National Justice Reinvestment Program – Grant opportunity
The Australian Government’s ‘National Justice Reinvestment Program’ and the ‘Justice Reinvestment in Central Australia Program’
The Australian Government has recently launched two programs to provide funding and support to First Nations communities interested in developing community-led justice reinvestment initiatives. Below we have outlined some of the key details of these initiatives, alongside background and further information as to how and why these programs have been developed for and in partnership with First Nations communities.
Where to access this opportunity
For the most accurate and up to date information on these programs and how you can apply you will need to visit the following webpages.
An overview of both programs
Some key documents within this webpage include:
National Justice Reinvestment Program
Access to the application process
Some key documents within this webpage include:
- Grant Opportunity Guidelines (docx)
- Program questions and answers (docx)
- Application process questions and answers (docx)
- Sample application (pdf)
- Various templates to support your application
Justice Reinvestment in Central Australia Program
Access to the application process
Some key documents within this webpage include:
- Grant Opportunity Guidelines (docx)
- Program questions and answers (docx)
- Application process questions and answers (docx)
- Sample application (pdf)
- Various templates to support your application
Support is available to communities interested in applying for this grant opportunity
For further support with the grant application process, please contact Ninti One’s Justice Reinvestment Helpdesk on 0460 036 155 or via JRhelpdesk@nintione.com.au.
The Justice Reinvestment Helpdesk is facilitated by a First Nations-led organisation, Ninti One. The Helpdesk provides an accessible, central point of contact for applicant communities. The Helpdesk can provide advice on how to approach the questions and assessment criteria and can assist with sharing guides and templates to guide the application writing process. The helpdesk cannot provide feedback on draft grant applications.
*Please note using the Helpdesk does not guarantee a successful application. Helpdesk personnel are not involved in the assessment process for this grant opportunity and do not have any decision making authority.
The Helpdesk will work alongside the Community Grants Hub Hotline. Please continue to refer any technical questions to the Hotline at 1800 020 283 or via support@communitygrants.gov.au. The Community Grants Hub will respond to emailed questions within 5 working days. The Questions and Answers document will be updated to include answers to questions and addenda will be published on GrantConnect.
How ‘justice reinvestment’ is defined under the Programs
For the purposes of both programs, justice reinvestment is defined by the following four elements:
Justice reinvestment aims to reduce First Nations peoples coming into contact with the justice system.
In working towards this goal, other social and economic outcomes may also be achieved. Justice reinvestment is sometimes referred to a ‘life course’ and early intervention and prevention approach, often with a focus on children and young people in order to have the largest positive impact on justice outcomes.
Justice reinvestment must be led by First Nations peoples united by a connection to place.
What leadership in this context looks like will vary, but in short it is about First Nations peoples united by a connection to place exploring and implementing the ‘ideas of the community’ in whatever way ‘that community decides to come together.’
Justice reinvestment has a systems focus: identifying and tackling a range of drivers contributing to contact with the justice system and incarceration through a life-course and preventative focus, but also through reform of government systems. Given the complexity of issues requiring attention, collaboration and partnerships with multiple stakeholders are essential.
Justice reinvestment is also informed by data and evidence:
used to set priorities and measure progress, for instance. Data and place in these 2 contexts must be defined by First Nations people, including with reference to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and governance principles.
Successful justice reinvestment Projects funded under this program will:
- aim to reduce First Nations contact with the justice system
- be a First Nations and community-led project
- take a collaborative approach, and consider a systems focus
- take a place-based approach
- be informed by community knowledge and other data.
The selection criteria
To demonstrate their willingness to implement a justice reinvestment approach applicants will be assessed against the below criteria.
Why do you think Justice Reinvestment is a good fit for your community?
Tell us about some of the justice challenges in your community impacting First Nations adults and/or youth and the need for change. In your application:
- describe some of the factors driving contact with the justice system by First Nations adults and/or youth in your community
- provide examples of how First Nations community members are coming together to gather information, and build support for community-led change to improve justice outcomes
- describe the primary areas where First Nations community members are looking to lead and drive solutions, centred in local culture, knowledge and voices.
What will you do with Justice Reinvestment funding if successful?
Describe your proposed project, plan or strategy and how it will prevent and reduce contact with the justice system among First Nations adults and/or youth in your area. In your application:
- describe how First Nations community members have been involved in leading its design
- describe the specific actions you would like to pursue to help prevent and reduce contact with the justice system among First Nations adults and/or youth living in your community
- describe how your project, plan or strategy will continue to be First Nations-led and centred around a shared connection to place
- describe whether you plan to collaborate with relevant services, stakeholders or organisations to achieve your projects aims. If so, who and why?
How will you do it?
Describe how your organisation will deliver the project, including providing information on:
- who will run the day to day operation of the project (for example, staff, budgets) and how will major decisions be made (for example, decision-making structure) over time – including thorough activity work plans or draft budgets, where appropriate
- how will you measure and evaluate progress over the course of the project (what data will you use, and what does success look like in your local context)
- if your organisation will seek financial, in-kind or logistical support from other organisations to maximise impact or strengthen the financial sustainability of the project over the long term (for example, non-government-organisations, philanthropic funders, service providers, local/state/territory governments).
