Social venture the icare foundation is inviting charities leading innovative programs in the prevention or post-injury-care space to pitch for the opportunity to receive up to $100,000 in funding.
Three charities will be invited to pitch for the funding at the ‘Pitch In’ event at the icare foundation’s headquarters on 6 December in Sydney CBD. The icare foundation aims to invest in promising, inspiring programs that benefit the NSW community.
General Manager Amanda Keogh says the icare foundation is investing in a new state of wellbeing for NSW and is positioned to disrupt the role of a foundation and redefine how we think about insurance and care.
“icare delivers insurance and services to the people of NSW around workplace and road injury and the ensuing return to work. The foundation operates in the same field and unearths, explores and matures, new and impactful solutions and services,” she explains.
“Our ambition is to invest in promising programs benefitting the NSW community. Key to the foundation’s mandate is promoting innovation and creating a culture where our staff are inspired by the work we do.”
In keeping with its mandate, the icare foundation is using a platform that has shaken up traditional ways of funding.
“Live-crowdfunding is a disruptive new form of community engagement which has taken-off in Australia over the last few years, particularly with the work of The Funding Network who we are partnering with to deliver this event,” says Keogh.
“It has a proven track record of successfully connecting donors, employees and other stakeholders to grassroots programs and social entrepreneurs. We are really looking forward to granting funds to three charities who are leading innovative programs in the prevention or post-injury-care space.”
The live crowdfunding event will coincide with the foundation’s first birthday.
To be eligible to participate, the charities must:
- Be a registered Deductible Gift Recipient category 1 (DGR1) charity.
- Be running a health and wellbeing programme benefitting NSW workers or road users.
- The programme is in the preventative, rehabilitation or treatment of mental or physical injuries space.
Applications close on 5 October at 5pm.
Guidelines and application criteria are available on the icare foundation’s website.
WHAT HAS THE ICARE FOUNDATION BEEN FUNDING?
In New South Wales, 50% of people affected by spinal injuries live outside metropolitan areas, so the icare foundation invested $138,000 to help Spinal Cord Injuries Australia take its NeuroMoves treatment program to more regional areas.
A six-month “GP social prescription” pilot to give injured workers access to non-medical sources of support including art, music and yoga. The $596,500 in funding will determine if the model works alongside a GP’s conventional model of care.
Partnered with Hunter Institute of Mental Health and funded $1,095,000 to help develop mental wellbeing solutions for small business, promoting healthier owners, workers and families.
Invested $500,000 in Craig’s Table NSW, a social enterprise that supports injured workers’ recovery and return to work.
Read the full article on Generosity Magazine here.