Applying for a grant

The next general grant round closing date will be 31 August 2012.

You must discuss your project proposal with the Grants and Legal Information Manager at least 6 weeks before the closing date. As well as providing information about our grants program, we may be able to assist you with identifying other organisations, resources and research in the area. For example we may be able to help you in identifying potential suppliers of a publishing service or with developing research methodologies and evaluation strategies.

What is the purpose of the Foundation's grants program?

The aim of the Foundation's Grants program is to improve access to justice, particularly for socially and economically disadvantaged people, by supporting selected projects to improve access and decrease barriers to justice, or through research, to identify need or ways to improve access to justice.

Key principles

The following summarise key principles that underpin the grants program and guide the Foundation in its grant-making process.

The Foundation will only make grants to projects that fit squarely within its statutory objects to contribute to the development of a fair and equitable justice system, and to improve access to justice, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged people.
The Foundation aims to be very 'outcomes' focused in relation to its grants program, and will only make grants where there is likely to be a real 'outcome' that will contribute to the achievement of the Foundation's objects. Applicants are therefore required to identify the particular need they are addressing, how the project seeks to address this need, and how they will know they have made a difference at the end of the project.
In assessing applications the Foundation will, where appropriate, take an evidence-based approach. Applications that refer to up-to-date evidence and research to support their methods/proposals assist the Foundation's considerations.
The Foundation is not a recurrent funder. The Foundation's grants program cannot be relied upon for support of ongoing activities, or of 'core business' of an organisation.
The types of projects the Foundation's grants program may support include:

'one-off' projects likely to make a difference
'seed' projects that have a genuine chance of being supported beyond the initial grant period if they prove effective.
'Pilot ' projects that are based on sound existing practice or experience, have good expectations of ongoing funding once refined and evaluated as being effective.

The Foundation's grants program also seeks to be an avenue for innovative and original solutions and projects to be identified and supported. Therefore the program will also consider supporting projects where there is genuinely little evidence-based knowledge about the efficacy of the method, provided that the methods proposed are reasonably assessed to have the potential for effect, and that at the end of the project more will be known about the value of the proposed method/solution in meeting the identified need.
Assessing the effectiveness of any Foundation supported project, through an appropriate and cost effective evaluation, is a requirement for all grant-funded projects.
In fairness to all applicants the program needs to ensure that all successful applicants meet the grant conditions and complete projects in a timely fashion. While the capacity of applicant organisations will be taken into account grant support may be withdrawn where recipients do not act within reasonable timeframes.

What is the current focus of the Foundation's grants program?

The current focus of the grants program is community legal education projects. These include plain language projects and community legal education activities.

What are the grant criteria?

Grants must contribute to the Foundation's objects and are assessed against the following criteria:

Is there an identified need for the project?
Is there a clearly identified target group?
Is there a clearly identified aim for the project?
Is the proposed strategy most appropriate to meet the identified need?
Does your organisation have expertise in this area?
Have you consulted other organisations in the field?
Does the project duplicate or complement existing initiatives?
Is the project cost effective?
Does the project have a wider applicability beyond your local area?
Is the budget realistic and appropriate?
Are the promotion and dissemination strategies appropriate?
Is the evaluation strategy appropriate?

Who can apply?

The Foundation accepts applications from organisations with an ABN but not from individuals.

Preference will be given to applications initiated at the community level or with substantial community input.

We welcome joint applications from more than one organisation, although the application needs to be under the auspices of a single incorporated organisation, which will take responsibility for managing the project and administering the funds.

What types of projects are excluded?

Please check the list of exclusions for types of projects the Foundation does not fund.

What is the difference between a small and general grant?

Small Grants

These are grants of $5,000 or less (excluding GST) and are approved by the Director of the Foundation rather than the Board.

Small grants can be applied for at any time and the turnaround from application to decision is generally about four to eight weeks.

You will be notified in writing by the Director about whether your application was successful or not.

General Grants

These are grants of more than $5,000 and are capped at $50,000 (excluding GST). You should include all necessary expenses in your budget to enable the project to be completed successfully.

All general grant applications are considered by the Foundation's Board of Governors. The Foundation may request additional information from you after you have submitted your application. Generally, all applications are subject to a confidential external review process and the comments of external reviewers are used by the Board to assist it in its consideration. At the Director's discretion, some applications may not be sent for external review but rather, if appropriate, be forwarded directly to the Board for consideration for approval.

General grants can be applied for twice a year. The first round closes on 31 March and the second round closes on 31 August. The turnaround from close of applications to decisions is generally about 12 to 20 weeks.

What are the steps in applying for a grant?

Discuss your project idea, including the aim and method, with the Grants and Legal Information Manager. If you are applying for a general grant this must be at least six (6) weeks prior to the closing date (essential).
Download an application form, ensuring all boxes are ticked on the application checklist (it is recommended that you submit a draft application at least four (4) weeks before the closing date.)
Complete the application form and send to:

The closing date for applications is 30 March and 31 August

You will receive acknowledgment of your application within two (2) weeks of receipt. We may request additional information from you after you have submitted your application.

How are grants assessed?

Applications are assessed against the grant criteria, which are set out above.

What is the process if I am successful?

You will be sent two copies of a grant agreement to sign, which may contain some specific conditions.
You will sign and return one copy of the grant agreement.
You will discuss the project with the Grants and Legal Information Manager to confirm that the project outline and timing are still appropriate.
You will submit a project outline including a payment schedule and evaluation plan, which must then be approved by the Grants and Legal Information Manager.

Note: The grant funding is conditional upon the receipt of the signed grant agreement and approval of the project outline.
You will implement the project and provide reports according to the approved project outline.
If there are changes to the project from what is in the project outline at any time during the project, you must discuss these changes with the Grants and Legal Information Manager. You will need to get approval for a variation to the project.
You will evaluate the project in accordance with your evaluation plan. This will normally occur throughout the duration of the project.
You will write a Final Project Report that will include a description of what happened, an evaluation of what happened, lessons learnt and an account of final expenditure.