ACOSS welcomes the Federal Government's new Community Sector Grants Engagement Framework (the Framework), announced by Ministers Gallagher and Rishworth, as a positive step towards ensuring a stronger and more sustainable community sector. The Framework acknowledges the imperative to better support the work of community sector organisations delivering essential services to people experiencing poverty, disadvantage and hardship.
The Framework encapsulates important sector priorities for which ACOSS and our members have long advocated, including:
- Grants reflecting the cost of delivering quality services;
- Improved timeliness and transparency of indexation payments;
- Longer-term grant agreements for community service organisations;
- Earlier notification of renewal or cessation of grants; and
- Enhanced flexibility in grants management.
These are critical and overdue reforms that ACOSS and the sector are eager to see fully implemented across the Federal Government.
ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said the Framework is a result of government collaboration with the community sector, with ACOSS and and members playing a key role in shaping its development.
"Our sector continues to experience some of the most challenging circumstances in recent memory. This Framework is an important recognition of these challenges our sector faces and the need for fairer and less burdensome Commonwealth grants system. It takes meaningful steps towards ensuring organisations have greater funding certainty, allowing them to better plan and retain their workforce" Dr Goldie said.
With the Federal Election approaching, ACOSS is urging the next government to go further and commit to fully implementing its election policy priorities to also secure the longer-term viability of the sector.
"This Framework is a step in the right direction, but chronic underfunding remains a significant barrier to meeting community need. The next Federal Government must build on the progress of the Framework. It must commit to better funding models paying what it takes to deliver complex social services, as outlined in the National Not-for-Profit Blueprint released in November last year. This includes investment in frontline crisis services, as well as ensuring sufficient support for peak bodies and advocacy organisations." Dr Goldie said.
ACOSS stands ready to work with all major parties and candidates to ensure the community sector is properly resourced to support people in crisis, strengthen communities, and deliver the services people rely on.
