Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for funding, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• The activity will take place within the Shire’s local government boundary.
• If the applicant is an individual, they must be a current resident of the Shire.
• If the Shire has previously provided funding or support for an activity by the applicant, they must have completed and acquitted that particular activity.
• The applicant must have no outstanding debts to the Shire.
• The applicant must demonstrate that their activity is for the benefit of the wider community.
• The application must be made in accordance with the requirements outlined in the relevant Funding Category Guidelines on the application form.
• The applicant must hold a current and adequate (i.e. minimum $10 million) Public Liability Insurance Policy (this does not apply to applications made by individuals)

An application will not be eligible in any of the following scenarios:

• The activity would take place outside of the Shire’s local government boundary.
• The project or activity is commercial in nature.
• The proposed activity would duplicate or replicate an existing Shire service, program or activity.
• The activity or project that has a primarily political and/or religious purpose.
• The application is made for retrospective costs.
• The application is for infrastructure projects and/or activities on private property.
• The application is for a private, invitation-only event.

Required Documentation

Community Grants

In addition to a completed application form, incorporated associations and groups are required to provide copies of the following documents, ensuring they are current. For entities under an auspice arrangement, these documents will be from the auspice body.

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Insurance certificate(s)

Cash Donations

Applications for Cash Donations are to be submitted as a written request addressed to the CEO with details of the specific opportunity or activity the funding would be used for.

For those who have been selected to be a representative, proof of selection is to be included in the submission.

Facility Hire Fee Waivers and/or Community Event Rubbish Collection Service

Applications for either of these types of support are to be submitted as a written request addressed to the CEO with details of the activity or event, and how it benefits you, your group, a local community, and/or the Shire as a whole.

Assessment of Community Grant Applications

After a Community Grant application is submitted, the Shire’s Community Development staff will conduct eligibility checks based on the Community Grants & Donations policy.

If an application is eligible, the priorities of the activity will then be assessed against the criteria outlined in these guidelines based on the following measures:

• Are the aims and outcomes clearly identified, and do they align with at least one of the strategic outcomes and objectives of the Council Plan?
• Does the application address the specific criteria of the type of grant, and would the activity deliver the associated outcomes?

To address the criteria of each priority, applicants will need to ensure they provide the following information:

• What is your activity (including the official name)?
• How does it achieve the criteria for the type of grant you have applied for?
• What are the expected outcomes of the activity?

Priorities & Assessment Criteria

Build capacity, partnerships, and leverage resources

To address this priority, applications must provide the following:

• Why is the activity important? Is there a clearly identified and demonstrated need for it?
• How effectively will the project meet this need?
• How will the community (local or Shire-wide) benefit from the activity? Will this only apply to participants at the time of the activity, or as a result of doing so (after)?
• Who will be involved in the activity (participants, organisers, etc.)? Will they benefit differently from the above, and if so, why or how?
• What measures will determine if the activity is a success?
• How many Shire participants will benefit?
• Is there anything else like this in the Shire?
• Does the application provide evidence of community support or partnerships?

Demonstrate accountability for the expenditure of public funds

To address this priority, applications must provide the following:

• Is the activity or project well planned and achievable within the timeframes? What is needed to best deliver it?
• Does the activity have a budget? If so, is it clear and realistic? How will it be managed?
• Is the activity financially viable, and does it demonstrate value for money? Is there evidence of financial and/or in-kind contribution?
• How is the applicant contributing towards the project?
• Will there be any continuous or ongoing benefits that would occur beyond the funding period?
• Does the applicant have the necessary resources and experience to successfully manage the activity, project or program?

After being assessed, Community Grant applications (along with any associated reports and recommendations) will be presented to Council for consideration and determination.

Outcome

All applicants will be notified in writing on the outcome of their application, successful or otherwise. All decisions and outcomes regarding grant applications are final, however approval of a grant does not mean or imply that the Shire has given any other type of approval or permission, and only relates to the grant itself. Applicants should note that many activities (including events and projects) require approvals or permits from the Shire and/or other State Government agencies that will need to be obtained separately.

