2023 - 2024 Program Guidelines

Council aims to build stronger communities and deliver benefits to residents and visitors.  The program assists to facilitate a self-help culture among community groups and encourage groups to work in partnership with Council to promote long-term outcomes that benefit the wider community.

Applicants should demonstrate in their application the economic, visitor, social and environmental benefits of their project to the applicant, the community and Moyne Shire Council.  Particular reference should be made to local supply of good and services in your application in support of our local businesses and providers.

Applications must be for projects, equipment, programs or activities that will assist in the ongoing development or creation of sustainable programs and communities, and meet the needs of residents and visitors.

Applications must clearly outline aims and objectives together with a full description of the service or project.  Applicants must also consider and describe how their project encourages and supports the principles of access and equity.

Council may request additional information about individual applications.

Community Assistance Funding Structure

Community assistance fund structure
Funding stream Up to $3,000 (project total cost) $3,001 and over (Maximum contribution of $15,000 from council)
Equipment No applicant contribution required $1: $1
Capital works No applicant contribution required $1: $1
Community strengthening No applicant contribution required $1: $1
Funded organisations program No applicant contribution required Not eligible

In-kind contributions

In-kind contributions are no longer included in program budgets and cannot be applied to project costs or budgets.  All budgets are now direct cost-based only.

Community Assistance Fund specific guidelines

Objectives

Increase the range of, and access to recreational, social, cultural and environmental activities, programs and services.

Support community development initiatives and socially responsible community activities.

Give consideration in particular to those community groups that can give the greatest benefit back to the community.

Encourage and support the principles of access and equity.

What could be funded

Council requires that you discuss your project with a Program Officer given the breadth of projects and initiatives that could be eligible for funding either through the Community Assistance Fund or other funding programs such as Sport and Recreation Victoria.  The types of projects that could be funded include the following.

Equipment

Acquisition of equipment:

  • Used for facility maintenance such as mowers, trailers and maintenance tools
  • Used for delivering activities such as electrical, sporting & IT equipment, appliances, furniture, BBQs.
  • Safety and first aid such as goal post padding.

Protection and promotion of the natural environment such as tools and volunteer equipment.

Ongoing maintenance costs are not eligible for funding

Capital Works

Repair or renewal of existing facilities such as roofing, fencing, painting and other asset improvements.

Upgrade or development of new amenities or addition such as an accessible toilet, veranda, access ramps, storage and shedding

Development of concept plans, building plans, asbestos audits, quantity surveyor costings, architect fees, planning and building permit fees and similar as part of project planning or implementation

Other structures that would be regarded as permanent fixtures, or works / projects that require a planning, building or other statutory permit

Energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable initiatives such as solar power or installation of rainwater tanks, water saving devices and irrigation systems

Community Strengthening

Governance, strategic planning, professional development, conference registration fees or special activities / programs that support the sustainability and professionalism of community groups and associations

Leisure and wellbeing activities that promote fitness and physical activity through sport and recreation activities or which promote and support the health and wellbeing of residents and groups within the Shire.

Coaching clinics and education courses for Officials, Administrators or relevant community members that must be delivered by a recognised body or agency.

Projects that support the cultural and social diversity of the community or assist the integration of people who have limited opportunities to participate.

Programs that directly support the health, wellbeing and inclusion of young people (15-25 years) living in the Shire

Funded Organisations Program

All applicants who receive or have access to standard or regulatory-based funding must apply under this stream for projects or programs. 

Applicants must:

  • Be based in Moyne and / or
  • Run the program or activity in Moyne directly for the benefit of Moyne residents
  • Organisations or agencies must be community-based, not-for-profit

These applicants can include:

  • Cemetery Trusts
  • Emergency services
  • School Councils
  • Health and wellbeing organisations
  • Leadership, arts, cultural, sport, recreation or environmental programs and services
  • Youth services
  • Church groups

Activities that will not be funded include:

  • Programs, assets, equipment or activities that receive or can receive funding by another level of government or agency
  • Wages, salaries and other on costs associated with the delivery of core services or for any CAFs project or program
  • Projects that promote, advocate or support religious, discriminatory or party political views or are for the purposes of advocacy or membership growth
  • Recurrent or ongoing funding for the organisation, program or activity
  • Activities or programs that would be better suited for funding under Council’s Festivals and Events Program or other Council funding programs.

