These grants fund small locally-led projects, initiatives and events that promote social resilience, improve community connectedness and support communities recovering from COVID-19.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $1,000 to $10,000
- Application opened: 5 April 2022
- Application closed: 2 May 2022
Program objective
Pathway 3 funds projects that can be delivered by community and not for profit groups within 1-6 months.
The program objectives and priority strategies of Pathway 3 are to:
- provide opportunities for communities affected by COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns to improve and promote individual and collective wellbeing at a local or regional level
- strengthen local networks and social connections that support the longer-term wellbeing and resilience of communities
- fund initiatives and events that enhance
- community resilience
- capacity to foster and maintain wellbeing and social connectedness of individuals and communities.
Pathway 3 grants are one of three sets of grants offered in this program.
Pathway 1of the program offers between $75,001 and $300,000 for larger scale projects that will be completed over a longer period of time (up to 22 months).
Pathway 2 of the program offers between $10,001 and $75,000 for small to medium scale , short-term projects that focus on local needs.
Program outcomes
The program has several intended outcomes:
- people are given opportunities to reconnect and re-engage with their communities to improve their social connectedness and wellbeing.
- community members experience increased confidence and capability to foster and maintain their wellbeing and support the wellbeing of others.
- communities have greater access to opportunities and resources to support their wellbeing.
- communities are more resilient to the social impacts of the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic and other future disaster events.
The program encouraged applications for different approaches to enhancing social connectedness in local communities as well as building the capacity of individuals, families and communities to maintain their wellbeing in the future. Funded programs could focus on a range of activities to reflect the diversity of needs in their local community.
This program is funded and administered by NSW Reconstruction Authority.
Eligibility
Who can apply
The following applicants are eligible for funding:
- charitable and not-for-profit organisations
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations
- unincorporated community groups auspiced by an organisation eligible to apply in its own right.
‘Auspice’ is defined as an incorporated organisation that receives, administers and acquits NSW Government funding on behalf of an applicant (for more about auspicing, see the 'Address the eligibility criteria' section below).
Who can’t apply
Funding is not available to:
- unincorporated community groups not auspiced by an organisation that is eligible to apply in its own right
- individuals
- organisations or businesses that may, or will, realise a commercial gain from the project
- local councils or joint organisations of councils.
If for-profit businesses are to be contracted by the applicant this should be specified in the program budget.
Types of project funded under this grant
Examples of eligible projects include:
- community events and social activities to support community recovery and capacity building
- recreational programs to improve wellbeing, strengthen community engagement and connectedness
- cultural and community connection programs and activities
- programs to support the connection and wellbeing of highly impacted community segments
- peer support programs, mentoring and training
- partnerships between agencies to deliver programs and activities.
Preference will be given to programs of events, or events that target priority groups with a means of sustaining and maintaining social connectedness.
What you can't apply for
Projects ineligible for funding include:
- clinical mental health interventions (such as psychology or psychotherapy services)
- projects that provide direct commercial or exclusive benefit to a business not directly related to the project
- projects and/or activities that do not meet and address the program criteria
- projects that are a duplication of existing programs available in the community
- projects with an existing funding source
- infrastructure projects (such as building works or structural repairs).
- projects that have already commenced and are requesting retrospective funding or the project is complete.
Project costs
Eligible project costs
Examples of eligible project costs are:
- materials essential to project delivery
- event series operational costs (such as marquee hire, fencing, staging and audio/visual equipment)
- workshop facilitator fees
- entertainment costs (such as guest speaker, performer or MC fees)
- activity catering
- project management staff (note: permanent staff costs are not eligible for funding)
- COVID-related personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, and items to host COVID-safe events such as sanitiser and signage.
Ineligible project costs
Project costs ineligible for funding include:
- capital works (such as building works, redecorating and/or building improvement of existing spaces, purchase of capital items such as vehicles and boats)
- day-to-day activities, including supplementing, increasing or continuing ongoing service delivery that is the core business of the organisation
- retrospective activities or costs, such as work already undertaken, part-completed or that will commence by the applicant before the funding decision is made
- permanent staff members
- costs incurred beyond the life of the project
- administration costs that are considered core business of the applicant
- general administration costs (organisational overheads) totalling more than 10% of the total funding requested
- application preparation
- vehicle and office equipment leasing, unless directly related to the delivery of the project
- remuneration of executive officers, and existing employees for work not directly related to the project.
