The Healthy Communities grant scheme was developed in order to improve the capacity of councils to promote health and well-being.
Who can apply
The Healthy Communities grant scheme is only open to NSW local councils, Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs) or any combination of these who wish to submit an application as a group.
However, with group applications, one council or ROC must assume responsibility for the application and all reporting obligations, including financial matters.
Please use a work related email address to create and submit an application on the Healthy Communities site. This will help us verify the eligibility of your application.
Size of grants
Grants will be a maximum of $20,000 for individual councils and up to $80,000 for any group of councils, including Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs).
Conditions for funding
Local councils and Aboriginal Land Councils may only make one application for an individual grant.
In the case of group applications, one council or a ROC must be named first on the application form. Individual councils and ROCs can only take responsibility for one application.
Councils applying for individual grant, councils taking responsibility for a group application and ROCs must sign the Funding Agreement (pdf) before they receive funds. The Agreement covers reporting obligations in terms of finances and evaluation.
Finances
Councils will receive funding by the end of 2009. Councils should then should complete their initiatives by September 2011 and submit a final record of accounts by December 2011.
Priorities of the grant scheme
The grant scheme will provide councils with funding to develop and deliver initiatives on four key health issues:
- Healthy weight
- Responsible drinking
- Tobacco control
- Falls prevention for older people
The grant scheme will provide councils with funding to deliver these initiatives in partnership with communities experiencing health inequities. These include:
Communities of identity:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- People on a low income
- People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds
Communities of geography:
- People living in rural and remote areas
- People living in disadvantaged urban areas
Initiatives can aim to focus on health inequities in whole communities or in sections of these communities, such as, a particular neighbourhood or with a particular age group.
Applications for initiatives which include objectives for developing physical infrastructure will not be eligible for grant funds.
Planning the initiatives
The online application process will help councils and ROCs to deliver objectives at strategic and operational levels, in order that their potential for sustainable impact is maximised. The largest grants will be expected to have objectives which cover all three levels below:
Policies and Plans
These objectives will develop new and existing research, needs assessments, strategies and policies to create environments for health.
Partnerships
These objectives will develop new and existing local collaborations with communities and other organisations to create alliances for health. Other organisations include other councils, other government organisations such as Area Health Services, non-government organisations, industry and community groups.
Programs and Projects
These objectives will develop new and existing services or projects that support communities in improving their knowledge and skills around health and well-being.