be downloaded at request the form in an alternative format, please contact the Grants Officer at the VisAbility Ltdon 93118202 or email .

The funding for the Community Inclusion and Participation Grants is provided by the Disability Services Commission. The administration of the grants is coordinated by VisAbility Ltd (formerly known as the Association for the Blind of Western Australia). Please note the engagement of VisAbility Ltddoes not in any way restrict the grants to matters relating to vision-impaired disability.

The Community Inclusion and Participation Grants support the State Government to meet its obligations and commitment to the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020, which identifies improved inclusion and participation as a key area for future action by governments and communities.

The intended outcome is that people with disability live in inclusive and well-designed communities with the opportunity to participate fully in social, economic, sporting and cultural life. This reflects the objectives of supporting and empowering communities to be welcoming of people with disability, their families and carers. Funding will be provided to initiatives undertaken by general community groups, local governments or disability-related organisations. It is intended grant funding will enhance the capacity of communities to sustainably include individuals with disability to participate.

Contemporary approaches to disability include ensuring the person with disability has maximum choice and control and is at the centre of decision-making in all areas of their life. Services and supports, including community programs focused on access, inclusion and participation, are planned and tailored to support a person in achieving their individual goals.

The Community Inclusion and Participation Grants are funded to assist with strategies to:

create a better understanding across the community of what it is like living with a disability, the contribution people with disability make to their communities, and the challenges they face when participating in community life
deliver services in ways that create more opportunities for community living, participation and contribution
support community networks, advocacy groups, individuals, families and carers to build inclusive communities.

Innovative programs, activities or projects will be strongly supported.

For the purposes of this grant, and consistent with Disability Services Commission eligibility, people with disability excludes those where the onset of disability occurred after 65 years of age.

How much are the grants?

The Community Inclusion and Participation Grants total $500,000 (excluding GST). The range of grant funding available per project is $1,000 to $50,000 (excluding GST). Small and medium projects are encouraged. Larger projects will require evidence of a co-contribution or another funding partner. It is the responsibility of the applying agency to indicate their required funding amount.

Who is eligible to apply?

The following entity types based in Western Australia are invited to apply:

incorporated, not-for-profit organisations and associations and local government authorities
for-profit organisations
unincorporated not-for-profit associations and community groups will be eligible where auspiced by an incorporated association or local government (auspicing guidelines apply).

There is no requirement for organisations to be currently funded by the Disability Services Commission.

Who is not eligible to apply?

State (including government schools) and Australian Government agencies
individuals
political entities
entities not registered for GST.

What will not be funded by these grants?

Funding will not be considered for an initiative, or part of an initiative, that:

has already taken place
is completed less than three months from the closing date of the funding program (assessment, approval and communication about grant outcomes take a minimum of three months)
has alternative sources of funding that are more appropriate such as the Department of Sport and Recreation, Royalties for Regions or Lotterywest
is one-off in nature, such as a product launch
is solely for fundraising activities or expected to realise a profit
relates to events or activities that are part of a larger program funded by another agency
is core business and usual activity for the applicant
does not include inclusive practices for people with disability (eg a sports carnival where only people with disability participate)
seeks to fund disability-related supports and services otherwise funded by the Commission for eligible persons.

Examples of some of the items that will not be funded include:

existing ongoing or recurrent organisational costs, salaries, fees and lease or rental payments
venue hire for an organisation’s own venue
purchase of capital equipment (egcomputers, photocopiers and vehicles)
capital works (eg building repairs, extensions, renovations, maintenance and ACROD bay development)
uniforms
interstate or overseas travel (inbound or outbound, including airfares)
accommodation costs
conference attendance (including sporting events)
research-related items

Examples of staffing costs that will be considered for funding:

Additional costs to engage specialist personnel to facilitate and coordinate the funded program.
The employment of additional personnel must be as a result of the program being funded.
Any additional personnel required will only be funded for the duration of the program.

What are the selection criteria I need to address?

