Capacity Grants: sector wide project funding

Previously as part of the Capacity Grants program funding has been made available for sector wide capacity building projects to assist registered community housing providers (CHPs).

Grants were to support sector-wide capacity building in one of the four areas identified in the program. These areas are risk management, property development, finance and business planning.

The types of project this funding is aimed at supporting are those that seek to:

• build individual organisational capacity – e.g. sector training, models and tools.
• seek to address barriers to CHPs developing or investing in their own dwellings – e.g. projects to support co-investment with government that could result in additional use of Housing Australia finance
• improve general practice – e.g. asset management, procurement practice, business planning and risk management guidelines
• could create efficiencies and thus enable smaller providers to access funding – e.g. the production of legal templates.

The sector wide funding rounds have now closed.

However project funding applications will still be considered on a case by case basis under the same guidelines and criteria. Please contact CHIA to have an initial discussion and an application form.

Capacity Grants (individual CHOs)

While initial loans have been to larger CHOs, Housing Australia wants to encourage applications from smaller and medium-sized CHOs. Housing Australia has therefore funded CHIA to administer grants to eligible CHOs, for Professional Advisory Services from consultants on an approved Panel that will help with Housing Australia loan applications.

Key conditions for the grants are:

• Grants of up to $20,000 (GST inclusive) available to CHOs registered as Tier 1, 2 and 3 (under the National Regulatory System, and the WA Regulatory Framework), and ‘Housing Associations and Housing Providers’ (by the Victorian Housing Registrar).
• Grant referrals to CHIA from Housing Australia based on CHOs providing at least an initial expression of interest for AHBA or NHIF finance. CHOs can select consultants from names on the approved Panel.
• Grants should be targeted at assisting CHOs in applying for AHBA or NHIF finance, with a focus on providing Professional Advisory Services in the following area: finance, business planning, property development and risk management.

The Capacity Grant program has been extended to 30 June 2024.