Applications are now open for a grant pool of $3,000,000 to be submitted by 30 April 2020.
Ecstra Foundation is a new not for profit organisation committed to building the financial capability of all Australians within a fair financial system.
GRANT OVERVIEW
- Eligible organisations may apply for up to three $100,000 grants
- Open to established consumer organisations with DGR 1 status
- Applications close 30 April 2020 and will be assessed on a weekly basis, with formal grant announcements by mid-May 2020
Consumer organisations play a vital role in ensuring vulnerable consumers can access information, support and direct assistance to navigate the financial and economic impacts of COVID-19.
The ongoing effects of the recent Australian drought, bushfires and floods are compounded by the current pandemic crisis. This means many consumer organisations are stretched as they respond to increasingly complex and urgent community needs.
Ecstra supports consumer organisations assisting Australians on a range of financial issues including debt and credit stress, job losses, small business sustainability, navigating the social security system, early access to super, essential utilities and services, scams, financial abuse, payday lending, banking, insurance, legal and tenancy issues.
The Ecstra Response and Recovery Grants focus on practical support to ensure frontline consumer organisations can:
- continue to respond to the immediate crisis, to deliver vital services and support to Australian communities facing financial issues
- support staff working remotely or in different environments
- adapt services to meet the needs of vulnerable consumers in the absence of face-to-face or direct service delivery, and
- build infrastructure and organisational capacity to address the long term social and economic recovery period that will follow the COVID-19 crisis.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To qualify, applicants must:
- have DGR 1 status
- be registered, and up to date with their ACNC reporting
- be an established consumer organisation with demonstrable expertise in consumer financial assistance, capability, hardship, advocacy or financial education, including working with vulnerable Australians.
FUNDING ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
A total grant pool of $3,000,000 is available, with individual grants of up to $100,000 each. Organisations may make up to three requests for funding of up to $100,000 each.
Applicants must indicate their funding needs, and how they will use an Ecstra Response and Recovery Grant to respond to financial and consumer related issues arising from COVID-19.
The following examples are not exhaustive, but may assist organisations when completing their application:
- resources needed to adjust to remote working arrangements and ensure continued, secure delivery of services to vulnerable consumers via online/video/phone support
- strengthening systems to ensure business continuity, retention, security of client and sensitive data, CRM systems or similar
- funding to cover quantified lost revenue/sunk costs from the deferral or cancellation of actual service operations as a direct result of COVID-19 (excluding fundraising campaigns and events)
- funding to support employee health, wellbeing, training and retention with a direct connection to the current period of social and economic uncertainty
- initiatives to inform, educate, protect and provide support to vulnerable consumers facing financial issues (as set out above).
In assessing applications Ecstra will review:
- geographical location, with a view to ensuring community access to services across States and a spread of regional and metropolitan areas
- existing consumer reach and community partnerships, size, scale and nature of services the organisation provides relative to the funding request.
FUNDING EXCLUSIONS
The following are not eligible for funding in this grant round:
- projects that are within the remit of Commonwealth, State or Local Government responsibilities, including service delivery (such as the direct provision of legal services or financial counselling, or ASIC’s operational work)
- use of funds to meet financial solvency obligations
- use of funds for brand building or direct fundraising purposes
- use of the funds to pay existing debts or financial obligations with no nexus to the current changed economic circumstances arising out of COVID-19
- projects that support private business and commercial activities
- organisations and/or activities outside Australia
- projects that directly or indirectly support religious or political purposes
- the use of funds for an endowment, corpus, capital works or the purchase of land.
KEY DATES AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Our application process and response times are streamlined for this round:
- grant applications close 30 April 2020
- applications will be assessed on a weekly basis
- grants will be announced by mid May 2020 for payment by 30 May 2020 (subject to grant agreements being executed).
HOW TO APPLY
Before starting your application, please review the terms set out here and read Ecstra’s Funding Principles and Grant Guidelines which include additional eligibility and assessment criteria.
Applications must be submitted through Ecstra’s grants management system via this link on or before 30 April 2020.
For further information please contact us at info@ecstra.org.au.
WHO IS ECSTRA FOUNDATION?
Ecstra Foundation exists to strengthen the financial capability and wellbeing of all Australians. We help Australians access the knowledge and resources they need to make confident money decisions.
We provide grants and support to organisations actively working in communities to improve financial capability, wellbeing and economic inclusion. We recognise that supporting these organisations is vital to ensuring Australians can improve their financial capability and wellbeing and feel control of their financial lives.
View the Ecstra website here.