4ST Partnership Fund

Who can apply

Solution owners have to ensure solutions feature partnerships either in the form of inter-organization organisation information sharing, or interaction through activities, between two or more parties for better service outcomes.

Lead applicants must be NCSS members with IPC status in collaboration with another entity/individual.

Non-NCSS members, including SEs and ground-up groups without the Institution of Public Character (IPC)/Charity Status can also apply as a co-applicant.

Non-Charity status agencies (regardless of registration type) are required to make a declaration on the not-for-profit nature of the programme, and that the service users are local communities.

Ideas & Initiatives

For ideas with potential to meet a need in the sector and would like to test their concepts.

For initiatives with a working proof of concept, would like to further develop and test their solution OR Initiatives with a proven model and would like to scale.

Funding parameters

Up to 100% of the project's Total Operating Expenses (TOE) with a maximum of $10,000 per year.

Up to 90% of the project's TOE, with a maximum of $400,000 per year (excluding an evaluation budget of up to $80,000 for each approved project).

Duration

Up to 1 year

Up to 3 years

Deliverables

Articulate proof of concept, refine the value proposition of the solution in the landscape, share learnings and insights from prototype testing with the wider sector and use learnings to improve the solution.

Adopt the NCSS Service Standards in service delivery, achieve outcomes under the Sector Evaluation Framework, submit evaluation research reports, complete the Organisational Health Framework for Social Services (OHFSS) assessment.

Innovative

New and value-added approaches: Solutions should demonstrate that they are either new ideas/approaches to solve the identified problems or value-add to an existing solution to improve service user outcomes.

Collaborative

Partnerships for better outcomes: Solutions should feature inter-organisational partnerships between two or more organisations, either in the form of joint projects or systematic alignment of work structures and systems.

Empowering

Person-centred and empowering: Solutions should be person-centred and allow service users to have access to relevant information, gain skills to improve capabilities, provide feedback to improve the quality-of-service delivery, and participate in service design/delivery.

Strategic

Targeted solutions: These solutions should focus on addressing these identified areas:

• Upstream support for low-income families.

• Support for persons with mental health conditions.

• Emerging needs and gaps.