Community Connect, through its programs, supports community service organisations to strengthen their ability to provide quality services and achieve better outcomes for their customers and the community. Community Connect fosters strong partnerships with the community and service providers, promotes community capacity building initiatives for a stronger and more resilient community, provides grants and funding, information and data systems support and provides collaborative service planning, development and implementation.

Community Connect Funding Programs 
Funding programs, administered by Community Connect, target disadvantaged individuals and families, young people and Aboriginal youth, reducing the effects of poverty and enhancing community development:

• Community Benefit SA
• Dame Roma Mitchell Grants for Children and Young People
• Australian Service Excellence Standards
• Family and Community Development Programs
  • Families with Children
  • Neighbourhood Development
  • Low Income Support
  • Peak bodies providing industry support and development.
• Youth Programs 
  • Young People at risk
  • The Aboriginal Youth Program:
    • Aboriginal Youth Action Committees
    • Aboriginal Youth Development Program.

Other community programs where targeted specific funding is available:

• Mobile Assistance Patrol
• Aboriginal Substance Misuse Connection Program
• Social Inclusion Supporting Families in Crisis Program funds two initiatives:
  • Homeless and Parenting Program Initiative
  • Taikurtinna Maltorendi - Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth and Family Services
• Stronger Families, Safer Children

Community Connect organisational structure

• Sector Development supports and strengthens the community sector through the management of community funding programs, funding allocated to peak bodies, neighbourhood development, family support, low income support, social inclusion initiatives and sexual assault support services. 

• Community Programs and Service Development supports disadvantaged individuals, families and communities through managing community funding programs such as Aboriginal Youth, Community Benefit SA and the Dame Roma Mitchell Grants. 

• Grants Management has responsibility for across DFC grant management processes, including service agreements and the Funding and Grants Management System to monitor and report on the management of grants and funding to the community services sector. The performance and evaluation of existing grants is a focus to achieve better value for DFC funded community services. 

• Service Excellence and Performance Management has responsibility for implementing the Service Excellence Program that supports funded organisations to provide quality services and achieve better outcomes for their customers and the community. This Unit has the responsibility for ensuring the development of resources for staff in the performance management of grant recipients in order to deliver better value for customers and coordinate processes across the department.

Community Connect boards

• Board of the Charitable and Social Welfare Fund (Community Benefit SA)
• Board of the Dame Roma Mitchell Grants for Children and Young People.

Further information

Our partnerships