*Applications will be assessed on a case by case basis and will be submitted to Council for final decision in the October and April Ordinary Council Meeting.

Key information

Application dates

Community Assistance Fund

Round 1

Applications open: 1 August 2023 @ 10am

Applications close: 11 September 2023 @ 10am

Round 2

Applications open:  1 February 2024 @ 10am

Applications close: 11 March 2024 @ 10am

Online applications

All applications are to be made online and available at Client Portal (enquire.cloud).  If you require assistance completing the application, please contact one of the relevant Program Officers listed below.

Program Officers

For all telephone enquiries regarding the fund please ring 1300 65 65 64. 

Email Program Officers at cafs@moyne.vic.gov.au

 

Program timelines

The following provides a guide to key dates for the program.  These timelines may be subject to change and applicants will be advised accordingly.

Groups are encouraged to continue to check in the grants page of our website on any changes / updates to key dates.

Program guidelines
Activity Key dates
Round 1 opens 1 August 2023 at 10am
Round 1 closes 11 September 2023 at 10am
Round 2 opens (if funding still available after round 1)  1 February 2024 at 10am
Round 2 closes  11 March 2024 at 10am
Assessment period

 

 
Applicants are advised after approval at the Ordinary Council Meeting in October 2023 and April 2024
Funding Agreement This must be signed and dated on the online grant portal before receiving funding.  Approved applicants must submit an invoice to Moyne Shire for the approved funding amount and quote purchase order sent to them in confirmation email.
Acquittal of funds Within 3 months of the date of the funding agreement  for under $3,000 projects and within 8 months for $3,001 and over projects.

Program application requirements

In order to be considered for funding, the following apply:

  • All applicants need to contact one of the Program Officers either by email or phone to discuss your project before you submit an application.  Applications received without officer contact being made will not be considered for funding.
  • Applications must be made through the Moyne Shire Council online grant program.  If an applicant has difficulty accessing the program, please contact one of the Program Officers.
  • Be an incorporated organisation or community group or be auspiced by an incorporated association.
  • Be located within the Moyne Shire municipal boundary or if an external group, clearly demonstrate predominant benefit to Moyne communities and residents and to Moyne Shire Council. 
  • Fully complete the online application form and provide all required supporting evidence and documentation when submitting an application - you will need to complete an application checklist at the end of the form before applications can be submitted.
  • Enter into a funding agreement with Council and fully acquit funds Within 12 months of the date of the funding agreement and no later than 3 months from project completion, unless otherwise formally agreed with Council.
  • Applicants must have acquitted any previous funding provided under this program before applying.
  • Only one application per year per applicant is permitted.

Ineligible applications

The following applicants or projects are not eligible for funding under the following criteria.  These apply to all funding streams under the Community Assistance Fund.

  • If you have not discussed your project with a Program Officer, your application will not be considered for funding.
  • Commercial and business entities and individuals, unincorporated groups and for-profit organisations are not eligible to apply
  • Seeking retrospective funding for activities, programs and projects that have already started or are completed
  • Previous Council funding has not been fully or appropriately acquitted or there are outstanding debts, financial or other disputes with Moyne Shire Council.  However, please discuss existing projects that are under a grant arrangement with Council if this currently funded project may not be delivered by the agreed time.
  • The requested funding would otherwise be covered by insurance, or for programs and events that are more suited to funding by another level of government or agency.
  • The project promotes religious, discriminatory or party political views for the purpose of advocacy or membership growth.
  • Have received funds for the current project or activity from other Moyne Shire Council contributions.
  • Your project or activity is not going to be delivered within 12 months of the date of your funding agreement unless otherwise formally agreed by Council.
  • Community Assistance Fund specific criteria
  • Applicants cannot apply for costs associated with travel, administration, recurrent operational costs including staffing, wages and utilities and any project ongoing costs unless these costs are agreed to be the responsibility of Council.
  • Not meeting financial commitments negotiated with Council.
  • Ongoing maintenance, renewal and other costs associated with projects or equipment unless this is deemed to be the responsibility of Council.  This will be discussed and confirmed as part of funding agreements entered into for successful projects.
  • Representative participation in sporting or recreation events.

