Individual Grants Program in Australia

Deadline: 25-Sep-22

The Variety – the Children’s Charity has announced Individual Grants Program.

Variety Victoria provides assistance towards the purchase of mobility equipment, communication devices, essential medical and health equipment to support children that have a medically diagnosed chronic illness or disability.

Government Funding

• Applicants must first determine if government funding is available. This includes but is not limited to NDIS, SWEP, ECDS and Better Start.
• Should government funding be available an applicant must first apply to the relevant body. Should the government body decline funding a copy of the decline letter must be included with the application.
• Variety will fund the SWEP gap even if the family are eligible for SWEP top up funding.

Funding Requests

• The applicant must only apply for one item as part of their request. These must be directly related to the child’s diagnosis and supported by a GP & relevant Allied Health Professional. The following will form the basis of the grant and if successful, cannot be amended after the approval date.
  • Auditory – hearing aids, cochlea implants etc
  • Bedroom Items – specialised beds & mattresses
  • Bike – including modified bikes, trikes and scooters
  • Car Seats – including position systems
  • Cough Assist Machine
  • CPAP Machine
  • Dog – Assistance or companion dog
  • Electric Stimulation Systems – medical devices that stimulate nerves and muscles
  • Epilepsy Monitor
  • Gait trainer
  • Helmets – cranial helmets used for shaping skulls or safety helmets for seizures
  • Hoists/Lifts – Portable only, including electric and manual hoists, slings etc.
  • In home mobility therapeutic items – including trampolines etc.
  • Insulin Pump
  • Nebulizer or Humidifier
  • Orthotics – Dynamic Movement Orthoses, second skin, dynamic splits or compression stockings
  • Oxygen Pumps
  • Positioning Systems – including hi-lo chairs, side layers etc.
  • Prosthetics
  • Sensory Equipment – Items promoting the stimulation of the senses (sight, tough, smell and emotion)
  • Seizure Alarms and Mats
  • Shower Chairs
  • Standers – standing frames and standing assistive equipment
  • Strollers – medical needs only
  • Suction Pumps
  • Toilet Chairs
  • Wheelchairs – Powered/Electric, manual
  • Wheelchair – Sports
  • Walk Assistance items – including postural splints, theratogs
  • Walkers
  • Vaporizer
  • Ventilators
  • Vision Care – corrective equipment

Requests not eligible

• The following falls outside of Variety Victoria’s funding guidelines
  • Retrospective funding – only items purchased after the approval date will be eligible to claim as part of the grant
  • Servicing or maintenance
  • Installation costs
  • Insurance
  • Capital works
  • Car purchase or modifications
  • Therapy
  • Medical Fees
  • Household bills
  • Travel costs – parking, petrol, accommodation, taxi’s etc.
  • Training & Seminars

Outcomes

• Outcome letters are emailed to applicants approximately 12 weeks after their initial submission
  • Unsuccessful Applicants
    • Reasons pertaining to unsuccessful applications are at the discretion of the Kids Support Committee.
  • Successful Applicants
    • Successful Applicants have 3 months from the date of approval on their outcome letter to use their funding
    • No retrospective funding is eligible
    • Successful applicants are directed to provide their outcome letter to the supplier associated with their approved funded item
    • The supplier must provide a tax invoice to Variety Victoria directly for the approved item and with the approved amount (please note Variety Victoria will not provide money directly to applicants and/or parent/carers; money is paid directly to suppliers)
    • It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to action all appropriate steps after receiving the outcome letter (as directed)
    • Any unused and/or unspent funds will be forfeited after the expiry date of the funding

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must live in Victoria
• Applicants must be aged between 0 to 17 years old
• Applicants must be medically diagnosed with a chronic illness or disability
• Previous recipients must wait until 18 months after the date listed on their successful outcome letter
• Variety Victoria recommends applicants consult their NDIS planner, GP, Specialist or Social/Support Worker before staring an application so they can best support them through the process.

For more information, visit Variety – the Children’s Charity.

For more information, visit https://www.variety.org.au/vic/grants/