Future Ready 2025-26 program

Eligibility overview

To be eligible to apply for funding through the Future Ready program:

• your application must be submitted by an eligible organisation as outlined below
• you must be seeking funding for eligible activities as outlined below
• your organisation must have no overdue reports from previous or current grants funded via the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department)
• you must include the mandatory attachments in an acceptable format.

Eligible organisations

Funding is available to organisations based in Victoria.

Applicants must have a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and be either:

• a registered Victorian government secondary school, or
• a not-for-profit organisation incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 and registered as a not-for-profit through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, or
• an Aboriginal entity that is incorporated including Aboriginal not-for-profit organisations, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), Traditional Owner groups and land trusts, or
• a social enterprise that is an incorporated entity with a clear purpose or mission related to engaging and empowering young people. Social

enterprises must attach their constitution with their application.

Social enterprises:

• have an economic, social, cultural or environmental mission consistent with a public or community benefit
• get most of their income from trade
• reinvest most of their profit/surplus in fulfilling their mission (at least 50%).

Unincorporated associations and community organisations with no ABN are not eligible but can apply using an auspice. Refer to Auspiced applications for more information.

Entities that are not eligible include:

• all government entities and agencies
• individuals and sole traders
• private (for profit) companies
• non-government schools
• charitable trusts.

Auspiced applications

Auspice arrangements are allowed under the program.

Auspiced arrangements

If your organisation is not incorporated or does not have an ABN, you can still apply if an eligible organisation has agreed to manage the grant for you.

An auspice arrangement is when an organisation helps another to fund a grant activity or event. Your community group or organisation is the grant recipient. The organisation auspicing is called the auspice organisation.

All applications with auspicing arrangements must include a letter of support from the auspice organisation.

Responsibilities of an auspice organisation

If your grant application is successful, your auspice organisation will be responsible for:

• signing the grant funding agreement (called a Victorian Common Funding Agreement or ‘VCFA’)
• all legal and financial responsibility for the grant on your organisation’s behalf
• receiving and distributing grant funds under the grant agreement
• ensuring all grant activities or events are completed
• ensuring final reports and financial acquittals are submitted by the due dates.

Partnership applications

The department encourages partnership applications between:

• community organisations (or social enterprises) with secondary schools
• two or more secondary schools.

Organisations or schools can work together on a single application. These applications should:

• show strong value for money
• achieve wide benefit (reach a significant number of students)
• aim to achieve common goals and outcomes for all organisations or groups involved.

For example, if there are several schools or community organisations in the same region or neighbouring regions that would benefit from working together in delivering Future Ready, these organisations can submit a partnership application to coordinate and access and share resources as a larger group.

One organisation will need to:

• identify as the lead applicant and submit the application on behalf of the partnership
• nominate the primary contact person coordinating the partnership and application.

Community organisations that deliver Future Ready across more than one school can access the maximum grant amount (over 2 years) for each school they partner with. They would need to provide a letter of support from each school to confirm their commitment to the project. Applications for the maximum funding must include a proposal to support at least 20 students, per school, per year.

We may prioritise applications proposing to support a higher number of students, considering other program priorities (outlined above).

Activities or costs the program can fund

Eligible activities and costs may include:

• all activities that address the program priorities and costs directly associated with delivering associated objectives, and supporting students to take part
• a reasonable amount of funding (based on your project’s scale) may be allocated for project coordination and staffing costs including:
  • ongoing staff or short-term staffing costs directly related to the activity
  • relevant training and development activities to enhance the skills, knowledge and safety of young people and volunteers in the program
• reasonable transport costs to support participants, staff and volunteers to get to and from program activities – covering transport costs for students is highly encouraged, particularly for students in rural and regional areas where these costs can be a barrier to taking part
• initiatives that support higher education or employment pathways for students
• inclusive social or cultural events or opportunities for creative learning (such as art and music), if they align with the program priorities.

Activities or costs that cannot be funded

Activities or costs that will not be funded include:

• activities outside of Victoria
• activities that are already funded through another local, state or Commonwealth Government program
• buying, maintaining or upgrading facilities or non-related equipment
• admin, staff or operational costs that are not directly associated with the implementing or delivering the project
• venue hire fees where the applicant owns the venue (the value of this cost can be included in as an in-kind contribution)
• significant equipment purchases for use beyond the scope of the project.

Mandatory attachments

Eligible applications must include the following:

• For partnerships, a letter of support from each partnering organisation or school. This should include details on each partner’s role in delivering the program.
• For auspice arrangements, a letter of intent (or similar) from the auspice organisation.
• Social enterprises must attach their constitution with their application.

