Organisations running specialist programs that work with key communities affected by domestic and family violence (DFV) have been urged to consider applying for a new range of grants to help grow their impact.
Together with the Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) we've announced a Specialist DFV Programs National Open Grant Round. From Tuesday 24 January - 23 February 2023, Australian organisations can submit an application for a one-off grant of up to $250,000 (where the duration of the grant can be up to 2 years) to support the delivery of an existing specialist DFV program(s).
Programs must have a primary focus on one or more of the following cohorts:
- Victim survivor cohorts among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, LGBTQIA+ people, migrant and refugee women, pregnant women, rural and remote communities, single mothers and/or women living with disability
- Children and young people
- Perpetrators and users of violence
Grant recipients will also join a new network of specialist organisations with expertise in the prevention and mitigation of violence for key communities. PRF will consult with this network of partners to share insights and learnings, build relationships, and inform its future work to help tackle DFV in Australia.
PRF’s Head of Cohorts Jackie Ruddock said the grants were an opportunity for specialist programs to expand their reach and achieve greater impact, including by reinstating established programs which may have been put on hold during the pandemic due to lack of funding.
“Domestic and family violence programs, like many other community services, are facing high demand at a time when resources are severely stretched or close to collapse from systemic underfunding,” Ms Ruddock said.
“We recognise that there are many organisations in Australia already working to end violence and address its consequences, often under extreme financial pressure. We hope this grant round will alleviate these pressures and strengthen our relationships with organisations doing critical work to target DFV, enabling PRF to better understand and invest in these programs.
“We are also excited to develop a network among these specialist organisations to foster greater understanding and collaboration within the sector.”
Since 2017, PRF has granted more than $38 million to organisations improving the safety of women and children experiencing DFV. PRF previously partnered with ACF to distribute $3 million in targeted relief for women’s shelters and refuges across Australia in 2020 and 2021. This investment addressed the capacity needs of specialist organisations providing crisis services to communities doubly affected by DFV and the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACF’s Grants Manager Charlene Yum said the new grants offered a wonderful opportunity for specialist DFV programs to amplify their impact by extending their existing work.
“We’re happy to once again partner with PRF to distribute funds to these critical services in communities which are currently underserved by funding opportunities,” she said.
Applications close 23 February 2023. For more information and to apply, visit the ACF website.
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