Joyce encourages groups to apply for Veterans’ grants in 2017

23 Jan 2017

 

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce has called on local community groups to apply for Australian Government grants to support projects that honour Australia’s military history and personnel.

 

“As a community we continue to honour the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve in defence of our country and that is why the Australian Government has grant money available to support local projects,” Mr Joyce said.

 

“The grants on offer are another example of the Government’s efforts to support our past and present servicemen and women.

 

“Any group can apply for grant funding towards activities that assist the health and quality of life of our veterans or commemorative projects that honour our military history.

 

“Further funding is available for ex-service organisations (ESOs) to improve their capacity and to assist in supporting compensation and welfare assistance to veterans and their dependents.

 

“During the 2016 election, the Coalition committed to providing $4 million over four years to support younger veterans.  As a result of this commitment, a new grants program – Supporting Younger Veterans – will be established to assist projects that seek to engage and involve our younger veterans, particularly with their transition to civilian life.

 

“I encourage groups in the New England Electorate to explore the grants on offer and apply if they could benefit our community or organisation.”

 

In 2017, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) will run funding rounds in the grant programs described below:

  • The Saluting Their Service (STS) commemorations program provides funding to eligible organisations for projects that contribute to Australia’s understanding of its wartime heritage and honour the service and sacrifice of its servicemen and women. Two categories of grants are available under the STS Program:

  • Community Commemorative Grants (CCG) – up to $4,000 in funding is available for projects that assist people at a community level and enable small communities to build memorials and preserve wartime memorabilia that are locally significant.  This is a rolling grants program.  Applications are accepted at any time and are processed 3-4 times a year.  Successful grant applicants receive funding shortly after approval.

  • Major Commemorative Grants (MCG) – funding in excess of $4,000 is available for significant projects at a national or state/territory level.  This program has two funding rounds.  The first round opens on 1 July and the second round opens on 4 January. Successful grant applicants receive funding shortly after approval.

  • The Veteran and Community Grants (V&CG) Program aims to improve the independence and quality of life for members of the veteran community. This program provides funding for projects that support activities and services to sustain or enhance health and wellbeing. The V&CG is a rolling grants program.  Applications are accepted at any time and are processed 3-4 times a year.  Successful grant applicants receive funding shortly after approval.

  • The Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program supports ESOs to provide compensation and welfare assistance to the veteran and Defence communities. It also links closely to the Advocacy Training and Development Program, which provides practitioners with the essential skills for claims, advocacy and welfare work.  BEST is an annual grants program, which opens on 1 February and closes on 31 March each year. Successful grant applicants receive funding between July and September in the same year. 

  • The Grants-In-Aid (GIA) Program (available to only national ESOs) administrative support in recognition of the work national ESOs do to support the veteran communityGIA is an annual funding program that is open from 1 February to 31 March each year. Successful grant applicants receive funding between July and September in the same year.

The Supporting Younger Veterans program will commence in the first quarter of the 2017–18 financial year.  More details will be available in the second quarter of 2017.

 

For further information on this program or any of the others, please see DVA’s website (http://www.dva.gov.au/consultation-and-grants/grants), which contains information on each of DVA’s grant programs and how to apply.

 

 

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