Up to $10,000 is available to support people with a disability, their carers and families.
Overview
Disability Self-Help Grants are available to assist disability self-help groups in financing general expenses, minor works and equipment.
Objective
Disability Self-Help Grants are available to:
- strengthen the capacity of people with a disability to live independently in their own community and actively participate in community activities
- support members to make informed decisions about their own lives
- encourage a network of community peer support and information exchange for people with a disability and their families/carers
- increase opportunities for self-help groups to provide information and education on the experiences of people with a disability.
Funding
Grants of up to $10,000 are available to assist self-help groups.
Eligible Projects
Disability Self-Help Grants will fund:
- general expenses and running costs – for example, gas and electricity, phone, postage, publicity, child care and attendant care associated with meetings, printing, purchase of books and maintenance costs
- minor works and equipment – for example, non-slip flooring or new equipment such as a filing cabinet
- a contribution to other operating expenses.
Eligible Applicants
The Disability Self-Help Grants are open to disability self-help groups whose focus is on disabilities, which are not related to age or mental illness, and provide mutual peer support and education programs to members as well as community information about disability. Self-help group support is expected to be delivered by the whole group as opposed to one or two members.
To qualify for funding a disability self-help group must be:
- one of the following:
- a holder of an Australian Business Number (ABN), or able to provide a ‘Statement by Supplier’ form
- a self-help group that has arranged an incorporated organisation to be the financial and legal auspice for this grant
- non-profit making
- managed by its members
- a group with a specific ongoing membership not just an activity or education group run by a disability group.
Timing
Application closes 21 October 2015
Media Release
Applications are now open for the Andrews Labor Government’s Self-Help Grants program, which supports people with a disability, their carers and families.
Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers, Gabrielle Williams, today encouraged all Victorian disability self-help groups to apply for the grants.
Grants of up to $10,000 are available to:
- Strengthen the capacity of people with a disability to live independently in their own community and actively participate in community activities
- Support members to make informed decisions about their own lives
- Encourage a network of community peer support and information exchange for people with a disability and their families/carers
- Increase opportunities to provide information and education of people with a disability.
Grant funding is provided to cover a group’s general expenses and running costs, as well as minor works and equipment.
The Disability Self-Help Grants are open from Tuesday, 22 September, 2015 and will close on Wednesday, 21 October, 2015.
Guidelines and application forms are available on the Department of Health & Human Services web site: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/disabilityselfhelp