Applications must be in by 3:00 pm on 29 November 2024 via the DFFH Grants Gateway.

Checklist for completing a grant application

Applications open: 7 October 2024

• Read the program guidelines (this document).
• Check that your organisation and proposed activity meet the eligibility criteria.
• Read grant writing tips on the department’s website.
• Contact the Office for Youth if you have any questions: futureready@dffh.vic.gov.au.

Prepare and submit application: 7 October – 29 November 2024

• Register or log in to the DFFH Grants Gateway.
• Find the grant under ‘Available Grants’.
• Complete the online application form and submit by 3:00 pm on 29 November 2024.
  • You can save your application as a draft and finish it later.
  • Attach all supporting documents with the application.
  • You will receive an acknowledgement of submission via email.
  • Please note the application number for reference when contacting us about your application.

Applications close: 3:00 pm, 29 November 2024

• To ensure a fair process, we cannot accept applications after the closing date.
• We will publish successful outcomes and notify applicants in February 2025.

All applications to the Future Ready program will undergo the following review and assessment process:

Eligibility assessment

• All applications will be reviewed against the eligibility criteria.
• The assessment decides whether your application will proceed to merit assessment.

Merit assessment – ratings against selection criteria

• An assessment panel reviews eligible applications. The panel scores applications against the selection criteria outlined below.
• The panel has representatives from the department and other relevant government bodies.

Funding recommendations

• The panel makes recommendations to the Minister for Youth.

Application outcome

• The Minister for Youth makes the final decision based on the panel’s recommendations.
• All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email.

Application outcomes

All applicants will receive written notification of the outcome of their application. If your application is successful, the department will advise you of any specific conditions attached to the grant.

Unsuccessful applicants can ask for feedback within one month of being advised of the outcome. We aim to give written feedback within 20 business days of a request.

All decisions to do with the funding application, eligibility and assessment process are final. This includes any decision to offer or award a grant under the program or to withdraw or cancel the funding agreement. 

Selection criteria

All aspects of your application will inform the assessment. This includes the project details, responses to the selection criteria and the content of mandatory attachments.

All aspects of your application will inform the assessment. This includes the project details, responses to the selection criteria and the content of mandatory attachments.

Eligible applications will be assessed against the criteria listed below.

Note: the criteria are linked to the program priorities listed under About the program.

1. Program overview - 15%
2. Project delivery - 35%
3. Effective support for all students to reach their potential - 30%
4. Organisational experience and capability - 20%

• Any variation to the approved project must be submitted to the department for approval before starting.
• A youth worker, teacher or other qualified person must be available to support young people to take part in the program.
• All staff and people aged 18 or older who have unsupervised contact with young people must have a Working with Children Check.
• The grant recipient must have policies and processes in place to meet the Victorian Child Safe Standards . This includes changes that came into effect from 1 July 2022.

Funding agreements

If successful, you must enter a Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing within 30 days of notification. If a funding offer is not accepted during this period, it may be withdrawn.

The VCFA outlines:

• the grant’s terms and conditions, including use of funds
• key deliverables and due dates
• reporting requirements.

All funded activities must be completed by 31 December 2026.

If successful, project details including project name, description and grant amount will be published on Victorian Government websites.

Payment of grant funds and reporting requirements

Funded organisations will:

• be paid on completing agreed project milestones and deliverables outlined in the VCFA
• complete progress reports including updates on progress against your project plan and budget
• deliver a final report including a project acquittal and evidence of project outcomes.

Funds must be spent on the project as described in the VCFA and any unspent funds must be returned to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

Goods and services tax

• GST will be paid if the grant is funding a good or service and if the recipient organisation is registered for GST.
• GST will not be paid if the recipient organisation is not registered for GST, a government entity (such as a school) or if the grant is not funding a good or service.

Funding acknowledgement

Successful applicants must acknowledge funding from the Victorian Government. Guidelines are included the VCFA.

Activities to acknowledge Victorian Government support include:

• logo presentation on any activity-related publications, media releases and promotional material
• inviting the minister to open any funded activities.

Legal responsibilities

You must ensure the project activity follows relevant legislation, regulations, by-laws and codes. It must also meet the requirements of any Commonwealth, state, territory or local authority. It is your responsibility to be aware of laws and protocols that regulate the way you conduct your work.

Insurance requirements

You must have public liability insurance of at least $10 million coverage and any other insurance that is relevant to the activities of your project. The department may ask for proof of insurance that covers the project period.