- As an open non-competitive grants program, applications will be assessed individually against the selection criteria without reference to the comparative merits of other applications.
National consultations on the design of the National Justice Reinvestment Program and Unit
Elevating community voices through the national co-design process
As the facilitation partner leading the national design consultations the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research-led design team have developed a key issues paper and community resource to guide consultation and co-design. The Justice Reinvestment Network Australia (JRNA) have also developed guiding principles to support this consultation process and the protection of First Nations Data Sovereignty. These documents are available below:
Some of the key questions being considered during the consultations and co-design include but are not limited to:
- Eligibility criteria and mechanisms for enabling access to funding;
- A First-Nations lens to evaluation of funding outcomes;
- Protections for community and cultural authority; and
- The purpose, functions, structure, governance, and location/s of a national unit.
Establishment of an independent Justice Reinvestment National Unit
The independent Justice Reinvestment National Unit is yet to be established. Its role will be to coordinate and support justice reinvestment initiatives at a national level with its structure and functions to be informed by the recommendations of the national co-design process.
Further updates on the independent national unit will be provided as the co-design process progresses.
Closing the Gap
How Closing the Gap was formed
In March 2019, a formal Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap was established between the Commonwealth Government, state and territory governments, the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (the Coalition of Peaks) and the Australian Local Government Association. The Coalition of Peaks comprises over fifty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, formed for the purpose of negotiating with governments to develop the National Agreement. The Coalition of Peaks represent the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled service sector.
How does Closing the Gap align to justice reinvestment?
Under Outcomes 10 and 11 of Closing the Gap (listed below), the Federal Government has committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve better criminal justice outcomes. These outcomes are as follows:
- Outcome 10: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
- Outcome 11: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
As its first action towards these outcomes, the Federal Government announced funding of $81.5 million over four years towards:
- the launch of a national grants program for justice reinvestment to support up to 30 community justice reinvestment initiatives
- the establishment of a national unit of justice reinvestment
To support implement towards all outcomes under Closing the Gap, the Government has also announced four priority reforms:
- Priority Reform One: Formal partnerships and shared decision-making
- Priority Reform Two: Building the Community-controlled Sector
- Priority Reform Three: Transforming Government Organisations
- Priority Reform Four: Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional Level
Under Priority Reform One, the Federal Government has established the Justice Policy Partnership which brings together the following members:
- Ten Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members: Five from Coalition of Peaks organisations and five independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, selected by the Coalition of Peaks in an open and transparent expression of interest process
- Nine government members: One from the Australian Government and one each from state and territory governments (all senior officials).
The Justice Policy Partnership is co-chaired by the Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and the Deputy Secretary of the Legal Services and Families Group in the federal Attorney‑General’s Department. This partnership is intended to oversee the process for implementing actions under Closing the Gap, including funding and other support for justice reinvestment.
Some key resources to further your understanding of Closing the Gap have been included below:
Closing the Gap website
This website was established as a dedicated space for up to date and detailed information relating to all things Closing the Gap.
Justice Policy Partnership materials
This webpage houses all up to date and detailed information released by the Justice Policy Partnership, including its high-level workplan, meeting summaries, media releases and contact details.
The role of government in enabling justice reinvestment
Government plays a critical role in funding and supporting First Nations community leaders to develop local justice reinvestment initiatives, along with implementing critical systems reform to address the systemic drivers of incarceration that sit outside the strengths and power of community.
First Nations communities have been leading justice reinvestment initiatives around Australia for a decade. These communities have demonstrated positive improvements in a range of justice outcomes including reductions in offending, bail breaches and the time spent in custody. Improvements have also been shown in strengthening First Nations leadership structures, cross-sector collaboration and service delivery.
For instance, the video below was developed by young people in Mt Druitt. It gathers their stories, expertise, and lived experiences of the criminal justice system along with the impact it has on them and their families. This powerful film shows how justice reinvestment has made a difference to the young men and women of Mt Druitt and how elevating their calls for reform to the justice system into meaningful systems change could support better futures for not only them, but for young First Nations men and women across Australia.
Notwithstanding these positive changes the ‘success’ of justice reinvestment cannot be measured solely by population level shifts in data such as offending or imprisonment. The drivers of incarceration and various justice systems are more complex and interdependent with so many of the levers for change sitting outside the strengths and power of community.
This is why the long-term success and sustainability of justice reinvestment relies on the commitment of government and service providers to work in genuine partnership with communities. This includes to support First Nations leadership to drive place-based justice reinvestment initiatives along with the commitment to enact transformative systems change within service delivery, law and policy reform. Justice reinvestment is a long-term, continuous commitment for communities and government to work hand in hand towards a stronger, safer future. It is not an immediate solution, however, the stories of communities on their own justice reinvestment journeys highlights the promise of community-led justice reinvestment initiatives to achieve real and necessary change.
When speaking about the importance of systems change we must also recognise that ‘government’ itself refers to a complex and interconnected ecosystem of different agencies and departments spanning across local, state/territory and federal jurisdictions. This means momentous work is still required to strengthen community-government partnerships at each of these levels across their different agencies and departments. Success in this endeavour will take significant time and enduring commitment to implementing new ways of working as we establish the necessary inroads.
Justice Reinvestment Network Australia 