The objective of the Social and Community Participation (SCP) grant program is to support people with disability, their families and carers to participate, contribute and benefit from mainstream community activities including arts, culture, sport and recreation.

The Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program is a Commonwealth grants program which supports all people with disability, regardless of whether they are eligible for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) individually funded package.

Through the ILC, the Economic and Community Participation (ECP) program seeks to build the capacity of the community to create opportunities for people with disability.

The Social and Community Participation (SCP) stream is one of 3 streams used to implement the ECP program.

The intended outcomes of the SCP stream are people with disability, their families and carers:

• have greater opportunities to participate and contribute in the community

• have increased accessibility to, and inclusion in, communities.

It is intended that proposals should be for innovative activities co-designed with people with disability, their families and carers and aligning with Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031.

Activities should be about changing attitudes and practices, resulting in improved delivery of disability services and developing better practices to support people with disability in achieving their life goals.

The following community settings are in scope for this grant opportunity:

• local government 

• civic participation (for example, boards, charities, volunteer organisations groups) 

• community groups (for example, neighbourhood houses, men’s sheds, scouts, girl guides) 

• sporting and recreational clubs and associations 

• arts and cultural groups and programs 

• community health and wellbeing groups

• informal community networks, clubs or groups (that is, parent networks, Neighbourhood Watch groups)

• emergency services volunteer organisations.

Funding available for this grant opportunity is up to $50 million (GST exclusive) over 3 financial years from 2023–24 to 2025–26. There is $8.35 million available in this round.

• The minimum grant amount is $200,000 (GST exclusive) over 2 years.

• The maximum grant amount is $2 million (GST exclusive) over 2 years.

The maximum period of this grant is 2 years. Activities of a shorter timeframe may also be considered.