Capacity Building Supports budget 101: Everything You Need to Know

Understanding your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) budgets helps you to make the most of them. 

There are three support budgets that you may receive funding for:

1. Capital Supports Budget
2. Core Supports Budget
3. Capacity Building Supports

These budgets are designed to support participants in different areas – what you are eligible for as a participant will depend on your goals and your disability-related needs. 

NDIS Capacity Building Supports categories explained

Your Capacity Building budget aims to help build your independence long-term, covering a range of therapies, activities and other supports that can help you live your best life.

Within Capacity Building, there are nine (9) possible categories that can be funded by the NDIS. These are:

1. Support Coordination

This is a fixed amount, which allows you to engage a support coordinator. This can be included in your Capacity Building Supports if required. Your support coordinator will help you to navigate your NDIS plan and connect with the right NDIS service providers. Psychosocial recovery coaching also falls under this funding category.

2. Improved Living Arrangements

Your Improved Living Arrangements funding is designed to support you in finding and maintaining housing that’s suited for your needs. This might be in a rental property, a sharehouse, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), or wherever you will be able to live comfortably and safely while working towards your goals.

3. Increased Social and Community Participation

The Increased Social and Community Participation category helps you develop skills to increase your independence in your daily personal life – such as when you’re taking part in ‘everyday’ social and community based activities like shopping, appointments, staying connected with friends or family, or using public transport.

4. Finding and Keeping a Job

As the name suggests, this category aims to help you with finding and keeping a job – increasing your financial independence and confidence by building valuable skills. This might include help writing your CV, support with job interviews, or getting your workplace assessed by an occupational therapist (OT). There are also School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) which focus on helping young people with disabilities to enter the workforce or higher education.

5. Improved Relationships

NDIS Improved Relationships funding gives participants with complex behavioural needs access to support to build positive relationships and manage challenging behaviours. If you have this in your budget, it will help you participate in social situations, at school or work, or in the community. 

6. Improved Health and Wellbeing

The supports in Improved Health and Wellbeing are designed to enhance your functional capacity through therapeutic sports, exercise physiology, diet, and personal wellbeing activities. This can help reduce pain, improve mobility and stamina, and support your mental wellbeing.

7. Improved Learning

This support opens up new employment opportunities for you by helping you reach your educational goals. Your Improved Learning-related goals might involve learning a new skill or trade, achieving a qualification through a university or TAFE, or through work experience.

8. Improved Life Choices

The aim of Improved Life Choices funding is to empower you to make your own decisions about your NDIS supports. This funding specifically allows you to work with a trusted plan management provider (like NDSP), who will help you manage the financial aspects of your plan like budget tracking, record keeping, managing provider invoices, and more. 

9. Improved Daily Living

The Improved Daily Living category is designed to help you live as independently as possible in your day-to-day life; this is across employment, participation in social and community activities, and your own wellbeing. This covers a wide range including early childhood supports, therapy supports, even assistive technology mentors.

Who is Capacity Building Supports for?

Capacity Building funds NDIS supports for participants who have goals linked to independence, daily living skills, relationships, or employment (as per the categories above). If you’re an NDIS participant with these goals, Capacity Building can help you access fundable supports like:

• OT, PT or speech therapy
• Life skills training
• Travel & mobility training
• Support coordination
• Plan management
• Community and social participation

Using Capacity Building Funding

Because ‘Capacity Building’ as a budget includes a wide range of supports – depending on your plan, you can use Capacity Building funding for employment related support, skills development for your daily life, public transport training – there are many possible combinations that can support your goals.

You can’t use funding from one of the Capacity Building categories to purchase supports from another. Within each category, however, you have the flexibility to choose individual supports and which providers to work with – so long as they are:

1. Aligned with your plan
2. Considered NDIS supports (this excludes many alternative therapies)
3. For your disability-related needs, not general costs (such as gym memberships, rent, public transport fares)
4. Compliant with the latest NDIS pricing arrangements and price guides

No matter which budget or category you’re looking at, the supports you purchase must be considered ‘reasonable and necessary’ according to NDIS criteria.

It’s also worth noting that if you are agency managed, you will only be able to work with NDIS-registered service providers for Capacity Building supports (and any other supports in your current plan).

And, as with any NDIS funding, you need to have this funding approved in your plan first before you can use it for supports.

Capacity Building in your NDIS Plan

You can check if you currently have funding in your Capacity Building budget, and in which categories, on the myplace portal or myNDIS app. NDSP clients can also check their budgets and plan details via our online, easy-access Nappa portal. 

How to add Capacity Building to your Plan

Not every category will be included automatically. As an NDIS participant, it’s your right to ask for a change to your plan at any time. The NDIS will then work with you to decide the best course of action.

You can request the relevant Capacity Building funding in your next Plan Meeting, or by asking for a reassessment. You can request a review with the NDIS at any time by contacting your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or NDIS Planner.

Note: Remember to prep for your meeting ahead of time with specific goals and any evidence that would support your request. You can also bring in a support person to help you, such as a friend or family member.

Related: NDIS PACE Plan 101: Everything You Need to Know

Building Capacity with NDSP Plan Managers

Your Capacity Building support empowers you to become more independent and live the life you want more freely. NDSP empowers you by providing expert advice, support and plan management services; our national coverage means you get consistent support from our team, wherever you live in Australia. 

Plan Management is a great compromise between the sole responsibility of self-management, and the hands-off approach of Agency management. Our team tracks your budgets, handles provider invoicing, and has the expertise to answer even the curliest questions about the NDIS. 

Not sure what your plan covers in general, or what support items are covered by the various categories in your Capacity Building budget? NDSP’s expert Plan Management specialists can help you gain a clear understanding of your NDIS plan, and make the most of your available funds.

If you’re already an NDSP client, you can easily access a live view of your budgets. Visit our user-friendly Nappa portal any time day or night, or contact our friendly team on 1800 63 63 77 if you’d prefer to speak to someone in person. 

New to the NDIS, or thinking about switching plan management providers? Why not get in touch today to learn more about how NDSP can help you reach your goals. Our team is always happy to answer any questions!