Major Grant

Building capability to understand and respond to legal need

Major Grants support civil legal projects that help legal organisations better understand and support the legal needs and capabilities of Victorians.

Major Grants are new in 2024-25 replacing elements of our previous Knowledge Grants and Community Legal Grants. Everyday Legal Grants are also available for projects that deliver civil legal information and education.

Major Grants can be used to fund civil legal projects that:

• develop a new understanding through the collection and use of data
• strengthen the systems and capabilities of the Victorian justice sector to collect, understand and use data
• develop new approaches to help the community understand their legal issues and access the help they need.

Eligible organisations

Applications are open to:

• community legal organisations
• community organisations with an internal legal service
• community organisations in partnership with a legal service.

Project types

Projects likely to be funded involve:

• Researching a civil legal problem or issue to better understand how to effectively respond.
• Developing systems and staff capabilities to collect, understand and use data to improve services or programs
• Developing new pathways to improve access to legal services or programs.
• Trialling approaches to support people to better navigate the justice system.

Grant criteria

• Evidence of the need - the legal issue or research topic responds to legal need and/or is timely and likely to be of broad interest in the sector.
• The project addresses needs of clients and/or community groups experiencing disadvantage in access justice.
• Project design/methodology is appropriate for audience or approach.
• Sustainable project outcomes.
• A process for sharing the project findings, processes and/or outcomes more broadly with the sector.
• A commitment to evaluate and learn from the project to improve organisational practice and help identify effective approaches.
• Organisational capacity to undertake the project.
• Partnerships and collaborations to improve reach and impact or facilitate knowledge transfer.

Ethical standards

It is a requirement that any Major Grant research project complies with best practice guidelines, codes and legislation relating to ethical research.

We have provided guidance, information and templates. More information is available in our developing your proposal resource.

Application Timeline

Applications for 2024-25 Major Grants have now closed.

Eligibility

We prioritise submissions from community legal organisations and other not-for-profit community organisations in partnership with a legal organisation.  

Community organisations are required to partner with a legal organisation with suitable expertise to ensure accurate legal information is provided to the intended audience.

We encourage partnerships between research organisations, courts, tribunals, statutory bodies and other community organisations to share knowledge, resources, provide guidance and expertise where there is shared interest.

We only fund organisations – individuals are not able to apply.

We focus on civil law and access to justice issues. We will consider work at the intersection of civil and criminal law, but we do not fund work exclusively on criminal law.

Preparing your application

If you are interested in applying for a grant, we offer a range of guidance supports and resources to help.

• Discuss your proposal with the Grants Manager.
• Ensure your proposal meets the grant criteria.
• Read the information about developing your proposal.
• Download a copy of the application questions.
• Apply using our Smarty Grants form.

More information

Subscribe to our Grants newsletter to receive information about future grant opportunities.

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