Organisations running specialist programs that work with key communities affected by domestic and family violence have been urged to consider applying for a new range of grants to help grow their impact.

The Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF) and the Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) announce a Specialist DFV Programs National Open Grant Round.

Australian organisations can begin applying for a grant by submitting an application for a one-off grant of up to $250,000 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.

“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,” said Jackie Ruddock, PRF’s Head of Cohorts.

Ruddock highlighted that the grants were an opportunity for specialist programs to expand their reach and achieve greater impact, including by reinstating established programs that may have been put on hold during the pandemic due to lack of funding.

“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.”

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 refugees 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.

“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,” said Charlene Yum, ACF’s Grants Manager

Yum shared that 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 on 23 February 2023. For more information visit: communityfoundation.org.au