Growing Workforce Participation Fund
One-off grant funding of $20,000 up to $200,000 is available to industry groups to boost workforce participation
Overview
The revitalised Back to Work program is designed to give businesses the confidence to employ Queenslanders who have experienced a minimum period of unemployment and help workers facing disadvantage in the labour market.
To learn more about the Back to Work program, read https://backtowork.initiatives.qld.gov.au/whats-new/.
The Growing Workforce Participation Fund (the Fund) is one component of the suite of programs delivered under the revitalised Back to Work initiative, which is designed to give businesses the confidence to employ Queenslanders who have experienced a period of unemployment and help workers facing disadvantage in the labour market.
The Fund aims to develop partnerships with industry to build longevity and sustainability in the workforce by empowering industry and employers to support jobseekers from identified groups who experience greater disadvantage in the labour market.
The Fund also aims to create systemic change to encourage greater labour market participation from groups that experience greater disadvantage in the labour market.
The Fund will:
- provide industry-led solutions to employment shortages and retention challenges in Back to Work target locations
- provide greater industry-specific support for disadvantaged and vulnerable target groups.
The Fund is administered by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT).
A recording of an online information session is now available.
Funding of between $20,000 up to $200.000 is available under this Fund.
Industry organisations funded to deliver projects under this Fund have a maximum of 12 months to complete a project.
The Fund will support industry organisations to primarily support people from the following groups:
- young people (aged 15-24 years)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people with disability
- long-term unemployed people (unemployed 52 weeks or longer.
Under the Growing Workforce Participation Fund, the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) is targeting specific locations, including regional Queensland and some South East Queensland (SEQ) local government areas (LGAs).
Regional areas:
- Wide Bay Burnett
- North Queensland
- Far North Queensland
- Mackay/Whitsunday
- Central Queensland
- North West Queensland
- South West Queensland
SEQ LGAs:
- Ipswich
- Lockyer Valley
- Logan
- Moreton Bay
- Scenic Rim and
- Somerset.
Applications must be made through the Growing Workforce Participation Fund grant applications portal. Via the portal, applicants must:
- register to access the applications portal
- once registered, applicants can sign in to the applications portal
- complete the application form and provide all supporting documentation.
You can now register for access to the grants portal.
Please note: A maximum of 3500 characters will apply in some sections of the online form. If you need to refer to particular elements of your project in more detail, you can include this in your project plan that can be uploaded as an attachment.
The Fund application form will be available via the portal from 3 April 2023 and will remain while the funding round is open. The round will close at 5pm on 29 May 2023.
Note: If the form is not available, the round has not yet opened, or has already closed.
| QUEENSLAND COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE LTD | Community of Practice: Supporting Diverse Workforces | The project will deliver a Community of Practice learning environment to support community service organisations (CSOs) seeking to improve their employment and retention of diverse employees including people living with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and long-term unemployed people. The Community of Practice will provide capacity building and learning opportunities for CSOs to improve their human resources strategies and practices with respect to diversity. |
| ENERGY SKILLS QUEENSLAND INC | The Future is Cyber | Program aims to foster a Government-Community-Industry partnership and bridge the skills gap for those training to gain stable employment in the ICT industry. The project will provide support, connection and mentoring to young people with anxiety and ASD and long-term unemployed people with ASD to provide skills development and employment pathways into the cyber security industry. |
| Cairns Chamber of Commerce Inc | Industry Lead Workforce Solutions | Project will provide business owners with resources to assist them in recruiting outside of their typical workforce pool and focus on the GWPF target groups. It will also assist employers to be agile with recruitment and adapt to the expectations of the new workforce. |
| Bowen Gumlu Growers’ Association Inc | New realities in North Queensland Agriculture and Aquaculture | This project will utilise interactive media and virtual reality to support direct engagement with young people to create greater awareness of local agricultural and aquaculture roles, increase youth engagement and participation in different farming roles, processes and tasks. This will promote positive aspects of agricultural/aquaculture jobs and role diversity and connect industry roles to skills pathways and career progression in the industry. |
| SPINAL LIFE AUSTRALIA LTD | EnABLED Businesses Program | The program will provide a comprehensive suite of information, training and mentoring for SMEs to build disability capability in employers to support them to employ disabled people. This will include Business Inclusion and Diversity Services, Good Access = Good Business and Realistic Race Disability Awareness Training. |
| BALONNE SHIRE COUNCIL | Workforce Development Officer – Balonne Shire | Employment of a project officer to focus on target cohorts, as well as showcase employment opportunities in the Balonne Shire Council. Role will focus on attraction and retention strategies. |
