About the Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework
In April 2024, the Australian Government announced the development of the Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework. This was part of the election commitment to a stronger, more diverse and independent community sector.
The Framework will drive administrative and cultural change across Government agencies. It will help to deliver grants that better serve the sustainability of community sector organisations. It will also ensure better outcomes are achieved in delivering government policy.
The Framework contains actions organised around 5 pillars:
- Build and maintain engagement
- Greater certainty and sufficiency of funding
- Reduce administrative burden
- Encourage diversity and flexibility
- Develop capability and promote innovation.
Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework
About the Ways of Working Statement
The Ways of Working Statement (WWS) is the Government’s commitment to work effectively with the community sector to support delivery of high-quality services through grant programs that benefit the health, wellbeing and safety of Australian communities.
The WWS contains principles of engagement so that the needs of individuals, families and communities are the focus of engagement between the Government and the sector.
The four principles are:
- Collaborative
- Open and transparent
- Innovative
- Outcomes focused.
Ways of Working Statement
How the Framework and WWS were developed
The Framework and WWS were developed to respond to key issues raised by the sector through:
- Public consultation(Opens external website) on a stronger, more diverse and independent community sector. This was conducted over eight weeks in late 2023.
- 237 submissions(Opens external website) received in response to the public consultation. Themes are summarised in a consultation summary report(Opens external website).
- Targeted workshops were held with the community sector organisations on themes identified from the consultation in June 2024.
Additionally, the Framework and WWS were developed in consultation with:
- the Community Services Advisory Group.
- the ‘Stronger, more diverse and independent community sector’ Interdepartmental Committee. It comprises of 19 Commonwealth agencies.
More information
- email csagsecretariat@dss.gov.au if you have any questions about the Framework
- media release (March 2025)(Opens external website)
- media release (April 2024)(Opens external website).
Related topics
Find information related to a strong, diverse and independent community sector.