Overview

The End-of-Life and Palliative Care NGO Grants Program  (the Grants Program) aims to increase community capacity to engage with death and dying and was open to proposals from the non-government, not-for-profit sector, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs and ACCOs) to deliver projects or initiatives within NSW through one-off grants over 4 years.

The assessment process is completed. Many strong proposals were received and we thank applicants for their interest, along with the time and expertise taken to prepare applications. Successful grantees will be published on the NSW Government Grants and Funding website. 

This was an open and competitive grants process, with an application period between 5 February 2024 until 12pm, 18 March 2024. This process was conducted in-line with the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet's Grants Administration Guide and the Administration of NSW Health Grant Funding for Non-Government Organisations policy directive. 

Grant applications and eligibility

A total of 57 applications were received and were assessed in-line with the grant guidelines. Due to the large number of applications received and the timeframes for assessment, there was limited scope for discretion within the eligibility criteria and 3 applications were deemed ineligible due to late submission or inappropriate incorporation status.

A minimum of $800,000 was committed to funding Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCHOs and ACCOs). There were 12 applications eligible for this funding. Once this funding was awarded, all remaining applications were assessed as part of the generalised pool.  
 

Process

A robust and transparent assessment process was undertaken, with an independent probity advisor present at all assessment panel meetings as well as to provide oversight on the final assessment report and recommendations to the Minister for Health. 

The assessment panel was convened on 4 occasions throughout April and May 2024. This included 2 whole-day consensus scoring meetings and a further 2 meetings to apply sensitivity testing and strategic risk assessment in alignment with aims of the Grants Program, as outlined in the Grants Guidelines. 

The  governance committee was comprised of a skilled assessment panel, including an independent Aboriginal panel member, with experience across NGO and end-of-life palliative care sectors. Support was also provided by the program secretariat, which included Aboriginal representation, along with subject matter expert advisors across end-of-life and palliative care, bereavement and Aboriginal Health.  

​​Outcome

Approval was received from the Minister for Health to award 6 grants, ranging from approximately $360,000 to $670,000 over 4 years (FY2023-24 – FY2026-27). A total of $1.3 million was awarded to 2 Aboriginal organisations across the 4-year Grants Program.    

The grants awarded will fund a range of programs across all objectives of the Grants Program, including: 

  • End-of-life and Palliative Care initiatives in codesign with local Aboriginal communities, addressing death and grief literacy, bereavement support and Advance Care Planning, across Northern NSW and Illawarra Shoalhaven regions. 
  • Online, print and audio resources, targeting diverse populations across NSW, including in rural and regional areas. 
  • Community education programs and initiatives targeting workplaces, carers, older people, those experiencing homelessness, LGBTQI+ people, people with intellectual disability, along with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.  

Support and contact

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Current as at: Wednesday 26 June 2024
Contact page owner: Community Care and Priority Populations