Other program conditions

Once the initial grant has been approved, no additional Council funding will be provided to meet cost escalations, or over-runs of the project.

Should project costs be less than those submitted in the application, an adjustment to the funding provided by Council will be made in line with funding structures.  This will form part of the project acquittal stage.

Moyne Shire Council is to be acknowledged by successful applicants as per the Acknowledgement Guidelines detailed on page 10.

Applicants must provide financial statements identifying their capacity to meet their agreed contribution; with the exception of a group exempted by Council.

Applicants must inform Council of any funding decisions from other sources of contributing funding if this forms part of the application and project budget.

Supply of quotes for the delivery of services, products or equipment as part of the application process are required as part of any application.

Contact a Program Officer

It is a condition of the Community Grants Program that you must discuss your project application with a Program Officer prior to making a submission.  This is important for the following reasons:

It can save you a lot of time and effort putting an application together if it turns out your project is not eligible for a particular funding program.

Project managers can provide advice and guidance about your application, including what you do and don’t need to provide.

They can also advise you about aspects of your project such as planning, management and implementation:

  • Do you need a planning or building permit?
  • Do you need land or asset owner permission?
  • What about quotes for works and services?
  • How will funds be paid and distributed if you are successful?
  • Who will be responsible for the asset or works once installed?
  • Are you covered for insurance?

Permits for example can not only add time to your project delivery – and also put your application under time pressure if you need to wait for owner / permit approval. You may incur permit fees, which will need to be included into project budgets and implementation timeframes.

Project managers may also be aware of other funding programs that you could apply to if your project does not meet the criteria or you need to build up other sources of funding to support your project.

Building relationships with funding providers is also good business, and it helps Project Managers to be aware of and understand your project before receiving your application.

Key application documents

Required documentation is also listed in the application checklist and includes the following:

Mandatory documents

  • Supplier quotes for services, products and other project costs
  • Your most recent financial statements such as treasurers reports or bank statements
  • Certificate of Currency for Public and Products Liability Insurance. In most circumstances, Council requires applicants to hold current Public and Products Liability Insurance (unless you are covered under Moyne Shire Council’s policy) to protect against legal liability for third party injury, death and/or Damage to Property caused by an occurrence in connection with the applicant's activity.  If your group does not wish to purchase public and products liability insurance, you may apply through an auspice organisation.

Other documents where applicable

  • Evidence of land / asset owner permission
  • Confirmation of any other funding sources being provided to the project or applied for but not yet confirmed
  • Completed Statement by Supplier form if you are not providing an ABN
  • Supporting documentation such as letters of support, project map, design plans and any other relevant documentation.
  • Permits and approvals if confirmed or references to applications if underway.  If permits and approvals are not confirmed or under application, confirmation in the form of whether permits or approvals are required. 
  • You can purchase public and products liability insurance from any insurance provider deemed appropriate for the activity in connection with the funding or by contacting Local Community Insurance Services , call 1300 853 800 or email insurance@lcis.com.au

Certificate of Incorporation (if applicable)

All community groups and organisations (non-commercial entities) who are applying for funding must be

  • An incorporated association - Incorporation provides a community group status as a legal entity.; or
  • Hold another legal entity status such as a DELWP Committee of Management; or
  • Be auspiced by an incorporated body - If your group is not incorporated and does not wish to become incorporated, you may apply through an auspice organisation who must also be an incorporated association.