Grant applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria:

Criterion 1: Describe how your proposed initiative will improve the inclusion and participation of people in your community. (Weighting 50%)

This section includes information about what you intend to achieve for people with disability. For example:

demonstratehow it will increase or improve the inclusion and participation of people with disability in the community
demonstrate how inclusion and participation will be sustained once the program is completed
demonstrate how it raises awareness related to inclusion and participation for people with disability in the community
how does it support the following?:
participation and contribution in all aspects of life
welcoming communities
lifelong learning in inclusive settings
enabling information and technologies
economic and community foundations
well-planned and accessible communities.

Criterion 2: Is there a clear and realistic outcome and delivery plan, evaluation framework and budget identified? (Weighting 35%)

Outcomes can include, but are not limited to:

an increase in the number of people with disability participating in the program or project
an increase in the skills of participants
an increase in the level of social interaction of participants
an increase in community awareness of the issues facing people with disability relating to inclusion and participation.

The success of your program or project could be measured by, but not limited to:

how the project is sustainable once the use of this funding is completed
how participants have been able to use the skills they acquire through the program in real-life situations
feedback from participants with disability, families, carers and volunteers
long-term benefits or impacts for people participating, especially once this program is completed
long-term benefits or impacts for the community
requests for further development of your program or project at its completion

Criterion 3: Demonstrate your organisation’s capacity to manage and administer the program or activity. (Weighting 15%)

Have you provided a detailed, itemised budget?
Have you provided a clear project management monitoring and reviewing process?
Have you conducted a risk assessment of your program or project?

How is my application assessed?

All applications are assessed by a grants panel comprising a personwith disability, Disability Services Commission officer, VisAbility Ltd representative and an officer from another State Government department.

Grants funding is limited and highly competitive. Many applications will meet the grants criteria and a process of prioritisation is undertaken in the assessment and funding process.

To ensure wide distribution of grant funding across the State, the Disability Services Commission may consider the geographic location of each application and communities of greatest need when determining whether to provide funding for a project.

Your project or program needs to increase the inclusion and participation of people with disability in the community in a sustainable manner. You should aim to assist participants to continue to use the skills they acquire/develop through the program once it has concluded.

Programs and projects that aim to increase inclusion and participation for people with disability into existing mainstream programs or projects, or create new ones with strategies developed to incorporate a permanent change for inclusion, are more likely to be successful. Initiatives aimed at people with disability participating exclusively with other people with disability, for a finite period of time, are unlikely to have long-term benefits.

You may wish, for example, to consider forming a partnership with a non-disability focused organisation and develop a program to increase inclusion and participation for people with disability in the partnered organisation. This could mean you assist them in developing skills to be on the partnered organisation’s board or gain volunteer work within the organisation.

Examples of successful programs and projects funded by Community Inclusion and Participation grants are available on the Commission’s website:

> About Us > Count Me In > Community Inclusion and Participation Grants

You are not required to submit any further documentation such as testimonials, letters of support or similar. Your success will be based on your application alone.

Duration of the grant period

Successful applicants will receive their funding in December 2016 and all programs or activities will need to have concluded by June 2018. Reporting and acquittals for the grant funds will be required by 30 September 2018.

What do I need to do before I apply?

Applicants are encouraged to attend the grants briefing session:

2–3pm, 19 September 2016

Barry MacKinnon Room, Level 2, Disability Services Commission

146–160 Colin Street, West Perth.

All applicants are advised to contact the VisAbility Grant Officer to discuss their application’s eligibility. The contact number is 9311 8266.

Submitting your application

You must address the criteria and complete the Community Inclusion and ParticipationGrants Program application form.

Meeting the selection criteria does not guarantee funding. Funding is limited and applications will be assessed according to the extent they meet the selection criteria.

Once you have completed your application please submit via the following:

Email:

Post:

Community Inclusion and Participation Grants

VisAbility

PO Box 101

Victoria Park WA 6979

Hand-delivered:

Community Inclusion and Participation Grants

VisAbility

61 Kitchener Ave

Victoria Park WA 6100