Context for the Empowerment Fund
The Empowerment Fund seeks to address barriers the social service sector faces relating to data and evaluation capability, and enable greater sharing of useful evaluation findings and improved data collection and management processes.
The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) will manage the Empowerment Fund and will provide grants to assist eligible applicants with collecting and using data, measuring outcomes, and evaluating their programs.
Government provided seed funding of $2 million in the 2023-24 Budget through the Maximising outcomes from social investment initiative to trial the Empowerment Fund. The Fund complements early intervention and social investment reforms that DTF is already delivering for Government.
A Fact Sheet on the Empowerment Fund is provided below.
Activities to date
Application stage
The Empowerment Fund was open for applications on 28 November 2023 and closed at 5.00pm on 29 March 2024.
Market sounding stage
DTF undertook a market sounding on the Empowerment Fund during October 2023 (previously referred to as the 'Enabler Fund'). Feedback has been considered and has helped finalise the design of the scheme. DTF thanks all parties who provided input.
Responding to the market sounding was optional. Interested parties’ engagement with the market sounding will not impact the assessment or potential success of any future application.