19.9m investment in building community organisations and opportunities for Australians with disability

Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher, and Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services, Sarah Henderson, have announced the opening of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) new grant round.

Mr Fletcher said the ILC grants were a fundamental aspect of the NDIS, designed to empower people with disability to access their community and achieve their goals.

“These grants of up to $19.9 million in 2018-19 focus on investment for organisations run by, and for, people with disability,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Around the country, successful ILC grants have included initiatives targeting activities that enable people with disability to participate in mainstream and community life.

“With this new grant round, we are putting people with disability and their organisations at the centre of how we deliver ILC.

“The Federal Government has invested $82.7 million over the last two years in organisations that deliver activities that promote the inclusion of people with disability.

“This additional investment of $19.9 million will build and strengthen the organisational capacity of Disabled Peoples and Families Organisations (DPFOs) across Australia to deliver individual capacity building activities for people with disability.

Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services, Sarah Henderson said the targeted investment in DPFOs was an important contribution towards creating opportunities for people with disability.

“By targeting DPFOs in this new grant round, the Government is building on the strength and contribution of this important network, and leveraging its ability to connect and support people in local communities.

“These grants will provide opportunities to local groups and organisations to foster greater community inclusion and accessibility for people with disability, their families and carers.

Activities expected to be funded through this targeted grant round include:

• peer support groups
• mentoring programs (individual or group based)
• skill building programs for self-management and independence
• capacity building programs to enable people to speak up for themselves 

The DPFO grant round opens on 27 November 2018 and closes on 21 December 2018.

Further information about the round, including the eligibility criteria that you must meet to apply, is available at the DSS Community Grants Hub by calling 1800 020 283, or emailing support@communitygrants.gov.au.

Future grant opportunities for ILC will be available in early 2019.