Help Inform a Federal Community Sector Policy

As your peak body for volunteering, we strive to be one of your strongest advocates. In this role, we have been called on to submit feedback for a Federal Government policy that will impact funding for the community sector across Australia.

Volunteering is at the very heart of this sector, and this will have real impacts on the work you do. Accordingly, we are seeking your feedback on our draft submission to ensure that we best represent your needs and concerns.

Here is what you need to know:

Why is this Happening?

The Australian Government made an election promise to strengthen and diversify the community sector. They identified the need to review its funding, prompting the Department of Social Services (DSS) to explore how grants can be best designed and administered to support the needs of the sector.

What is the Federal Policy?

The ‘A stronger, more diverse, and independent community sector’ consultation is the first step towards a framework for grants and funding that aims to better meet your needs.

This includes the need to reflect the real cost of delivering services, ensure more diverse groups receive funding, and treat Community Sector Organisations as respected partners with a meaningful say in the matters that affect them.

The desire to support your work is at the heart of this consult. As we offer our feedback to the Government, we want to represent your voices as accurately as possible.

What You Can Do?

At The Centre, we’re here to support you and champion the volunteering community. That includes advocating for your needs to help shape the policy and funding that directly impacts you.

We’ve written a draft submission in response to the issues paper written by the Department of Social Services and we are seeking your input on the ideas in this draft. Read a copy of the draft now.

Your input on the ‘A stronger, more diverse, and independent community sector’ policy is crucially important. This is a Federal policy, so help us amplify your voices. How can funding benefit you? What changes would you like to see?

Email your answers and feedback to Dr. Ben Hillier, our Director of Research, Advocacy and Policy, at bhillier@volunteering.com.au. by Thursday 2 November. Any and all feedback is welcome.

[Submissions now closed]