The Try, Test and Learn Fund: Tranche 2
PLEASE NOTE: Applications for the Try Test and Learn Fund: Tranche 2 are closed. The Department received a large number of complex applications. Given this, the assessment process has taken longer than expected. The Department will advise all applicants of the outcome of this funding round once the process has been finalised. Thank you for your understanding.
The Try, Test and Learn Fund (the Fund) was announced in the 2016‑17 Federal Budget as an initial response to the Australian Priority Investment Approach to Welfare. Tranche 2 of the Fund will finance small‑scale trials of new or innovative approaches to support people at risk of long‑term welfare dependence. Tranche 2 has four priority groups but also welcomes ideas to support other groups proposed (and appropriately justified) by applicants.
The priority groups comprise Newstart Allowance recipients aged 50 and over (with a focus on those who have been out of the workforce for longer than 12 months); migrants and refugees aged 16‑64 and receiving income support; carers aged 16‑64 and receiving Carer Payment; and at‑risk young people aged 16‑21 and receiving income support.
This grant opportunity invites applications for small‑scale trials to provide services or supports to improve workforce participation or capacity to work for people at risk of long‑term welfare dependency. These services can be delivered anywhere across Australia. Tranche 2 grants will provide funding for both the co‑development and delivery of projects. Co‑development refers to collaborative activities to refine project design, for example through workshops with end users.
Trials supported by the Fund must generate useful evidence to inform future Government policy, including by producing measurable outcomes within a two‑year timeframe. Projects will be robustly evaluated to produce high quality policy evidence about what works, for whom, and under what circumstances. The evidence gathered will allow the Government to transform investment in existing programs or make the case for new investments.
Batching of assessment of applications
The Hub intends to divide the assessment of applications into five batches. Each batch will contain applications that have been submitted for the grant opportunity over a two month period. The table below identifies the cut‑off dates for all five batches.
| Batch | Applications submitted by: |
|---|---|
| 1 | 31 January 2018 |
| 2 | 30 March 2018 |
| 3 | 31 May 2018 |
| 4 | 31 July 2018 |
| 5 | 28 September 2018 |
More information
More information about the services under the Try, Test and Learn Fund: Tranche 2 as well as requirements for applicants are in the following documents that form the Grant Opportunity:
- Grant Opportunity Guidelines
- Questions and Answers (close 5:00pm AEST 21 September 2018)
- DSS Comprehensive Grant Agreement Terms and Conditions
- Sample Application Forms
- Project Plan Template
- Unable to attach financial statements declaration template
- Special conditions on intellectual property template
- Grant Application Support Resources:
- Fact sheet - Test Try and Learn Tranche 2
- Fact sheet – At-risk young people on income support
- Fact sheet – Migrants and refugees on income support
- Fact sheet – Working age carers
- Fact sheet – Older Newstart Allowance recipients
Subscribe to receive updates
Organisations and individuals interested in Community Grants Hub grant rounds are encouraged to subscribe to receive alerts when new information is made available.
Contacting the Community Grants Hub
If you would like assistance please call the Community Grants Hub Hotline on 1800 020 283 and/or support@communitygrants.gov.au.
More information about the Community Grants Hub can be found at the Community Grants Hub website.
Please quote 2017-2036 Try, Test and Learn Fund: Tranche 2 when you phone or email the Community Grants Hub.
Access to data
The assessment criteria outlined in the Try Test and Learn Fund grant opportunity guidelines encourage applicants to provide evidence that;
- those targeted by proposed projects are at risk of long-term welfare dependence
- there is a need for your project among those it would support.
There is a range of potential sources of such evidence. These could include published academic research, government reports, or empirical or experiential evidence that applicants might already hold. In addition, a number of data sources are available from the Department of Social Services (DSS), or other government agencies. These include:
Statistical reports
DSS publicly releases summary datasets and reports including quarterly payments data, which include basic data about recipients of government payments and settlement reports, which include data on permanent settlers to Australia who have arrived since January 1991. These can be found on the Data.Gov website.
Longitudinal survey data
Longitudinal data is data that is collected from the same individuals (or households, businesses or other entities) repeatedly over time. This kind of data is able to show how actions and events can affect outcomes later in life. DSS manages four longitudinal surveys. Information about these studies and their access points can be found on the National Centre for Longitudinal Data page.
Priority Investment Approach research data in TableBuilder
The PIA data in TableBuilder is a subset of the data used to identify the priority groups for the Try, Test and Learn Fund. It includes 56 quarterly snapshots of de-identified information about recipients of a range of benefits and payment supports. The data is a 5% sample of the original research dataset that holds approximately 5 million records. In TableBuilder, the user is able to see group level information (count or percentage) from a combination of variables. More information about PIA in TableBuilder.
Priority Investment Approach Data in the secure enclave
The PIA data in the secure enclave (SURE) includes 56 quarterly snapshots of de-identified information about recipients of a range of benefits and payment supports. The data is at the unit record level and contains 60 variables including citizenship, country of birth and duration on benefit. Note that high level analytical skills are required to access this level of data and a fee is payable to recover costs for providing the service. More information about PIA in SURE.
Data requests
Applications can be made for particular data or reports relating to a range of information including payment data, settlement data, and program data directly through DSS. This service provides more specific data than is available through the statistical reports and would be particularly relevant where you are looking for information about a particular population. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Before contacting data requests, please ensure that the information you are looking for is not available through other sources. Contact data.requests@dss.gov.au for more information.
Information Sessions
Seventeen information sessions on the Try, Test and Learn Fund tranche 2 grant round were held between December 2017 and June 2018 in capital cities and regional centres. The sessions outlined the process for applying and priority groups. Presentation notes and transcripts of the questions and answers, are available on the GrantConnect and the Community Grants Hub website below. More information on the dates and locations of the information sessions is available on the DSS website.
Note when opening PowerPoint presentations please click Save As and then Open.