Tenants Advice and Advocacy Program

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These grants support incorporated not-for-profit organisations to provide direct tenancy advice and advocacy services within prescribed regions in NSW.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: From $153,916 to $1,772,137
  • Application opened: 7 September 2022
  • Application closed: 30 September 2022, 5:00 pm

Program objective

If you’re a not-for-profit organisation with demonstrated skills, abilities and commitment to provide advocacy and advice services for vulnerable tenants in NSW, the Tenants Advice and Advocacy Program (TAAP) may be for you. 

This program is administered by NSW Department of Customer Service.

This program is funded by NSW Fair Trading.

Eligibility

What funding is available

If your organisation provides services in the following areas, you may be eligible for funding:

  • direct services to assist tenants within defined regions in NSW
  • direct Aboriginal services to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tenants within defined regions in NSW
  • direct resource services to provide expert, specialist support in key areas, coordination and training
  • Aboriginal Resource Services who provide specialist support and recognises the differing needs of Aboriginal Direct Service staff, their client group, and auspice bodies.

Who can apply

To be eligible to apply for TAAP funding successful applicants must:

  • operate and be based in NSW
  • be an incorporated community based, not - for - profit organisation or registered charity
  • demonstrate experience in delivering high level, advocacy-based services and or casework to vulnerable clients in a legal setting.

Who can’t apply

  • The following people and organisations are not eligible for funding:

  • individuals
  • organisations or businesses that may or will realise a commercial gain from the project
  • landlord organisations such as aboriginal housing providers and land councils.

Types of project funded under this grant

The program is for organisations who help the most financially and socially disadvantaged in the community such as: 

  • public housing tenants
  • Aboriginal Housing Office tenants
  • community housing tenants
  • Aboriginal community housing tenants
  • private tenants
  • residents of residential land lease communities
  • boarding house residents.

Please note that on this webpage and in the guidelines the term 'tenant' refers to the individuals and groups listed above.

Example projects

Successful TAAP funding recipients provide a high standard of service delivery through appropriately trained professional staff, who are supported, resourceful and accountable. They work to provide direct or resource services, and community engagement activities such as: 

  • assistance to tenants so that they can understand their rights and responsibilities under current legislation plus amendments, and new or upcoming legislation. Examples of the legislation include the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, Residential (Land Lease) Communities Regulation 2015, the Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013, Boarding Houses Act 2012 and associated Regulations (referred to collectively on this webpage and in the guidelines as ‘the legislation’). 
  • assistance in negotiating a satisfactory resolution in tenancy disputes 
  • preparing cases for NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the Tribunal) hearings
  • advocacy on behalf of tenants at the Tribunal with a focus on a win-win solution between parties
  • advocacy at Tribunal hearings when relationships between parties has broken down, or a win-win solution was not achieved
  • appropriate referrals to other service providers.

How to complete the application

You will need to:

  • read through the program and application guidelines before you begin to prepare your application
  • provide responses directly relevant to each of the selection criteria
  • provide relevant, concrete examples of organisational experience and proposed service delivery
  • provide references to support business activity claims, as well as past or current achievements 
  • do not assume that your organisation is known to the assessment panel
  • accurately reference the supporting material in the correct section of the application form
  • provide full links rather than hyperlinks to references in the application form
  • do not attach unnecessary documents
  • make sure the contact person and referees for the application are available for at least four weeks after the closing date
  • review the checklist to make sure you have included all required information.

Most recent recipients

What your application needs to include

1

Proof your organisation is eligible

  • attach a copy of certificate of incorporation or an organisation registration certificate
  • evidence that your current and future business activity takes place in NSW
  • evidence that your organisation helps the types of tenants listed above.
2

Proof your organisation conducts eligible activities under TAAP

  • the latest annual report describing the strategic operations and achievements of the organisation
  • examples of service policies that include complaints management plus casework practices
  • job descriptions for direct service staff.
3

Proof of financial and business activities

  • 2 audited financial statements 
  • details of subcontractors such as contracts, agreements or invoices
  • consortia must also provide letters of intent or Memorandum of Understanding from participating organisations.

 

To be considered for TAAP funding, it is recommended you comply with the items listed above. For further information, refer to the guidelines.

Start the application

You can apply when the next round of this grant opens.

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: NSW Fair Trading, Community Grants, as they are responsible for the administration of residential tenancy legislation.

Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria which outline the minimum requirements an applicant must meet to be eligible for funding. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will then be assessed against the assessment criteria and comparatively against other candidates considering the consistency of the proposal with program objectives and the capability, experience, and skills of the applicants.

Applicants will be informed in writing of the decision regarding their application.

Support and contact

If you need more information on eligibility, time frames or if you have questions about the application form email grants@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.

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