GRANTS REFORM:
A VIEW FROM THE TRENCHES
PETER RICHARDS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
HEALTH CONTEXT
Number of
agreements
5000+
Staff
managing
agreements
1000+
Grants per
year
Grants
Administration
Systems
Percentage of
Staff
$4.2b+
5+
25 %
Grants
management is a
core function of
the department.
HEALTH CONTEXT
• How much $ does XYZ Pty Ltd receive from
Department of Health across all grants?
• What is spent on Mental Health in total?
• Where are services provided?
• Who do I talk to?
3
CHANGE AGENDA
‘The world as we have created it is a process of our
thinking. It cannot be changed without changing
our thinking’
- Albert Einstein
GRANT REFORM OBJECTIVES
THE WAY WE DO
THINGS AROUND HERE
REDUCE RED TAPE
REDUCE RISK
RISK BASED APPROACH
Prepare and Consult
Assess
Program design risk
assessment
Provider risk
assessment
Manage
Monitor service
delivery risks
Across the whole program cycle
Policy, systems and tools to support the approach
BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP
• Systems
– Single Grant Management System
• Process
– Risk based approach
– Standard Funding Agreement
– Enterprise policies
– Relationship manager
• People
– Training and capability
– Principle based decision making
LESSONS LEARNT
ORGANISATIONAL
• Consultation and Engagement
• Communicate
• Time
• Expect resistance
PERSONAL
• Resilience
• Persistence
• Thick Skin
• WHY, WHY, WHY?
Q&A