Vulnerable Peoples Vaccination Program Grants – Australia

Deadline: 23-Aug-24

The Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) is inviting vaccination providers, local government and nongovernment organisations with strong links to vulnerable populations in their community to provide innovative and coordinated activities that enable the delivery and promotion of vaccinations to vulnerable populations.

MPHN is seeking organisations to develop innovative approaches to promoting COVID-19 education and uptake of booster COVID-19 vaccinations. Activities must be localised solutions that are targeted and short-term and that supplement existing activities and arrangements, not replace, or duplicate them.

Objectives

• The objectives of the Vulnerable Populations Vaccination Program (VPVP) grant is to:
  • To provide safe, friendly, and easily accessible access to vaccinations and healthcare advice for vulnerable populations;
  • To raise awareness of the current Australin Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendations for COVID-19 booster vaccinations with the target populations with enhanced communication strategies;
  • To educate target populations on the changes to their vaccination eligibility and keep them updated with any changes to the recommendations;
  • To increase COVID-19 booster vaccination rates of the target populations.

Funding Information

• There is a limited pool of funding available for this activity, and awarding of grant funding is subject to funding availability over the period of the program.
• All grant funded activity must be completed by 31st December 2024.
• There are three levels of funding on offer for this Grant, and applicants will be asked to identify the level of grant funding they are applying for.
  • Level 1: up to $5,000.00 (GST exclusive)
  • Level 2: $5,001 to $ 10,000.00 (GST exclusive)
  • Level 3: $ 10,001 to $20,000.00 (GST exclusive)

Activities

• Applicants are encouraged to create partnerships with local vaccination providers or other aligned organisations. Grant activity can include, but is not limited to:
  • Supporting home bound individuals, with access to in-reach vaccinations;
  • Providing information and vaccinations to non-Medicare eligible people;
  • Delivery of designated vaccination and health clinics for vulnerable populations;
  • Delivering flu clinics (using grant funds to purchase private flue vaccination stocks) and opportunistically offering COVID-19 vaccination at the same time;
  • Partnering with providers who have established and trusted relationships with vulnerable populations to obtain maximum reach e.g., migrant and refugee settlement services, homelessness and family violence service providers and rural and remote services;
  • Sharing community resource information related to COVID-19 and accessing other health resources, including digital resources, printing and photocopying information sheets and other appropriate items for dissemination.
• Grant activity may promote social connectedness and emotional health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations, however the primary focus of the activity must be to improve vaccination rates and knowledge of COVID-19 vaccination programs within the target population groups.

Target Populations 

• This activity will target the following vulnerable population groups:
  • older Australians;
  • culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse people, especially asylum seekers and refugees and those in older age groups who may find it difficult to use other vaccination services;
  • First Nations Peoples;
  • people with a disability or who are frail and cannot leave home;
  • people experiencing homeless or living rough;
  • non-Medicare eligible populations;
  • people in rural and remote areas with limited healthcare options, including those who cannot travel to a regional centre;
  • people living in remote communities;
  • children aged 5-11 who have complex need, who are not captured by another suitable vaccination channel;
  • any other vulnerable groups identified as requiring dedicated support to access vaccinations.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to apply, organisation must either be a vaccination provider or an organisation who have established and trusted relationships with vulnerable populations identified above.
• This includes:
  • General Practices and Pharmacies that are eligible to order and vaccinate COVID-19 vaccines and understand the COVID-19 vaccination rollout program and the ATAGI guidelines and eligibility.
  • Local Government and Community organisations who work with vulnerable populations in the identified target groups, such as:
    • migrant and refugee settlement service providers;
    • homelessness service providers;
    • family violence service providers;
  • Residential Aged Care Homes (RACH);
  • Aboriginal Medical Services.

For more information, visit Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet.