Australian Government: Seeking Applications for Volunteer Grants 2018

Deadline: 18 September 2018

The Australian Government is inviting applications via an open process to apply for funding to support volunteers under the Volunteer Grants Activity.

Volunteer Grants aim to support the efforts of Australia’s volunteers. The grants provide small amounts of money that organisations and community groups can use to help their volunteers. The grants form part of the Government’s work to support the volunteers who help disadvantaged Australian communities and encourage inclusion of vulnerable people in community life.

Funding Information

The Volunteer Grants 2018 funding round will provide funding of between $1,000 and $5,000 to eligible individuals and not-for-profit community organisations.

Funding Criteria

Small equipment items can make a volunteer’s work easier, safer and more enjoyable. They can also help volunteers keep up with changing technology by supporting volunteers to access digital and electronic equipment.
Under the CGRGs, value in the use of public money is a core consideration in determining grant recipients under a grant activity. Grant recipients are required to be accountable for the expenditure of a grant for the approved purpose.
Grant money can only be used for eligible items for volunteers. Grant applicants should ensure that the grant is used to pay for items that are cost effective and reasonably priced.
The grant money can be used as a contribution towards buying eligible small equipment used by volunteers. It can be used for transport for volunteers with disability who cannot drive or for fuel costs incurred by volunteers. It can also be used to pay for training courses or background screening checks for volunteers.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must be Australian not-for-profit organisations or community groups whose volunteers’ work supports families and/or communities in Australia.
NOTE: If applicants are applying as a Trustee on behalf of a Trust, the Trustee must be an eligible entity as listed below. They may be required to provide evidence of their entity type.
Applicants must be one of the following entity types:
- Company
- Incorporated Association
- Cooperative
- Partnership
- Statutory Entity
- Non-corporate State/Territory Statutory Authority
- Corporate Commonwealth Entity
- Corporate State/Territory Entity
- Indigenous Corporation
Person representing a volunteer based community group (Authorised Signatory) In addition, Applicants must:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or be willing to provide a Statement by Supplier Form (reason for not quoting an ABN).
- have an account with an Australian financial institution.
Community groups that are not legal entities (for example, branches of a larger umbrella organisation) are eligible to apply for funding, however the application must be from an Authorised Signatory (president, chairperson, secretary or treasurer) within the community group. This means that:
- the individual, as a legal entity, is applying for the funding on behalf of their community group;
- the individual will enter into a Grant Agreement with DSS;
- the grant will be paid into the bank account of the individual or nominated community group account; and
- the individual will be held legally responsible for making sure the grant is spent in accordance with the Grant Agreement.