Community Grants
Overview
The Melbourne Disability Institute (MDI) is committed to supporting disability research at community organisations that can demonstrate significant impact on the wellbeing of people with disability, their families and carers. Through community grants the MDI seeks to encourage and support innovative ideas and research in the broader disability community.
The Community Grants scheme provides funding for up to $5,000 for projects run by community-based organisations that build social capital and improve lives of people with disability, their families or carers.
The Community Grants are intended to be flexible and can be tailored to best suit the needs of the project. Possible examples may involve evaluation of a program, piloting a new idea, service or concept, responding to community issues, encouraging participation and inclusion or facilitating innovation. Please note the purpose of Community Grants is not to evaluate core business or service; rather to build social capital, to share practices and to replicate or scale up ideas.
Selection Criteria
The MDI seeks to fund projects that meet the following criteria:
- Aligned with the MDI strategic research themes: opportunity and equity; inclusive communities; health and well-being; markets and sustainability; policy and practice.
- Has a clear and achievable aim that is likely to improve lives of people with disability, their families or carers.
- Leads to knowledge that can be used by the lead organisation as well as others.
- Demonstrates meaningful inclusion of people with disability throughout the project.
- Provides information on the scope, budget and feasibility of the project.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for an MDI Community Grant your organisation must:
- Be a small-medium sized organisation (up to 200 employees) that is endorsed by the Australian Tax Office with Deductible Gift Recipient status.
- Have a primary or secondary focus on on people with disability, their families or carers.
Please make sure you read the Community Grant Information Pack before requesting the application form.
Applying
Please contact Tessa de Vries, MDI Executive Officer to discuss your idea and see how a Community Grant could be shaped to meet your needs, and to request an application form. Tessa.devries@unimelb.edu.au or phone 03 8344 2813. Please make sure you read the Information Pack below.
Applications for Community Grants are currently being accepted at any time, however in the future the MDI may instate open and close dates.