| Queensland Hotels Association | Hospitality First Steps | This project will deliver a training program called #HospitalityFirstStep. This project will provide a recruitment pathway for industry, by providing entry level training to Jobseekers. QHA’s #Hospitality First Steps is a five day training course which will focus on essential specialist skills for the industry – bar, restaurant, gaming, housekeeping and customer service. The course will provide Industry Awareness Experiences as well as supervised assessments at licenced premises. |
| TOOWOOMBA AND SURAT BASIN ENTERPRISE PTY LTD | Increasing the Health Workforce Capacity in the Western Downs | This project will seek to increase the health workforce capacity in the Western Downs by establishing a data base of inactive healthcare workers in the regional community and understand the barriers of these individuals re-entering the health industry. The key objective of this project is to examine who in the region has previously worked in healthcare or holds health qualifications and get them re-engaged in employment to supplement the demand on the labour market. |
| TORRES STRAIT KAZIW META INC. | Remote Indigenous Boarding Students Mentoring & Employment Support | The project aims to increase employment outcomes for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Torres Strait by improving access to vocational education and training programs and addressing labour market shortages to increase productivity in the region. The project will employ a full-time transition officer to support young people transition into employment. The project will engage with external business coaches to provide support for training and development pathways, ensuring that participants are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen fields. |
| BALONNE SHIRE COUNCIL | Implementation of the 2023-2027 – Balonne Shire Workforce Development Strategy | The project extends the Workforce Development Officer (WDO) position employed at Balonne Shire Council, who’s main purpose is to assist employers, jobseekers, residents and key stakeholders in achieving workforce development objectives and outcomes. Specifically, the WDO will: develop a workplan for local employers and prospective jobseekers who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, long-term unemployed, youth and people with disabilities; work with employers on employing candidates from the target groups and support service provider partners to reduce unemployment; engage employers in current emerging industries; identify and promote employment and career opportunities to prospective clients; assist employers and candidates in accessing funding incentives; and develop a participant survey, case studies and final report of the program. |
| QUEENSLAND COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE (QCOSS) | Community of Practice: Supporting Diverse Workforces | The project aims to increase the sector’s understanding of the critical importance of diversity in the workforce and provide practical information and resources to support the sector to implement inclusive human resources practices. The project will build on the original pilot Community of Practice project to further support community service organisations seeking to improve their employment and retention of diverse employees. Five online “Community of Practice” events will be delivered throughout the project, the sessions will explore the deep-seated issues impacting diversity in the community services sector, along with strategies and actions to address these issues and build more inclusive workplaces. |
| SPINAL LIFE AUSTRALIA | EnAbled Business Program – Ipswich | The project will address barriers that prevent full participation of people with disabilities in the labour market by appointing a Business Mentor to work with SMEs, facilitate connections to jobseekers with disabilities, and work with local employment support services. The project will include the development and delivery of tailored industry training as well as promotional activities at career fairs and industry events. Workshops and online resources will also be delivered to tackle topics such as workplace adaptability, understanding disability and making use of available resources and support. |
| GOONDIWINDI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | Engage, Educate, Empower – Goondiwindi Development Champion | The project will appoint a Workforce Development Champion to provide support to jobseekers within the Goondiwindi region whilst also attracting jobseekers from other regions to work in Goondiwindi. The Workforce Development Champion will engage with and connect businesses looking for employees and jobseekers. The project will include a series of workshops to educate businesses on new workforce planning resources, a mentoring program, industry bus tours, local job fairs and industry events. |
| QUEENSLAND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE COUNCIL LTD | Navigating Workforce Diversity through Social Enterprise | The project will develop a co-designed online resource that empowers industry and employers to actively engage jobseekers from identified groups who are experiencing a disadvantage in the labour market. The project will connect with focus groups to understand the challenges and opportunities for diverse employment. The project will develop a capability framework along with a navigation tool for businesses to connect with social enterprises who provide access to diverse workforces. |
| ENERGY SKILLS QUEENSLAND | Integrated Skilling and Alert Centre Service | The project aims to create a new workforce cohort of 24 entry-level IT employees with training in cyber security incident alert and response. The project will bridge the skills gap in IT and cyber security and focus on skilling cohorts of jobseekers from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds. Participants will complete the BSBSS00094 Cyber Security Skill Set training to enhance their employability and skills. Support services will be available to aid participants in their journey towards employment. |
