Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) are among the small to medium not-for-profit (NFP) groups that can now access a pool of up to $1 million in Governance and Sustainability grants.

The funding is open to organisations with an annual revenue of less than $3 million and groups can apply for up to $50,000 each.

Announcing the grants Human Services Minister Nat Cook said the state’s NFPs carry out vital work in their local communities and grants would help improve service delivery by ensuring organisations operate at best capacity.

Often, smaller service-oriented organisations allocate the lion’s share of funds to the communities they serve. This can leave little for governance and sustainability initiatives.

NFPs are important conduits to a range of government services gaps as is the case with ACCOs that work in areas such as health, legal aid, education, land and water rights, disability support and family violence.

Eligible community services organisations can apply for one-off grants of up to $50,000. Applications close at 3pm on Tuesday 23 March.


Grant funds can be used to:

• upskill employees and volunteers to take on leadership roles or service-delivery training.
• undertake upgrades build governance and improve compliance, including developing and strengthening partnerships and collaborations with other community organisations to improve sustainability and deliver common social impact objectives
• build organisational capacity and resilience that are both environmentally and organisationally sustainable, such as installing solar systems or rainwater tanks, acquiring IT infrastructure or improving access to facilities.

For eligibility criteria and grant guidelines, visit the Grants SA website at www.dhs.sa.gov.au/grantsSA. General queries can be directed to the Grants SA team by calling 1300 650 985 or via email to grantssa@sa.gov.au.

Quotes

Attributable to Nat Cook

These grants are about helping those who help others.

It’s been a tough few years for many communities and groups, especially for those not-for-profit organisations whose entire focus is on serving, supporting and connecting their communities.

We know that many organisations need resources to streamline and strengthen the way they operate to ensure they maximise reach and service delivery. However, they are so focused on meeting demand, that these backend operational issues can be pushed into the background.

I encourage all small to medium organisations working in community services to apply for a Governance and Sustainability Grant so they can continue to provide dedicated support to vulnerable South Australians for many years into the future.

Attributable to KWY CEO Craig Rigney

KWY Aboriginal Corporation in the past has been a recipient of a similar grant from DHS, which allows me to speak firsthand of the importance of these funding opportunities.

The need for small organisations to have the ability and resources to build upon the back of house systems and processes cannot be underestimated.

These grants provide the opportunity for more proficient, foundational, and capital growth that not only builds upon better governance but also aims to eliminate risks to smaller organisations.

The positive impact of these types of grants is that organisations will build confidence, create a greater knowledge base of its own requirements which in turn will be reflected in better outcomes for the communities in which they operate.

Funding bodies and sector partners will seek to strengthen relationships knowing that the organisation is more efficient and better armed with the often overlooked back of house systems/frameworks that are crucial to future success.

I would encourage any small organisation to apply for this opportunity and I would be more than happy to a chat with them more about how this has helped KWY grow.