Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) – Special Circumstances Grant Opportunity

This program is aimed at services operating in or providing care for disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. It helps services stay open when something unexpected happens.

The objective of the program is to support continuity of child care, for disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, where service viability is affected by:
- An unforeseen event or circumstance outside the control of the service, including but not limited to a natural disaster, extreme weather event, or pandemic.
- Another event or circumstance which would result in market failure for the community.

The program also provides support for:
- Services in bushfire affected communities.
- Services experiencing decreased demand and financial pressure due to drought.
- Services affected by other local emergencies, natural disasters or extreme weather events including floods, cyclones, etc.
- Commencing a new service where there is a lack of suitable child care for the community.

Services may be eligible for CCCF Special Circumstances if one of the following applies:
- It is at risk of closure due to an unforeseen event or circumstance. This could be a natural disaster, extreme weather event or pandemic.
- It is at risk of permanent closure, and the closure would result in a lack of suitable child care for the community.
- It is seeking to open a new service in a community where there is no suitable child care.

For general CCCF Special Circumstances applications, there is no minimum or maximum amount that can be applied for under this grant opportunity, but grants cannot exceed the amount of available funds. The amount of funding provided to applicants will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on other funding the service receives (e.g. in Child Care Subsidy and transition payments), the activity being funded, the type and impact of the event or circumstance, and the circumstances of the applicant.

Funding of up to $150,000 is available for each eligible COVID-19 affected service and Victorian services.

The applications dates are:
- For Victorian services applying for COVID-19 related funding: Closed 31 January 2021.
- For COVID-19 related funding for the rest of Australia: Opened 12 October and closed 31 January 2021.

There is no deadline for non-COVID-19 applications.

Eligible applicants must satisfy all the following eligibility criteria:
1. Non-COVID related application
- Be an approved provider under Family Assistance Law operating for a disadvantaged or vulnerable community.
- Be one or more of the following:
a) At high risk of temporary/permanent closure due to viability issues resulting from an unforeseen event or circumstance such as but not limited to natural disaster, extreme weather event or pandemic.
b) At high risk of permanent closure due to another event or circumstance, where that closure would result in a lack of suitable child care (market failure) for the community.
c) Seeking to commence a new service in a community where another service has closed, resulting in a lack of suitable child care (market failure), and the new service will require funding to establish a viable operation.
- Meet the requirements in clause 12.10 in the Guidelines National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (where applicable).

2. COVID-19 – Victorian services only - Meet the eligibility criteria set out above for non-COVID-19 related grants. In addition, the service of the applicant must meet the following criteria:
- The service must be one or more of the following:
a) Operating for a disadvantaged or vulnerable community in Victoria.
b) The only service in a regional or rural area in Victoria.
c) Where the service is the only suitable service supporting a vulnerable or disadvantaged sector of their community in Victoria (i.e. limited supply).
- The service must be at high risk of permanent closure due to financial viability.
- Services that were previously approved for a CCCF Special Circumstances COVID-19 grant can apply for further funding, if the event has escalated, e.g. Stage 3/4 lockdown or jurisdictional equivalent.
- The service must remain open and available to provide care to eligible children.
- Services must have accessed existing viability support including CCS, transition measures including Transition Payment where relevant.

3. National COVID-19 Measure - Meet the eligibility criteria set out above for non-COVID-19 related grants. In addition, the service of the applicant must meet the following criteria:
- The service must be one or more of the following:
a) Operating for a disadvantaged or vulnerable community outside Victoria.
b) The only service in a regional or rural area outside Victoria.
c) Where the service is the only suitable service supporting a vulnerable or disadvantaged sector of their community outside Victoria.
- The service must be at high risk of imminent closure (temporary or permanent) due to financial viability.
- Services that were previously approved for a CCCF Special Circumstances COVID-19 grant can apply for further funding and they will be assessed on a case by case basis.
- The service must remain open and available to provide care to eligible children.
- Services must have accessed existing viability support including CCS, and transition measures including Transition Payment where relevant.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible activities include:
- Implementing changes to business practices and/or models, in response to the unforeseen event or special circumstance.
- Temporarily contributing to standard child care operating costs to assist with the service remaining open.
- Helping with additional costs as a result of the unforeseen event or circumstance.
- Addressing health and safety requirements, directly related to an unforeseen event.
- Other reasonable activities, as agreed with the department, that are responsive to the needs of the community, or to ensure the service can continue to provide quality child care, such as additional transport services, family engagement, extended hours and other support activities.

The main assessment criteria include: (For applications under the COVID-19 Victorian services only measure and the National COVID-19 Measure)
- The degree of disadvantage of your community.
- The child care needs of the community.
- The extent to which this service will use the money to support vulnerable or disadvantage sectors of their community.

In assessing the extent to which the application represents value for money, the department may have regard to the following:
- The extent to which the application meets the eligibility criteria.
- The applicant’s relevant experience and performance history.
- Any other factors impacting the amount of funding sought, such as service location and community-specific factors.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Activities not related to the delivery of child care services.
- Activities that are already fully funded by the CCCF program or any other government source or program.
- Activities that have already occurred.
- Any expense that is claimable under the service’s insurance policy.