| SOUTH BURNETT REGIONAL COUNCIL | Sport and Recreation Industry Mentoring Program | The project aims to deliver a Sport and Recreation Mentoring Program for jobseekers who identify as youth and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, through a partnership arrangement with Cherbourg Youth Justice Department, the town of Murgon, Wondai Swimming Pool Managers and the South Burnett Regional Council. The project aims to address key issues in the South Burnett region such as skills shortages in the Sport and Recreation industry and Horticulture industry; and upskilling the local sport and recreation and horticultural workforce, as well as addressing staff shortages. |
| AGED AND COMMUNITY CARE PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION | Aged Care is the Place to Be | The project is a co-designed employment pathway, supported by industry service providers, which aims to attract and induct currently underrepresented cohorts in the aged care workforce, including those aged 25-24 years and people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The project aims to support the aged care sector to attract young individuals into entry level jobs, support individuals registered on the Aged Care employment hub to deliver quality aged care service, and enhance the skills of the aged care providers to ensure better support for new workers in the sector. |
| REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA TOWNSVILLE AND ORTH WEST QUEENSLAND INC | Breaking Down Barriers – Uncovering Hidden Talent | The project aims to connect businesses, support groups, job service providers and training organsiations by establishing reference groups for targeted cohorts such as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Indigenous Youth, Veterans and People with Disabilities. The project will deliver six employment expos to uncover hidden talent, address and raise awareness of barriers, engage the targeted cohorts to increase workforce participation to reduce workforce shortages for local businesses. The established reference groups will plan and deliver these expos as well as continuing to collaborate and work on possible future projects. |
Frequently Asked Questions
DESBT encourages collaborative projects and may include the participation of local governments, partnerships with regional industry groups and other industry groups, and cohort representative groups. Applications must be submitted by an eligible provider.
To be an eligible provider under the Fund, applicants must:
- be Queensland-based and have operated for a minimum of two years prior to the applicant submitting an application
- be an industry organisation, or be able to demonstrate that the business should be considered an industry organisation to DESBT’s satisfaction
- be registered for GST and hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN) at the time of submitting an application and for the life of the Services Agreement
- have a proposed eligible activity that relates to the target groups and locations
- have proven experience in providing employment related (or similar) support to the target groups
- be compliant with all local, State and Australian Government laws and regulations, including but not limited to, industrial relations, workplace health and safety and taxation legislation.
For more information, read the Guidelines for Funding and Terms and Conditions
The following table provides examples of eligible activities and is not an exhaustive list:
- projects that aim to increase labour market participation and engagement from the target groups
- pre-employment support projects
- workforce development and resources
- projects that address industry identified employment shortages.
For the full list of eligible activities, read the Guidelines for Funding and Terms and Conditions.
Funding cannot be used for:
- any project or scope of work that is deemed to be core business for the applicant and/or partners
- any project or part thereof that has or may be funded under another government program
- any recurring cost for the organisation, for instance, ongoing staff costs not related to the project; established positions within the organisation; normal operating costs (i.e. utility and telecommunications charges, building lease costs) and core functions of the organisation
- the purchase of assets/capital equipment, or significant assets (buildings or vehicles)
- retrospective payments for expenses already incurred prior to grant funding approval or for work already undertaken
- costs for consultants/contractors or other suppliers of services that are financially associated entities with the applicant
- travel costs, including hiring and leasing of transport, airfares and fuel (in recognition of the transport restrictions in rural and remote areas in Queensland, travel costs may be considered if it is critical in enabling full participation of the eligible activities)
- costs associated with attendance at domestic and international trade show/s, including interstate and overseas travel
- any other costs deemed ineligible by DESBT.
For the full list of ineligible activities, read the Guidelines for Funding and Terms and Conditions.
Stage one
Stage one involves the assessment of applications by DESBT against the ‘capacity to manage’ criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Funding. An applicant must demonstrate a ‘capacity to manage’ for the application to be determined by DESBT as eligible to proceed to stage two assessment.
Stage two
Stage two involves assessing eligible applications against the remainder of the assessment criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Funding by DESBT and an Assessment Panel established by DESBT that may include representatives from both within and outside the Department.
The role of the Assessment Panel will be to discuss, prioritise and recommend applications for funding to DESBT.