If you are not incorporated and would like to become incorporated, you may contact the Office of Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181 or visit www.consumer.vic.gov.au.

An auspiced application

If your group is not incorporated or does not hold current public and products liability insurance, you may still apply through an auspice organisation.

An auspice is an organisation that is incorporated and holds current public and products liability insurance and agrees to take responsibility for your grant. The organisation applies for the funding on your behalf and distributes the funds to your group for the delivery of the project. The auspicing organisation is also responsible for acquitting the grant funds.  

A letter confirming the auspice arrangement, on the auspice organisation’s letterhead, must be attached with you funding application.

You can find out more about auspicing from Justice Connect

Acknowledgement guidelines

Applicants will be required to acknowledge Moyne Shire Council’s funding support provided through the Community Grants Program.

An approved logo should be included on appropriate materials including but not limited to project collateral, media releases and signage.

The Grantee must liaise with Moyne Shire Council to coordinate any announcements related to the project:

  • Any press releases or announcements regarding the project should recognise Moyne Shire Council’s contribution, support, and the nature of funding, e.g. the Community Grants Program.
  • Any promotional material or other information such as newsletters published for the project should acknowledge Moyne Shire Council’s contribution and support and the nature of funding, e.g. the Community Grants Program.
  • Recognise Moyne Shire Council at any activity recognising the building, upgrade or celebration of the project and provide invitations to Moyne Shire Councillors.
  • The Grantee is required to acknowledge the funding support provided by Moyne Shire Council using the following terminology: ‘Project Supporter’.

Agreements, payments and acquittals

Agreements

Successful applicants will be sent the following;

  • Confirmation email with instructions to sign Funding Agreement and a purchase order number to issue invoice to Moyne Shire
  • New Supplier form if your organisation banking details are not registered with Council
  • Link to project acquittal report

The Funding Agreement will detail how fund payments will be made and other funding conditions based on project milestones and other payment needs.

Payment procedure

Successful applicants are required to forward an invoice to Council quoting purchase order number in confirmation email and bank account details.

Acquittal

A final acquittal report is required that includes financial reporting demonstrating that the project has been completed and how it met the assessment criteria.  The acquittal report is to be provided within two months of the of the projects completion unless agreed with Council.  Failure to provide satisfactory acquittal reporting will result in the applicant being ineligible for future funding or potential repayment of Council funds already provided for the project / event.

Key evaluation criteria

Under $3,000 (Total project cost)

Evaluation criteria Yes/ no
1 Does the application meet all of the funding guidelines and submission requirements?  
2 Has a quote been provided?  
3 Financial statement provided?  
4 Are there any ongoing implications for Council from the funding such as, ongoing maintenance costs, asset ownership/management, risk and insurance, reputational issues etc. for Council?  
5  Does the application clearly demonstrate a need for Council funding?  
6 Has this applicant previously applied to this Community Assistance Fund stream in this round?  
7 Has the group been funded in previous years for this project?  
8 Have previous projects been acquitted by this applicant?  
  Recommended for funding:  
$3,001 and over (Maximum contribution of $15,000 from council)

Evaluation criteria Weighting
1 Does the application meet all of the funding guidelines and submission requirements including pre-submission discussion, permits, quotes and other documentation? 0 - 10
2 Does the application demonstrate benefits for the wider community such as economic, social, environmental, participation or cultural benefits that supports resilience of communities? 0 - 10
3  Does the budget include all associated costs e.g installation, permits and are all co-contributions confirmed through letters, financial statements, etc? 0 - 10
4 Are there any implications for Council from the funding / project such as project implementation, ongoing maintenance costs, asset ownership/management, risk and insurance, reputational issues etc. for Council? 0 - 10
5 Does the applicant demonstrate a need for funding from Council and have the capacity to deliver the outcome? 0 - 10
6 Has the applicant been funded in the last 3 years of the Program? Y/N
7 Is this project for a Council or COM asset? Y/N
8 If yes, is the project a renewal allocation? Y/N
  Total Score: