1: Introduction
The ACT Government is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible community for all Canberrans. While the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides support to people with disability who require support to undertake the usual activities of daily life, the inclusion of people with disability in the community goes well beyond specialised disability support.

The ACT Office for Disability was established to continue to support the social inclusion of all people with disability, their families and carers in the ACT community. The Office for Disability will assist the ACT in meeting its commitments under the National Disability Strategy, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the over 79,000 people with disability living in the ACT.

2: Aim
The ACT Government is pleased to announce the opportunity for community groups, organisations and small businesses to apply for financial support, in the form of a one-off grant, to enable the organisation to become more inclusive and accessible to people with disability.

The Disability Inclusion Grant program (the Grants) will provide increased opportunities for people with disability to participate in mainstream community and or social groups.

Proposals will be considered that address attitudinal, communication, and physical barriers to access and inclusion. Small grants will be made available to enable groups to become more inclusive, with grants considered for activities and initiatives including but not limited to training, awareness raising and related materials, assistive technology and infrastructure modifications.

The Office for Disability is particularly interested in grant proposals that address a need identified by people with disability and that have a broad and deep impact on directly improving the inclusion of people with disability in the ACT community.

3: Available Funding
Total funding of $100,000.00 (GST exclusive) is available for this grant round.

Community organisations and small businesses may apply for a grant of any amount up to $20,000.00 (GST exclusive) to be used for a project or initiative in the 2021-22 financial year. The grant may cover the cost of the project in full or in part.

Grants are one-off for the activities or initiatives specified and are not intended as a recurring funding source.

4: Funding Purpose
Projects, activities or initiatives must demonstrate how they will address barriers to access and inclusion for people with disability that will allow for and enable their greater participation in community life.

Proposals will be considered which address physical, attitudinal and/or communication barriers. Proposals that demonstrate a broad and deep impact on improving the inclusion of people with disability will be looked upon favourably.

Examples of proposals that may be considered (but are not limited to) include:

• assistance to develop a Disability Action and Inclusion Plan;
• targeted or general disability awareness training for volunteers, members and/or the public;
• converting brochures and reports to accessible formats such as Easy English or Braille;
• developing attitudinal awareness-raising resources;
• purchase of assistive technologies such as hearing loops and height adjustable equipment;
• physical modifications such as accessible bathroom upgrades or wheelchair ramp installations;
• wayfinding improvements such as Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs) and signage;
• training staff in Auslan;
• installing automatic doors.

This is not an exhaustive list. The panel is interested in innovative, creative, and sustainable approaches to increasing the inclusion of people with disability. Of particular interest are activities that reflect engagement with people with disability and their supporters and that impact upon as many people as possible, and so greater emphasis will be placed on projects which will result in meaningful improvements with a broad reach benefiting many people with disability in the ACT community.

5: Eligibility Requirements
5.1 Organisation, Group and/or Business Eligibility Requirements
In order to encourage the best possible ideas and opportunities for greater inclusion of people with disability in the community, the grants will be open to the following:

• community groups;
• not-for-profit organisations; and
• small businesses – this may include local supermarkets, childcare centres, private dentist practices etc.

Please note: large businesses and any ACT or Commonwealth Government agency are not eligible to apply for the Grants. This includes ACT Government schools, though Parents and Citizens Associations are welcome to apply.

Only organisations or groups that meet all the following eligibility requirements may apply:

1. be a non-government incorporated entity that is not-for-profit or a small business (one that has less than 20 employees)1;
2. have no overdue reporting obligations for any previous ACT Government grant round, including evaluations, acquittal reports and audited financial statements;
3. undertaking a project or activity that will be located primarily in the ACT and primarily for the benefit of ACT residents; and
4. have not received funding from another ACT Government source to deliver or provide the same or similar project/activity. It is acceptable to apply for funding to contribute to a larger project which is supported by philanthropic/charitable donations or Commonwealth Government funding.

Organisations that are not incorporated must be auspice