About this grant
The Australian Government is inviting organisations to apply to deliver projects under the Family and Communities Program’s Strong and Resilient Communities (SARC) Activity – Inclusive Communities grant round from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2025.
These grants aim to support equity and opportunity for Australian communities through local community-driven solutions that build self-reliance and empowerment.
Strong and Resilient Communities – Inclusive Communities grants will support the social and economic participation of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in their communities by providing funding that supports:
- the development of young people aged 12 to 18 years who are, or are at risk of, being disengaged, marginalised and having limited engagement with education/training
- people with disabilities and/or mental health issues to participate in their community, and work towards becoming and/or remaining independent and engaged
- vulnerable women who experience, or are at risk of, isolation or discrimination, to participate in their community and increase their sense of self agency and empowerment
- people who are unemployed to address individual barriers to social and economic participation and employment by increasing their capacity for engagement with existing employment, community supports, and training services, as they work towards gaining meaningful employment.
To be eligible, you must be one of the following entity types:
- Company
- Cooperative
- Incorporated Association
- Indigenous Corporation
- Local Government
- Statutory Entity
- Trustee on behalf of a trust.
Please note: Before you submit your application, you should check that you are able to attach evidentiary documentation to validate the entity type. Eligible entity types can vary from one grant opportunity to another.
Funded projects under the program may achieve one or more of the following outcomes:
- increased social, civic and economic participation
- increased connection and functioning within communities
- reduced levels of social isolation/increased sense of belonging in communities
- people are self-reliant, empowered and experience improved mental health
- people are engaged with education, training and work-ready services and activities
- people have improved work skills and increased opportunities for paid work
- people engage with and sustain engagement with community services and activities
- people are engaged with skills development and learning opportunities in their communities
- people have improved connections and linkages to services that further support their increased social, civic and economic participation.
Funding will be available to eligible organisations to deliver one-off, time-limited, new projects in their communities. Projects may include a trial, seed or start-up project to establish new activities, short-term interventions, or the significant reframing of existing activities.
Please note: Applications for a previously funded or existing project cannot be funded under this grant opportunity unless the new project represents a change to the service provision type, location or cohort. This grant opportunity is not designed to support ongoing service delivery.
Applications from consortia are acceptable, as long as you have a lead applicant who is solely accountable to the Commonwealth for the delivery of grant activities and is an eligible entity as per the list above. Eligible organisations can form a consortium with ineligible organisations.
- Assessment of applications – 12 weeks (depending on number of applications received)
- Approval of outcomes of selection process – 4 weeks
- Notification to unsuccessful applicants – 2 weeks
- Negotiations and award of grant agreements – Up to 6 weeks
- Earliest start date of grant activity – 1 July 2023
- End date of grant activity – 30 June 2025.
To apply, you must:
- complete the online application form, please see 'Submit Application'
- provide all the information requested
- address all eligibility criteria and assessment criteria
- include all necessary attachments
- submit your application/s on GrantConnect by 9:00 pm AEDT on 3 November 2022.
