Deadline: 22-Apr-24
The Communities Innovation Fund is being delivered as a competitive grants program to support flexible, person-centred, and place-based responses to social isolation and loneliness in Queensland communities.
In 2023-24, these grants will support initiatives that respond to the unique experiences of social isolation and loneliness amongst culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities.
The department acknowledges the cultural diversity of First Nations peoples. However, for the purposes of this grant round, the term ‘culturally diverse’ refers to people from migrant and refugee backgrounds, people seeking asylum, and Australian South Sea Islander peoples.
Objectives
- Eligible organisations are invited to submit proposals outlining their ideas for projects, programs, services or supports which align with the primary objective of the fund:
- To identify innovative approaches to addressing social isolation and loneliness in culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Queensland, that are at heightened risk of experiencing social isolation and loneliness.
- Initiatives could also contribute to the fund’s secondary objectives, which include:
- to increase community understanding of social isolation and loneliness including the causes, impacts, barriers and enablers to overcoming social isolation and loneliness
- to establish and maintain social and community connections and promote inclusion
- To support capacity building within organisations to respond to those experiencing social isolation and loneliness.
Funding Information
- Small grants of up to $50,000 per initiative will continue to be offered throughout the life of the fund. The total value of funding still available for small initiatives is $800,000.
Timeframe
- Funding is available from June 2024 and must commence within three months of the funding date. Your program must be fully completed within twelve months of the funding date.
- A final evaluation report must be provided by 30 September 2025 (three months after completion of the 2024-25 financial year).
- A new funding round will be opened for activities during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years, with activities to be completed within the financial year, and final reports due by 30 September of the following financial year.
Target Group/Service
- The Communities Innovation Fund aims to target groups that are most at risk of social isolation and loneliness. In 2023-24 Communities Innovation Fund grants will be targeted towards initiatives that respond to social isolation and loneliness amongst culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible to apply for this grant, your organisation must be incorporated and can be:
- a not-for-profit organisation
- a company limited by guarantee
- a cooperative
- an incorporated association
- A university or research organisation
- A Local Government
- an unincorporated community group or user-led group that is auspiced by an eligible entity
- A profit-for-purpose company.
- If you are applying as a consortium or partnership, a lead agency must be identified and the contract will be entered into with that organisation. You will be required to provide evidence of your partnership through a letter of support from participating partners.
- Your organisation must also maintain public liability insurance for a sum of not less than $10 million.
- You are not eligible to apply if you are:
- a state, territory or federal government agency or body
- an unincorporated organisation that is not auspiced by an eligible entity
- an individual
- an organisation that is not based in Queensland
- fixed trusts
- A political party
- To be eligible your initiative must:
- be available to people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, social isolation and loneliness within the identified cohort of culturally and linguistically diverse people and communities
- be culturally responsive and inclusive of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- be delivered in Queensland.
- Not duplicate any currently funded services or initiatives in your proposed location, including services or initiatives funded through Queensland State Government agencies
For more information, visit Queensland Government.