On this page

1. Social Sector Transformation Fund
2. NSW Health Ministerially approved grants (MAG) Program update
3. NGO grant program in 2020 - 21​
4. Security of personal and health information by NSW Health funded NGOs

Social Sector Transformation Fund

The NSW Government 2020–21 Budget announced the Social Sector Transformation Fund with an allocation of $50 million.

The Fund will provide grants to small and medium-sized charities and not-for-profits working in health and social service to help them modernise their operations — with a focus on capacity building, better digital service delivery, remote working capabilities and improving business strategies — so they can remain efficient, effective and viable.

Fofr further information, please visit Social Sector Transformation Fund or email SSTF@facs.nsw.gov.au

NSW Health Ministerially Approved Grants (MAG) Program update

NSW Health can now advise that base funding for non-government organisations (NGOs) delivering services in 2021-22 has been approved, subject to the maintenance of funding in the 2021 NSW State Budget.

An assessment process has occurred for NGOs that have their funding agreements expiring at the end of 2020-21. As part of the assessment process, NSW Health grant managers liaised with NGOs about proposed individual funding arrangements from 1 July 2021.

NSW Health thanks the NGOs it has worked closely with in 2020-21. For further information, please contact your relevant Ministry or Local Health District grant manager.

NGO Grant Program in 2020-21

NSW Health committed approximately $167 million in MAG funding to NGOs across the state during 2020-21.

Funding has enabled NGOs to continue to deliver valuable community-based activities that support the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly vulnerable or hard to reach populations.

Activities funded through the NGO Grant Program have contributed to the achievement of current NSW Health priorities, strategies, and policies across Aboriginal health, aged care, chronic and disability care, community transport, drug and alcohol, children and families, mental health, palliative care, population health, women's health, and other priority areas.

In 2020-21, NSW Health has focussed on supporting the NGO sector during the COVID-19 pandemic through:

• establishing and engaging with the NGO Communities of Practice to identify, prioritise, and escalate issues related to COVID-19 affecting NGOs;
• adopting flexibility in grant management to accommodate changes in service delivery modes;
• developing tools for NGOs to prepare contingency plans in response to COVID-19; and
• supporting the viability of NGO services in the context of COVID-19.

NSW Health thanks NGO partners for their work during COVID-19 in providing service, leadership, representation, and assurance to the communities and vulnerable groups with whom they work.

Security of personal and health information held by NSW Health funded NGOs

Reminder of privacy and security obligations for NGOs

The Standard Conditions that apply to Ministerially approved grant (MAG) funding agreements between NSW Health and NGOs, stipulate requirements under section 10.3 for the protection of personal information collected by an NGO. Grantees must comply with all relevant privacy legislation, including the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIP Act, NSW) and the Privacy Act 1998 (PA Act, Cth).

The 15 Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) are the key to HRIP Act. The Information and Privacy Commission NSW has issued a factsheet The HPPs explained for members of the public. It outlines legal obligations that NSW public sector agencies and private sector organisations must abide by when they collect, hold, use and disclose a person's health information.

If you have questions or concerns about privacy and security requirements, these should be brought to the attention of your grant administrator.

Good practice in the event of a privacy and security breach

The Australian government has issued the Data breach preparation and response - A guide to managing data breaches in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Guide). Any entity that handles personal information can use this guide to inform their preparation and response strategy for a data breach.

The NGO should also comply with any direction of the NSW Health organisation that manages its grant. This is to the extent that it is consistent with privacy law and any other measures the NSW Health organisation may reasonably require to maintain the protection of personal and health information.