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QLDSESVA | Queensland State Emergency Services Volunteer Association Inc.

GRANTS FUNDING GUIDELINES

Funding Round FY2026-03

Overview

The Queensland State Emergency Service Volunteer Association Inc. (QLDSESVA) has established a program for the provision of financial assistance to Queensland State Emergency Service (QSES) groups to meet operational and administrative requirements in respect of equipment, supplies, training and other items where these needs are not able to be met by State or Local Government funding.

Financial Assistance Available

Financial assistance available in this funding round include potential allocations to individual QSES Groups of $500, $1,000 or $2,000 including GST.

Timing
  • Funding round opens - 15 June 2026
  • Applications close - 31 July 2026
  • Applications assessed by grants committee - 07 August 2026
  • Successful applicants announced - 21 August 2026 
  • Procurement and acquittals - August to October 2026
Items approved for funding

The following provides guidance of an example list of items that may be covered by this program. 

  • Appliance: fridge, freezer, stove, oven, microwave, toaster, air conditioner unit, fan, kettle, urn, barbeque, eskies. 
  • Building and site: water tank, bore installation, site generator, renovation/extension, repair/maintenance, shed, fence. 
  • Furniture and fittings: cabinets, desks, tables, chairs. 
  • ​Gifts and awards: items for volunteer recognition at a group level. 
  • Information and communications technology: laptops, computers, tablets, data projectors.
  • Office equipment: photocopiers, printers, laminators.
  • Personal items for operational use: Torches, knives, multi-tools. 
  • Training (for Group) : training materials, cost of external providers.
  • Other Items: similar to above as proposed by QSES Groups.

The QLDSESVA Grants Committee (GC) reserves the right to exercise its discretion in approving the type of items applied for. 

Exclusions

In the first instance financial assistance will not be granted to fund items that are readily available for order from the QSES clothing and equipment catalogue and that are within approved quantity issue levels for these items. 

However, the following exceptions to this exclusion may be considered: 

  • Requests for quantities of approved items over and above the standard QSES allocation amount; 
  • Requests for items that are listed in QSES catalogues as approved items for use, but that are not routinely issued to groups as standard issue (eg: pole saws); 
  • Requests that relate to operational items that are as yet unapproved for use but that are being tested in a QSES endorsed field trial. 

Requests for supplies, consumables and operating expenses (e.g.: stationery, napkins, disposable cutlery and crockery, food, fuel, oil, electricity, water, gas) will not be considered.

Submissions  

Applications will only be accepted via the the on-line application form, which is available here: Grants On-Line Application Form

No applications will be accepted for this funding round after the closing date noted in the section above titled 'Timing'. If the program is oversubscribed, applications may be closed off earlier as determined by the GC. 

All applications must be approved by the relevant QSES Group Leader and where appropriate, relevant local government or QSES state representatives. In determining whether additional approval should be sought from levels beyond group leader, applicants should refer to normal QSES and local authority purchasing and procurement and other applicable policies.

To ensure compliance with the procurement policy of the QLDSESVA and provide appropriate supporting documentation, at least two (2) quotations or price alternatives must be obtained and supplied with the application, for each item applied for.  This documentation requirement may be satisfied by obtaining advertised prices from catalogues, marketing material or internet sites or by way of emailed or otherwise documented, verbal or written quotations.   

Assessment Criteria

The assessment of financial assistance grants in this category will be conducted according to the following criteria, which appear in order of significance: 

  • Establishment of, or improvement in member safety; 
  • Improvement in member welfare or member’s volunteering experience; 
  • Improvement in the provision of operational emergency services to the community; 
  • Current level of QLDSESVA membership within the applicant QSES group;  
  • Degree to which good or services to be acquired will be sourced from businesses local to the applicant SES group;
  • Existence and amount of any alternative local QSES group funding sources (eg: social clubs); and
  • Whether the applicant Group has been successful in obtaining funding from QLDSESVA in the last two years.

All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the above criteria at the sole discretion of the GC. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after the closing date for submissions.

Disbursement 

Disbursement of funding assistance will be in one of the following forms, at the sole discretion of the GC and the QLDSESVA: 

  • Reimbursement of funds to the applicant (e.g: QSES group social club or support group) post-purchase of the required goods or service; or
  • Direct purchase of the required goods or services by the QLDSESVA from suppliers chosen by the applicant with delivery direct to applicant.

For each approved application, the successful QSES group is required to acquit the funds approved as soon as practical and no later than 60 days from the approval date.  If the funds have not been expended within the required timeframe the GC reserves the right to revoke their approval and decline the application.

Supporting documentation in the form of invoices or receipts will be required to support all purchases made. Where funds are to be reimbursed to a social club / support group, proof of payment in the form of supplier receipts and copies of bank statements will be required.   

On completion of purchasing, successful applicants will be required to sign a document confirming the appropriate acquittal of any funds allocated.

Communication and media 

Successful applicants may be asked to confirm their agreement to be part of any QLDSESVA publication via social media, website, written publication or any other similar form, acknowledging this program and the QLDSESVA’s support for their QSES group. 

The QLDSESVA may also ask successful applicants to voluntarily provide photographs of the items funded, ideally accompanied by applicant group SES members for publication on QLDSSVA social media.  However, doing so is at the sole discretion of the applicant and participation or non-participation with this part of the program shall have no impact on the assessment of current or future grant funding applications.