Funding for service providers
Ongoing support
When the Cashless Debit Card program ended, we were required to ensure that each of the former Cashless Debit Card locations had support. The former Cashless Debit Card (CDC) locations include:
- Ceduna, South Australia
- East Kimberley, Western Australia
- Goldfields region, Western Australia
- Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region, Queensland.
Local Services Plans
Local Services Plans (LSPs) were developed for each of the 4 former CDC locations and were made publicly available in March 2023.
Stakeholders from each community helped develop the LSPs. The LSP outlines the current support services available. The LSP helps identify:
- service gaps
- social issues
- priority needs.
Each LSP includes an initial Action Plan. The Action Plan helps to address the identified issues and improve community services.
LSPs were reviewed with stakeholders from each community in September and October 2024. The reviews were done to find out if the priorities, service gaps and social issues had changed since 2023. Updates from the reviews will be added to the LSPs when they are available.
Read the LSP for each of the former CDC locations:
- Bundaberg and Hervey Bay Local Services Plan
- Ceduna Local Services Plan
- East Kimberley Local Services Plan
- Goldfields Local Services Plan.
Funding for Local Services Plan services
The Local Services Plan Community-led Support Fund (LSP-CSF) was established to support and implement the LSPs.
The LSP-CSF grant funding is available until 30 June 2026.
Brokerage organisations
We have partnered with brokerage organisations located in former CDC locations to help coordinate LSP-CSF grant funding. The brokerage organisations help to collect and coordinate grant proposals from their community.
Grant proposals are provided to us by the brokerage organisations. Brokerage organisations may provide comment on the proposal, but we remain the final decision maker.
All proposals are reviewed and assessed by us. Proposals must align with the LSP requirements and priorities. Brokerage organisations are not able to use funding for their own services.
The following organisations are the contact point for the LSP-CSF grants:
| Brokerage organisation | Service delivery area |
|---|---|
| Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre(Opens in a new tab/window) (HBNC) | Bundaberg and Hervey Bay |
| Far West Community Partnership (FWCP)(Opens in a new tab/window) | Ceduna |
| Binarri-binyja yarrawoo Aboriginal Corporation(Opens in a new tab/window) (BBY) | East Kimberley |
| City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder(Opens in a new tab/window) (CKB) | Goldfields |
Application process
Organisations can apply for funding using a proposal template and supporting documents (available on the Brokerage organisations’ website).
Proposals will follow these steps:
- The brokerage organisation collects the proposals.
- The brokerage organisation will forward the proposal to us for assessment.
- We check all the necessary information has been provided.
- We use an assessment tool to ensure proposals align with one or more priorities outlined in the LSPs.
- Sometimes we may share proposals with other departments and agencies. This helps to ensure there is no funding duplication.
- We will inform the brokerage organisation of proposal outcomes.
- Brokerage organisations will release funding to successful applicants to complete their project.
Eligibility for funding
Any service provider can submit an application.
Applicants are not required to have received previous funding from us. They don’t need to have a working relationship with the brokerage organisation.
Service providers can include, but are not limited to:
- Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations
- service providers currently funded by us
- new service provider in the region.
Service providers can use grant funding for:
- expansion of local services such as transportation help, emergency or financial relief
- necessary support services identified through LSPs such as financial, literacy or gambling support
- administration costs including reporting.
Read the Applicant Guide for more information.