Funded projects
Project Name | Recipient |
| Funding awarded |
PROJECT CONNECT | Port Kembla Youth Project Inc |
| $10,000.00 |
Barnabas Building Better Buddies Community Fun Day | Barnabas House |
| $2,000.00 |
Wingello Reconnect | Wingello Village Association |
| $8,344.00 |
Reconnecting and singing with community | Creativity Australia |
| $8,150.00 |
Reconnect Fun Day | Stuarts Point and District Community Organisation |
| $10,000.00 |
Pally P&C Fireworks Spectacular & Camp Oven Cook Off | Pallamallawa Public School Parents and Citizens Association |
| $ 5,000.00 |
The Majors and Minors | Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Cooperative |
| $7,000.00 |
Glad to be Back! | Sunnyfield |
| $6,254.00 |
Festival of Fun | COMMUNITY LINKS WOLLONDILLY INCORPORATED |
| $10,000.00 |
WORKSHOPS | Bellingen Growers Market |
| $4,000.00 |
Connecting to Sports - Afternoon activities at PCYC Walgett | Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW Ltd |
| $9,350.00 |
Drums for Connection | Stonewave Taiko Inc |
| $8,850.00 |
Ancient Futures | OzGREEN - Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (Australia) Incorporated |
| $8,000.00 |
Christmas Community Connection Concert | Beechwood Parents and Citizens Association Incorporated |
| $8,100.00 |
Tottenham Rural Women's Re-Connection and Well-Being Day | Tottenham Welfare Council Inc. |
| $2,000.00 |
Russell Vale Junior Football Gala and Community Day | Russell Vale Junior Football Club |
| $7,000.00 |
Jamming @ Jingellic - Defining Our Future | Jingellic Hub Inc |
| $10,000.00 |
Tri Estuary Challenge Merimbula | Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club Inc |
| $5,500.00 |
Mental Health - Get Talkin' workshops | New South Wales Rugby Union Ltd |
| $9,750.00 |
Living with COVID Here and Abroad - Connecting Family | OneMaronite Ltd |
| $10,000.00 |
FEAST- Food, Engagement, Access, Support, Together (House of Welcome’s community lunch program). | St Francis Social Services |
| $10,000.00 |
Miller Celebrates | CORE Community Services |
| $9,600.00 |
Revival Song | Alithia Inc |
| $10,000.00 |
Better Together | The Coraki Rural Transaction centre Inc. |
| $5,245.00 |
Mindfulness and Circle and Security Parent Education Program | Belmont Child Care Centre |
| $9,548.00 |
Launch Of Forest and Timber Interpretive Center | Oberon District Museum Society |
| $8,100.00 |
Garden Grow | Bellingen Primary School P&C Association |
| $7,500.00 |
Celebrating Community In Port Macquarie – Recharge and Re-engage – Find out how | Douglas Vale Conservation Group Inc |
| $ 6,000.00 |
Connecting through Yoga | Tottenham Welfare Council Inc. |
| $6,000.00 |
Let's meet Doonside | Blacktown Area Community Centers |
| $10,000.00 |
The Hills Women's Shed - Strong Women Program | Positive Vibes Foundation Ltd |
| $10,000.00 |
Reconnecting and living informed with COVID-19 | Connecting Community Services |
| $10,000.00 |
Independent Living Skills Program | Northern Beaches Women's Shelter Incorporated |
| $10,000.00 |
Guitars for Veteran's | Noro Music Therapy Australia |
| $10,000.00 |
Bentstix Hockey Club Support | Bentstix Hockey Club |
| $10,000.00 |
What your application needs to include
You can download the complete
File
COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program Pathway 3 guidelines (PDF 291.62KB).
You can also read
File
COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program FAQs (PDF 223.3KB)
Prepare your application with this checklist
The following information must be included in an online application:
- details of the project
- project location
- needs justification
- project budget
- intended outcomes.
Supporting documentation uploaded with your online application may include:
- evidence of entity type (such as constitution, annual reports, financial statements)
- support letters from partner agencies
- landowner consent, if applicable.
