National Volunteer Funding Still Uncertain
15 May 2014 at 11:31 am
As Australia celebrates the 25th anniversary of National Volunteer Week and the Not for Profit sector digests the impact of the Federal Budget there’s still no certainty about ongoing funding for peak volunteer bodies and volunteer agencies.
The national peak body Volunteering Australia says it will still have to negotiate with the Federal Government’s Department of Social Services (DSS) for ongoing and future long term funding.
CEO of Volunteering Australia Brett Williamson said the organisation is anxiously awaiting confirmation from DSS about the specific details of an interim 6 month extension of grant funding in the Budget to the majority of Not for Profit service providers, including Volunteer Resource Centres and National and State Volunteering peaks.
The Federal Budget indicated that Volunteer Management Program (VMP) grants, which are due to expire on 30 June, will be extended by six months as an interim measure, with grant recipients and other eligible organisations invited to apply for future funding.
“The Department has indicated that it will be communicating with organisations very soon to confirm the extensions and outline the proposed new arrangements. We know that Volunteering Australia is not alone in wanting to end the uncertainty about future funding,” Williamson said.
“The ongoing uncertainty has seriously impacted on services planning and resourcing, particularly the retention of key staff within the broader Not for Profit sector.”
“We truly welcome the opportunity to lock in longer term 5 year funding agreements which will rebuild sustainability and confidence, so we can get back to focussing on providing services that support the well- being of individuals and communities,” Williamson said.
More information on new funding/grants:
http://www.dss.gov.au/grants/frequently-asked-questions
http://www.dss.gov.au/grants/extending-existing-grant-arrangements
