COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM GUIDELINES 2017/2018
Background
The Hills Shire Council’s Community Grants Program provides funding each year for innovative community projects and events that deliver sustainable and positive outcomes consistent with Council’s vision for the community as listed in The Hills Shire Plan.
The Hills Shire Community Grants program is part of the Vibrant Communities strategy where Council seeks to partner with the community to build a connected and supported community with access to a range of services and facilities that contribute to health and wellbeing.
Applicants to the program will need to show how the project will increase community health indicators and do one of the following;
Increase community safety and wellbeing
Increase opportunities for volunteers
Increase opportunities for cultural experiences
For more information please refer to The Hills Shire Plan 2017 – 2018, Part 2 page 22 Objectives
The key objectives are:
to encourage community activity, participation and engagement;
to build community partnerships and increase access to community services; and
to provide seed funding for local organisations to strengthen the community services sector within The Hills Shire.
Categories
There are two funding categories:
1) Cultural Grants
to support projects, events or activities that encourage community participation, social inclusion and community engagement within The Hills Shire; and
to enable delivery of creative, artistic and cultural projects that enrich the community.
2) Community Services Grants
to encourage community groups to develop and implement programs or projects that address the social needs of residents within The Hills Shire;
to build community partnerships to improve access to community services for residents of The Hills Shire; and
to provide seed funding which will enable community groups involved in addressing those social needs to be sustainable into the future.
How much can be applied for?
Funding between $1,000 and $15,000 will be considered under this program.
Major grants are for amounts from $5,000 to $15,000 and require an acquittal including an audited report. Grants for amounts of $1,000 to $5,000 do not require an acquittal.
Funds for the 2017/18 Community Grants Program must be expended by 30 June 2018.
Projects must be completed by 31 December 2018.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be a recognised legal or corporate entity that is a not-for-profit, non- government, community-based organisation that provides services and programs in The Hills Shire. Generally, this may include:
Charities
Organisations with DGR status
Not-for-profit status
Benevolent status
Registered Co-operatives
Companies limited by Guarantee Charitable Trusts
Associations (under the Associations Act)
Aboriginal Land Councils
Religious organisations Ineligible to apply:
Organisations with projects that are not acquitted from previous funding rounds
Individuals or groups of individuals without a legal entity
For profit, commercial organisations
State and Federal Government agencies and their entities (including NSW Government schools, Area Health Services and public hospitals). However, these organisations should consider whether they have an incorporated-not-for-profit body (such as a P&C Association or hospital auxiliary) that may be eligible to apply for funding.
Types of projects that can be funded Projects must be for:
Community projects and/or events that align with community priority areas listed within The Hills Shire Plan, and meet eligibility criteria and are able to demonstrate that the project will be sustainable prior to the exhaustion of grant funding.
The following types of projects are not eligible:
projects that involve capital infrastructure works, organisation’s operating costs or recurrent expenses (e.g. staffing, insurance, leases, bills, consumables, etc.)
illegal or immoral activities
political projects
projects that duplicate existing programs
projects receiving funding from other grant programs for the same activities
projects that should be funded as a core responsibility from other sources such as State or Federal Government are also not eligible.
Application Criteria
Applications must be made on-line
Applications must meet the eligibility criteria
All sections of the Community Grants Application Form are to be completed
All required supporting documentation must be attached to the application:
Legal registration documents for the organisation
Current Public liability and Personal Accident Insurance and/or Workers Compensation Insurance policy
Annual Report for the organisation
Audited Financial statement for the organisations previous year financials
Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
Notification of board members with bios and contacts
Applications including single items of expenditure over $500 or more must include two quotes
Project aims and objectives must address one or more of the outcomes listed in The Hills Shire Plan
All applications must demonstrate sustainability and partnerships
All applications must include the following:
Project name
Funding amount requested
Total cost of project
Expected project dates
Detailed project timeline including acquittal dates
Project location
Evidence of being Hills-based or supporting The Hills Shire residents
Project description
Partnership details
Details of additional funding sourced
Organisations ABN details or auspicing organisation’s details
If fundraising for another charity, the following must be included with the application:
Amount expected to raise
Charity status of the organisation documentation
Supporting letter from the charity the fundraising is for
If the application is for a community event that will host over 500 people on public or Council land/venues, a copy of Part 1- The Hills Shire Council Community Event application form must be completed and included with the application.
Assessment criteria
All applications will be initially assessed against a scoring matrix based on eligibility and application criteria. These are:
o Project is well-articulated, with understood key outcomes o Project innovations
o Project – reach o Partnerships involved
o Sustainability beyond funding
All applications will then be individually assessed by a panel.
Applications that are recommended for funding will be presented to Council for approval and placed on public exhibition.
All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application in December 2017.
Projects will run between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018.
Applications
All applications for funding must be completed on-line through SmartyGrants – you only need to register once and if you have applied via SmartyGrants previously you can use your existing password and login again.
Further information about the Community Grants Program is available from The Hills Shire Council Website – www.thehills.nsw.gov.au.
Grants Workshop/Information Sessions Get that Grant Workshop
Wednesday, 13 September | 6:30pm
This workshop will provide information on grant writing skills to enable you a better chance to be successful with grant funding opportunities.
Topics include: planning and preparing | writing to the grant criteria | developing good project concepts | what’s important when writing a grant application | overview of
grant opportunities
Register your attendance: https://sportandrecreation.nsw.gov.au/event/get-grant- baulkham-hills
Information Sessions
Thursday, 14 September | 10:00am | The Hills Shire Council Administration (3 Columbia Court, Baulkham Hills)
Thursday, 14 September | 6:30pm | The Hills Shire Council Administration (3 Columbia Court, Baulkham Hills)
Register your attendance: https://grantinfo.eventbrite.com.au
Enquiries Sally Diversi
Community Development Support Officer Email: [email protected] Phone: 9843 0322
The closing date for applications is 4:00pm Friday, 13 October 2017