Applicants should note that:
- the order of the list of assessment criteria is not to be taken as an order of precedence or an indication of weighting which will be given to any particular criteria; and
- the list of assessment criteria is not necessarily exhaustive and DESBT may also have regard to such other criteria as it considers appropriate in its sole discretion.
Following the completion of both stages of assessment for the funding round, DESBT will notify each applicant of its decision in relation to the application.
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
| Assessment criteria | How this will be assessed – including but not limited to: |
| Capacity to manage |
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| Project innovation |
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| Addresses and responds to industry need |
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| Outcomes and sharing practice |
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| Cost/value for money |
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| Matters of public interest |
|
Documents to support the funding application must be provided at the same time as your online application. This must include but is not limited to:
This may include, but is not limited to:
- a comprehensive project plan
- project impact assessment plan
- risk identification and management plan
- demonstrated financial capacity to deliver project
- two years of audited financial statements including an income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flow (if available) and notes to the accounts
- if the organisation cannot provide two years of audited financial statements, the following may be considered:
- financial statements of related companies e.g. another company with shareholding/directors
- financial statements of the parent company (if a subsidiary)
- financial statements of partner entities if a joint venture is proposed
- an account prepared by a CPA or CA qualified accountant for the duration of the operation.
The completed Project Impact Assessment should outline:
- what the project is trying to achieve
- how the project will support economic and social outcomes
- what success looks like and how it is achieved and measured
- what impact the project will achieve regionally, within the industry and the target groups.
The form must be completed in full and include final statements when submitted. Applicants will receive an email acknowledgement of receipt upon submission. Applications received via email, post or in person will not be accepted and only one application per Eligible Provider can be submitted per funding round.
Please note: A maximum of 3500 characters will apply in some sections of the online form. If you need to refer to particular elements of your project in more detail, you can include this in your project plan that can be uploaded as an attachment.
A maximum of up to 3500 characters will apply in some sections of the online form. If you need to refer to particular elements of your project in more detail, you can include this in your project plan that can be uploaded as an attachment.
If your organisation has previously been funded to deliver the project, then you cannot apply for funding to deliver the same project.
However, if a previous project had a recommendation or something new to build from, then that may be a project the applicant might consider putting forward.
Collaborative projects are encouraged and may include partnerships with regional industry groups and other industry groups, cohort representative groups and local councils. However, applications must be submitted by an eligible provider.
Under the Guidelines for Funding, funding from other sources must be disclosed. This includes in-kind support and financial support. Funding is not available for projects, equipment and/or services that are eligible for funding under other Back to
Work or DESBT funding programs, or that are being funded through other initiatives or programs.
It should be clearly outlined in the comprehensive project plan and in supporting documentation in the application the roles and contributions of each of the partners, including financial and in-kind support, including that of other Government departments.
Funding cannot be used towards costs of consultants or contractors or other suppliers of services that are associated entities with the applicant.
If the consultants or contractors are independent of the applicant’s organisation, then the scope of their work and costs must be outlined clearly in the applicant’s project proposal.
Funding cannot be used for any recurring cost for the organisation, for instance, ongoing staff costs; established positions within the organisation; normal operating costs (i.e. utility and telecommunications charges, building lease costs) and core functions of the organisation.
All costs associated with the project must be outlined as part of the application.
Every project proposal for the Fund will be unique so it is up to the applicant to outline in their application what the funding will be used for and how it will benefit the project that is being proposed.
Applications that include costs that are deemed ineligible under the Guidelines for Funding and no longer meet the minimum eligible grant amount of $20,000 will not be approved.
Applications that include costs that are deemed ineligible, but which the remainder of the requested funding is within the eligible funding amount, will be assessed for project viability within the revised budget and activities.
It is very important that applicants provide as much information as possible to support their application to provide the assessment panel with enough contextual information to support their application.
All requests for further information can be directed to the Back to Work Team at GWPF@desbt.qld.gov.au
Applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application once the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training has completed all assessment processes.
If successful, applicants must enter into a Services Agreement with the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT). This agreement will detail the amount and nature of the financial assistance provided for the eligible project, as well as project delivery milestones.
Organisations may request a review of a decision made by DESBT in relation to the provision of funding under the Fund.
The appeals process has been established to help identify any problems in the application process, ensuring these processes continue to approve, and to assist with future applications.
Appeals must be lodged in writing within 21 days of being notified of a funding decision to:
Post:
Appeals Officer
Program Investment
Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
PO Box 15483
City East QLD 4002
Organisations will be notified in writing of the appeal outcome within 21 business days from receipt of the request.