Disability Advocacy Futures Program 2025

Please complete this form to submit an application for funding under the Disability Advocacy Futures Program 2025. Before completing this application form, you should have read the Grant Program Guidelines.

Incomplete applications and/or applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note:

• Eligibility and submission of an application does not guarantee funding.
• This grant is one-off funding with a fixed 12 months term ending 30 June 2026.
• Your application must be accurate and complete upon submission. Your application will be deemed ineligible if the required information is not completed.
• If you wish to apply for more than one funding category, you will need to submit a separate application.
• The cost of preparing an application is the responsibility of the applicant.
• All projects must be located within NSW and must be delivered in full within 12 months.
• Your organisation must maintain current and adequate insurance, as per the Grant Program Guidelines
• If your organisation is not covered, you can approach an eligible organisation to sponsor your application and submit it on your behalf.
• If organisations are formally sub-contracting with an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, the sponsoring body must submit the application form – including their bank details and authorised signatories.
• Submissions close on 25 March 2025 at 5pm.
• Late applications will not be accepted.

Support available:

If you have any questions, please contact the Disability Data, Engagement and Advocacy team by email at DAFP@dcj.nsw.gov.au or the Grants team by email at GrantDesignandSupport@dcj.nsw.gov.au.

Please quote your Application Number (below) when contacting the Department of Communities and Justice.

In NSW, approximately 1.5 million people live with disability (1). Of those, approximately 13% are eligible for services and supports under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) (2).

In December 2019, the NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner (3) recommended the establishment of the DAFP which commenced on 1 January 2022 and is funded until June 2026.

The DAFP provides funding to support people with disability navigate local services, organisations working towards long-term social change, and policy advocacy groups run by, or on behalf of, people with disability.

The DAFP Special Purposes and Projects (SP&P) and Sector Development (SD) grants provides additional funding for areas of identified need and to build capacity of the advocacy sector.

(1) SDAC 2022 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release
(2) NDIS Quarterly Report as at 30 September, 2024
(3) Review into Disability Advocacy in NSW https://www.ageingdisabilitycommission.nsw.gov.au/reports-and-submissions/review-into-disability-advocacy-in-nsw.html

The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• submission of this application does not guarantee funding will be granted for any project, and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) expressly reserves its right to accept or reject this application at its discretion;
• it must bear the costs of preparing and submitting this application and DCJ does not accept any liability for such costs, whether or not this application is ultimately accepted or rejected; and
• it has read the Grant Program Guidelines and has fully informed itself of the relevant program requirements.

By submitting this application form, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• if this application is successful, the relevant details of the proposal will be made public, including details such as the names of the organisation (Applicant) and any partnering organisation (state government agency or non-government organisation), project title, project description, location, anticipated time for completion and amount awarded;
• DCJ will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any information received in or in respect of this application which is clearly marked ‘Commercial-in-confidence’ or ‘Confidential’ is treated as confidential, however, such documents will remain subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act); and
• in some circumstances DCJ may release information contained in this application form and other relevant information in relation to this application in response to a request lodged under the GIPA Act or otherwise as required or permitted by law.