Unsuccessful Applications

If an application is unsuccessful, the decisions made do not necessarily reflect the worthiness of the activity, or the community benefits outlined in the proposal. Community Grants can be a very competitive process, as the amount of funding each year is limited and therefore the number of applications may exceed the available budget.

Payments, Reporting & Acquittals

Once the Grant Agreement has been signed and a valid tax invoice has been submitted, payments are processed with a standard period or ‘turnaround time’ of 30 days.

Once the activity has been completed, the recipient will be required to complete and submit a report to the Shire to formally acquit** the grant. An acquittal form can be found on the Shire website at any time, however a copy will also be provided to the recipient upon award of the grant.

Acquittals (or reports) provide feedback to the Shire on the success of the activity, and include relevant data, images or video and any lessons learnt. Acquittals must be submitted no later than three (3) months after the activity has been completed or by 30 June annually, whichever is earliest.

To ensure accountability throughout the Community Grants process, the Shire reserves the right to audit all grant recipients for compliance with the conditions and expenditure of grant funding.

** To acquit a grant is to confirm that the recipient spent the funding on the activity as per their application.

What does it mean to be incorporated?

Groups can be set up for many social, sporting and community purposes. Incorporating an association provides a simple and affordable way for you to establish a group as a legal entity.

For example, if an unincorporated group needs to rent a property or arrange insurance, an individual member would need to sign for these under their name, which could place them at personal financial risk. For an incorporated group, this would instead be done under the group’s legally registered name, which would share the responsibility and therefore reduce the risk to individual members.

A community group may not want to become incorporated, particularly if they only handle small amounts of money, and have no need to enter into legal agreements. However, many grants are only available to incorporated groups, which is why an auspice arrangement may be a better option to follow and is commonly suggested in these situations.

For more information on becoming an incorporated group, you can refer to the various helpful guides provided by the Department of Energy, Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) – you can view them online via the following links:

DMIRS website (www.wa.gov.au)

A Guide for Incorporated Associations in Western Australia

What is an auspice arrangement?

An unincorporated group can approach a larger incorporated organisation to form a partnership for the purpose of funding. This is helpful to groups who would otherwise be ineligible for a grant.

The auspice organisation takes responsibility (legal and financial) of the grant on behalf of the group. They will instead be the one to lodge a valid invoice for receipt of the grant funding and would therefore be responsible for receiving and distributing the grant funds to the group. They will also be accountable for ensuring that the activity being funded is completed, and submit the acquittal report on behalf of the group.

In these situations, the group under the auspice organisation is still known and referred to as the grant recipient.

Important Information for Auspice Organisations:

• The auspice organisation must be incorporated and have an ABN.
• The auspice organisation must accept legal and financial responsibility for the grant, and will also need to meet all eligibility criteria as well as provide public liability insurance coverage for the activity or event.
• Grant money will be paid to the auspice organisation, not the group under the auspice arrangement (the group is still known as the grant recipient).

Does my group need an ABN?

A group may need to supply an ABN as a part of their application. An ABN is an Australia Business Number, which is issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). If an organisation has an ABN, it must be included in the application upon submission.

Those who hold an ABN must include it with their application, along with confirmation on if they are or are not registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Why do I need Public Liability Insurance (PLI)?

The Shire understands that Public Liability Insurance (PLI) may cost a significant amount, however the risks of not having PLI could cost much more.

Community groups and organisations will likely interact with the public as a part of running an activity or event – while it is unlikely for something to go wrong, we must all be mindful that mishaps can still occur. PLI provides protection to groups and organisations against the liability to pay for the damages that occur as a result of running an activity or event, which extends to include bodily injury, death, and the legal costs associated with defending or making a claim for these damages.

Because of the potentially enormous costs a group could face if something went wrong and they didn’t have PLI, the Shire will only fund groups who mitigate the risk by having PLI.

Why doesn’t the Shire’s Public Liability Insurance (PLI) cover my activity?

The Shire has its own PLI policy which covers specific activities and locations. The Community Grants & Donations is available to fund community-led activities and events, and is not within those specifics outlined in the Shire’s PLI.

I have another question or need help for something else

To discuss Community Grants & Donations further, please contact the Shire Administration Office to speak with a Community Development Officer.

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