Return to Work Innovations Grants: Early intervention for mental injuries

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This is a preview of the RTWI - Grant Application Form (R1-25) form. When you’re ready to apply, click Fill Out Now to begin.
 

Introduction

* indicates a required field.

About Return to Work Innovations

Getting people back to work after an injury benefits not only their health and wellbeing, but their communities and workplaces.

Despite these benefits, return to work rates remain a challenge. New and innovative solutions are needed to help improve return to work outcomes.

Return to work innovations (RTWI) was established to work with partners and communities to trial new programs that improve return to work outcomes.

To achieve this, we have committed to fund new pilots, grants and projects. These initiatives will seek to improve supports and processes available to:

  • workers
  • employers
  • healthcare providers
  • claims managers.

Together we will find new solutions and make sure the funding drives positive change. We will share our key learnings and case studies to benefit the Victorian public. 

About Return to Work Innovations Grants - Round one 2025

The theme for grant round one 2025 is is Early intervention for mental injuries. 

Getting people back to work after an injury is beneficial for their health and wellbeing. It encourages financial independence, improved physical functioning and better mental health.

The sooner someone returns to work after an injury, the better their chances of returning to their pre-injury life.

Grants up to $500,000 are available for initiatives that improve workers' return to work outcomes from the time a mental injury claim is lodged up to 26 weeks post claim acceptance.

More information about the grant theme, including relevant definitions and eligibility criteria is available in the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines.

Privacy Notice

WorkSafe Victoria is a body corporate established under Victorian workers compensation legislation, which Return to Work Victoria is a part of. 

Our functions and responsibilities require us to collect and handle large amounts of personal and health information about individuals, including injured workers, our employees and other persons, including contracted service providers, who assist us in the work that we do.

We are committed to the protection of your privacy and in our handling of personal and health information. In accordance with Victorian privacy laws and principles, we are required to take reasonable steps to let people know the sort of information we hold; the purposes for which we collect it; and, how we collect, hold, use and disclose that information.

This Privacy Statement explains our policy for handling personal information which you may provide to us when you access and interact with our website. This Statement should be read in conjunction with WorkSafe's Privacy Policy, which sets out why and how we collect, use, disclose, store and handle personal and health information.

To access and download WorkSafe's Privacy Policy click here.

IMPORTANT !

Instructions for use: 

Before completing this application form, you must read the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines on the WorkSafe Victoria website.

Incomplete applications and/or applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Throughout the application process, some sections will require the completion of templates that are to be uploaded in the relevant file attachment section. These have been made available below: 

These templates have been made available to help applicants prepare their proposal budgets in advance to commencing the application process on SmartyGrants. 

You will also be required to upload the following documents throughout the application process: 

  • Partnership letter of support (if applicable)
  • Public liability and professional indemnity insurance certificates

Organisation eligibility

This section of the application form is designed to help you, and us, understand if your organisation is eligible for grant funding. It's crucial that you complete these questions before any others to ensure you are eligible. 

If you have any questions in regards to these eligibility criteria, please email the Return to Work Innovations: RTWInnovations@worksafe.vic.gov.au 

If you answer NO to any of these questions, you may not be eligible to apply for a grant:

I have read and understand the grant guidelines  * Required
The organisation applying for this grant has a valid Victorian WorkCover Policy * Required
The organisation applying for this grant has an ABN * Required
The organisation agrees to maintain or obtain the appropriate type and level of insurance(s) for the activities that are the subject of this grant application. * Required

Workcover Employer Number (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to question: "The organisation applying for this grant has a valid Victorian WorkCover Policy" on page 1

If you have a Workcover policy, please provide your Workcover Employer Number (WEN) below. 

Ineligible Application (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to questions:

  • "I have read and understand the grant guidelines " on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has a valid Victorian WorkCover Policy" on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has an ABN" on page 1
  • "The organisation agrees to maintain or obtain the appropriate type and level of insurance(s) for the activities that are the subject of this grant application." on page 1

Based on your responses, your application is not eligible to proceed.

Please refer to the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines for more information on eligibility and exclusions.

If you have further questions, please email us at RTWInnovations@worksafe.vic.gov.au.

  * Required
Response required.
No choices are available for this question.

If you answer YES to any of the following questions, you may not be eligible to apply for a grant: (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to questions:

  • "I have read and understand the grant guidelines " on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has a valid Victorian WorkCover Policy" on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has an ABN" on page 1
  • "The organisation agrees to maintain or obtain the appropriate type and level of insurance(s) for the activities that are the subject of this grant application." on page 1
The organisation applying for this grant is a Victorian Government Department? * Required
Victorian Government Departments (defined as any Department existing by virtue of an Order made under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic))
The organisation applying for this grant is insured by ComCare * Required
The organisation is seeking funds as part of this proposal to undertake research * Required
Response required.
Clear the selected value for The organisation is seeking funds as part of this proposal to undertake research
The organisation applying for this grant has outstanding reports and/or is required to return funding to WorkSafe as a result of previous funding or grant agreements * Required
The organisation has been subject to previous WorkSafe prosecutions or convictions within the last five years AND/OR current WorkSafe investigations * Required
(Note: organisations that tick yes will not be automatically excluded.)

Ineligible Application (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to questions:

  • "The organisation applying for this grant is a Victorian Government Department?" on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant is insured by ComCare" on page 1
  • "The organisation is seeking funds as part of this proposal to undertake research" on page 1

Based on your responses, your application is not eligible to proceed.

Please refer to the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines for more information on eligibility and exclusions.

If you have further questions, please email us at RTWInnovations@worksafe.vic.gov.au.

  * Required
Response required.
No choices are available for this question.

Project eligibility (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to questions:

  • "I have read and understand the grant guidelines " on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has a valid Victorian WorkCover Policy" on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant has an ABN" on page 1
  • "The organisation agrees to maintain or obtain the appropriate type and level of insurance(s) for the activities that are the subject of this grant application." on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant is a Victorian Government Department?" on page 1
  • "The organisation applying for this grant is insured by ComCare" on page 1
  • "The organisation is seeking funds as part of this proposal to undertake research" on page 1

This section is designed to help you, and us, understand if your project is eligible for this round of grant funding.

It's crucial that you complete these questions before any others to ensure you are eligible before proceeding with the application. 

Please refer to the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines for information on our funding principles and focus areas for the round. 

If you have any questions in regards to these eligibility criteria, please email the Return to Work Innovations: RTWInnovations@worksafe.vic.gov.au 

The project can demonstrate alignment to the funding principles for this grant round * Required
The pilot project targets one of the focus areas outlined in the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines * Required
The project and funding will be used for workers, employers or workplaces in the State of Victoria * Required

Ineligible Application (Not Applicable)

This section is not applicable because of your response to questions:

  • "The project can demonstrate alignment to the funding principles for this grant round" on page 1
  • "The pilot project targets one of the focus areas outlined in the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines" on page 1
  • "The project and funding will be used for workers, employers or workplaces in the State of Victoria" on page 1

Based on your responses, your application is not eligible to proceed.

Please refer to the Return to Work Innovations grants funding guidelines for more information on eligibility and exclusions.

If you have further questions, please email us at RTWInnovations@worksafe.vic.gov.au.

  * Required
Response required.
No choices are available for this question.