Applicant checklist
Before submitting their application, applicant were asked to ensure that they:
- have thoroughly read the
File
COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program Pathway 3 guidelines (PDF 291.62KB) - are eligible to apply
- have checked the project is eligible and within program scope
- have identified project costs that are eligible for funding
- have completed all sections of the online application form (see 'Start the application' section below)
- have uploaded relevant supporting documentation to the online application form.
Address the eligibility criteria
To be eligible for funding, projects must:
- respond to the impacts of COVID-19 on the community
- address one of more of the program objectives
- be delivered in a COVID-safe environment and have contingency plans in place to respond to changes in NSW public health orders
- be ready to commence within 2 months of receiving funding.
The specific scope of work and key milestones of the project must be defined in the application. These will form the basis of project reporting for successful projects.
Project location
The impact of COVID-19 has been significant across regional, rural and metropolitan communities, and the COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program welcomes applications from across NSW.
The dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that case numbers across local government areas and regional areas of NSW will continue to fluctuate. Applicants should demonstrate the geographic reach of the proposed project and offer evidence of the impact of COVID-19 specific to their location. Applications will be assessed with consideration of current health advice and restrictions at the time of application.
Auspices
‘Auspice’ is defined as an incorporated organisation that receives, administers and acquits NSW Government funding on behalf of an applicant.
The auspice is required to:
- enter into a funding agreement with Resilience NSW
- accept grant funds and pay the auspiced grant applicant
- monitor and acquit the use of funds at the completion of the project.
Ideally, the auspice will have the technical skills to guide and support the applicant in the delivery of the project, while acknowledging project decisions remain with the applicant.
Applications developed in partnership between local councils and local community groups are strongly encouraged for the purpose of maximising the reach and efficacy of a proposed project.
Partner organisations
If partnering is an element of your application, documented evidence of the partnership (or at least an intent to partner) must be included in the online application. Such evidence can be letters of support from partner organisations and/or from community representatives.
Each project should have a clearly identified lead agency that has:
- the capacity and capabilities to establish, manage and be held accountable for the delivery of the project and intended outcomes
- the ability to report on the progress and agreed outcomes of the project
- the ability to enter a legally binding funding agreement with the NSW Government.
Priority groups
All communities in NSW were impacted by COVID-19 health restrictions and lockdowns in some way. However, the following groups were more adversely affected and are considered a priority:
- essential workers
- older people
- children, young people and their carers
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence
- culturally and linguistically diverse groups
- those experiencing compound disasters
- those in direct contact with COVID-19
- people with disability
- carers
- LGBTI and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse people
- rural and remote communities.
Address the assessment criteria
All applications were assessed against the following criteria:
| Criteria | Sub criteria |
|---|---|
| Demonstrated need | Applicants should provide a project description outlining what will be delivered. This should include:
|
| Potential impact / benefits | Applicants should demonstrate:
|
| Capability to deliver | Applicants should demonstrate their capacity to deliver the project and how the project will be managed, including:
|
| Value for money | The budget should be reasonable, based on valid cost estimates and detail:
|
After the application is submitted
The assessment process
All submitted applications were assessed for eligibility.
Applications were assessed only once the application period has closed.
Applications were assessed against the eligibility criteria. Only eligible applicants were put forward to be considered across the three pathways and by the Pathway 1 and or 2 assessment panel. The assessment panel made recommendations to the Commissioner of Resilience NSW, who made the final funding decision.
Key dates after application is submitted
Submission assessment period | 3 May to June 2022 |
Funded projects completed | By 30 June 2024 |
Acquittal and evaluation | Three months following project completion |
Unsuccessful projects
Unsuccessful applicants were notified by Resilience NSW of the outcome by email once funding recommendations are confirmed. Decisions made by the Commissioner of Resilience NSW are final.
The Resilience NSW Investment and Grants branch may provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants as required.
Support and contact
Applicants are strongly advised to read the
File
COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program Pathway 3 guidelines (PDF 291.62KB)and
File
COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program FAQs (PDF 223.3KB)before starting an application.
For any questions relating to the application process, please contact the Resilience NSW Investment and Grants branch by email to CCCWP@resilience.nsw.gov.au.