The Victorian Government recognises the important role that disability self-help groups play in supporting people with disability to live satisfying everyday lives.
The Disability self-help grants program provides grants to Victorian disability self-help groups in need of financial assistance to meet some of their costs. Assisting with those costs helps self-help groups to provide social, emotional and practical support to their members.
Grants of up to $7,000 per year are available for a one or 2-year period to assist with administration costs, communications and activities that strengthen the operation of the group.
Disability self-help grants program 2023-2025
Applications for the Disability self-help grants program 2023–2025 funding round are now open. Applications will close at 4pm on 14 December 2023.
This funding round will prioritise groups representing diverse communities, as well as those in rural and regional Victoria. This is so all Victorians with disability and their families can access the benefits that self-help groups offer their members.
Priority groups for this round include:
- First Nations people
- young people (aged 12-25 years)
- women and girls
- people from culturally diverse communities
- autistic and neurodiverse people
- people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse or intersex
- people in regional or rural Victoria.
The grants program will also support activities and events that are aimed at fostering and promoting disability pride within the disability community.
How can the grant be used?
Grants of up to $7,000 per year are available for a one or 2-year period to support Victorian disability self-help groups to:
- share both formal and informal information such as personal experiences
- support members to make informed decisions about their own situation or circumstances
- facilitate peer support for people with disability and their families/carers
- strengthen the capacity of people with disability to live independently in their own community and actively participate in community activities
- provide social connections for people who may otherwise be isolated
- increase opportunities to provide information and education on lived experiences of people with disability.
- foster and promote disability pride within the disability community.
How to apply
Applications for the 2023-2025 funding round can be made online through the Grants Gateway platform.
Hard copies of the funding round documents, including a copy of the application form, are available on request.
Guidelines
- 2023-2025 Disability self help grants program application guidelines (Word)
- 2023-2025 Disability self help grants program - Easy read information (Word)
Information Session
An information session about the grants program and how to apply will be held:
- Date: 22 November 2023
- Time: 10:00 to 11:30 am
- Platform: Zoom webinar
- Register: To register your interest, please email the Office for Disability: disabilityshg@dffh.vic.gov.au
Past self help grant recipients story
Peer support for parents with neurodivergent children - video transcript (Word)
For more information contact us
Office for Disability