The Justice Reinvestment grant program has been created to provide funding for community-led programs that focus on reinvesting in Aboriginal communities to reduce contact with the criminal justice system.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $100,000
- Application opened: 23 January 2024
- Application closed: 18 March 2024, 5:00 pm
Program objective
Justice reinvestment is an approach that supports communities to find local solutions to local issues. The aim of justice reinvestment is to resource communities to develop, and deliver solutions that reduce contact with the criminal justice system, including the police, courts and prison. Justice Reinvestment aims to support communities to identify the reasons why people end up in the criminal justice system in the first place, and then come up with activities and initiatives that can make real change.
The NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program will fund Aboriginal community-led change to address the underlying causes of imprisonment and re-offending.
The Department of Communities and Justice is committed to funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO). Priority will be given to 3-year proposals from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled organisations (ACCOs).
This program is funded and administered by Department of Communities and Justice.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Applicants must:
- be an eligible legal entity located in NSW
- be able to enter into a funding agreement with Department of Communities and Justice
- have an Australian bank account
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- have public liability insurance of at least $10 million per claim or propose to include the cost of insurance if invited to submit a Full Grant Application in Stage II.
Funding is available to both communities with existing justice reinvestment initiatives and communities that have not yet tried justice reinvestment.
ACCO applicants
Priority in the NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program will be given to Aboriginal Community Controlled (ACCO) applicants. For the purpose of this grant an ACCO delivers services, including land and resource management, that build the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal communities and people, and is:
- incorporated by relevant legislation (including Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) or NSW Fair Trading)
- not-for-profit
- controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- connected to the community or communities in which they deliver the services
- governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body.
Applicants will be required to provide documentation to support their ACCO status.
Non-ACCO applicants
In addition to ACCOs, only organisations with 1 of the following legal statuses are eligible to apply for funding:
- incorporated organisation registered and approved as a not-for-profit body by NSW Fair Trading
- NSW-based not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (must be registered with ACNC and/or have DGR status)
- NSW-based Indigenous Corporation (must be registered with ORIC)
- NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council
- NSW non-government organisation established under its own Act of Parliament.
Who can’t apply
You are not eligible if you are:
- an individual
- a Federal and state government agency or body
- a NSW educational facility (public schools, private schools, TAFE)
- a for-profit organisation, including Aboriginal businesses
- an unincorporated organisation or group without an eligible auspicing organisation
- an organisations that has not met project requirements, including acquittal and reporting, for funding received from DCJ in the previous 2 years
- an organisation with redress obligations under the National Redress Scheme that that has not joined the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.
Types of projects funded under this grant
The NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program has been created to provide funding to Aboriginal communities in NSW to do Justice Reinvestment work. Up to $7.5 million (excluding GST) in total funding is available for grants of three years’ duration. Funding can be used by Aboriginal organisations to:
- create or support community governance and consultation
- investigate issues, including by using data, research or through local community meetings
- develop a plan for change, including specific programs and/or options for reform
- implement or pilot options or programs already developed by the community to address identified issues.
What your application needs to include
To find out what your application needs to include, refer to the grant guidelines, the FAQs and watch the brief introductory video.
The NSW Justice Reinvestment Grants Program will have 2 stages:
- Stage 1: expression of interest (EOI) – Applicants must submit an EOI in Stage 1 to be eligible to receive funding. The first stage is to make sure your organisation is eligible and to answer some questions that will help DCJ design stage 2 assessment criteria to meet the local needs of organisations.
- Stage 2: full grant application – If your organisation or partnership is found to be eligible, you will be invited to stage 2. In stage 2, you will have access to support to submit a full proposal and costing.
You don’t need to have a fully formed plan to submit an EOI. In Stage 1 you just need to tell us about your organisation and community and how you would use this funding to reduce Aboriginal people in your community coming into contact with the justice system.
Prepare your application with this checklist
Before applying, you will need to collate the following supporting material:
- organisation name
- ABN
- PLI insurance minimum $10 million and provide certificate of currency
- details if you are planning on entering into a partnership, auspicing or subcontracting arrangement.
Developing your EOI
The information required in the EOI is general information only. You don’t need a fully formed plan to submit an EOI.
In stage 1 you just need to tell us about your organisation and community and how you would use this funding to reduce Aboriginal people in your community coming into contact with the justice system.
DCJ encourages communities to think about longer term approaches, as up to 3 years of funding can be provided through this process.
After the application is submitted
Stage 1 – EOI applications will be assessed by DCJ for eligibility and program alignment. Eligible applicants from stage 1 will be invited to submit a full grant application for funding in stage 2.
Support and contact
There will be 2 online information sessions to support eligible organisations with their applications and to answer any questions.
- Information session 1: 4pm- 5pm Wednesday 14 February 2024
- Information session 2: 1pm-2pm Monday 26 February 2024
If you have any queries or would like an invitation to one of these information sessions, contact the Justice Reinvestment team on justicereinvestment@dcj.nsw.gov.au or call 02 8688 8940.
If you are unable to attend an information session, a link will be available on the grant website within three days.