We have established the Mental Health and Wellbeing Grants to support and promote the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.
The grants align with the strategic intent and early implementation of Thriving Lives, Connected Communities: Queensland’s Commitment to Mental Health and Wellbeing (Thriving Lives, Connected Communities).
Why is this important?
The Queensland Government recognises the importance of investing in approaches that promote mental health and wellbeing, prevent mental ill-health where possible, and embed early intervention.
This includes strengthening approaches that consider the conditions in which people are born, grow, learn, work, live, and age. Initiatives like these often fall outside the mental health system, however, they are vital for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Grants are a strategic reform priority that supports Queensland communities to identify and implement local solutions for local needs.
About the grants
The Queensland Government is investing $9 million over three years in the grants to fund initiatives that improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes in Queensland communities.
The grants are designed to build on existing community strengths, abilities, and knowledge to fund innovative, place-based initiatives that meet local needs. This includes providing supports early in life, across the life course and across settings.
The grants are administered by the Commission and open to eligible Queensland non-government community organisations.
Grant objectives
Eligible applicants can apply for up to $150,000 for non-recurrent initiatives that address one or more of the following objectives:
- support and promote mental health and wellbeing
- enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors to prevent and lessen the impacts of mental-ill health
- encourage early help-seeking
- improve mental health, wellbeing, alcohol and other drugs, or suicide prevention literacy and understanding.
Priority groups
To foster equitable outcomes, the grants will fund initiatives that meet the needs of priority cohorts such as:
- people living in rural, regional and remote communities
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- children and young people
- older people
- people who identify as LGBTQIA+
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds including refugees and asylum seekers
- people who experience complex socio-economic circumstances and other vulnerabilities (e.g. homelessness, domestic and family violence, interaction with the justice system), and
- carers and supporters of people with lived experience of mental ill-health, problematic alcohol and other drug use, and suicidality.
Partnership
Collaborative partnerships between social services, businesses, government agencies, health services, priority cohorts, and community organisations are encouraged to enhance the impact of the grants.
Evaluation
How to apply
Apply online via SmartyGrants at https://qmhc.smartygrants.com.au.
Applications open: Friday 30 August 2024
Applications close: 5pm AEST, Thursday 10 October 2024
Briefing session: 12pm AEST, Tuesday 10 September 2024. Register here.
Budget template for applications
Mental Health and Wellbeing Grants Guidelines
Additional grant rounds will be announced later.
Policy context
Thriving Lives, Connected Communities was developed in response to Recommendation 19 of the Mental Health Select Committee (Committee) Inquiry into the opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders (2022).
The Committee recommended ‘the Queensland Government considers the development of a population‐based Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy that works across human services portfolios and is aimed at improving community mental health and wellbeing with consideration of implementation by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, in partnership with the Queensland Mental Health Commission’.
Thriving Lives, Connected Communities represents the Queensland Government’s initial step as part of a phased approach to delivering a mental health and wellbeing strategy.
It highlights existing Queensland Government action to support wellbeing and prevent mental ill-health, including $9 million in the Grants. It outlines the broad future direction for the promotion of population wellbeing in Queensland under three wellbeing focus areas: Collective, Community and Individual.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland led the development of Thriving Lives, Connected Communities in partnership with the Commission.
How does this support reform?
The grants support the early implementation of Thriving Lives, Connected Communities and takes forward key priorities in Shifting minds: The Queensland Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan 2023-2028.
Next steps
The grants will be administered by the Commission, over three years, through multiple funding rounds.
In 2024-25, the Commission is offering grants of up to $150,000 (excluding GST), that can be expended over a period of 18 months.
Further information
For more information, please contact our Senior Business Support Officer (Procurement and Grants) on 1300 855 945, or email contracts@qmhc.qld.gov.au.
