Purpose of Grant

To support:

• Strategic projects or development.
• Organisational capacity.
• Building of local community groups and sporting clubs.
• Major events that are accessible to the whole Shire of Northam community.

Some examples of eligible projects:

• Development or implementation of a Strategic Plan.
• Feasibility studies.
• Building upgrades or maintenance
• Training and professional development of committee members and club officials.
• Organisational development opportunities.
• Major community projects or Events.

Projects that align with the Shire of Northam Council Plan will be highly regarded.

General Guidelines

• All quotes are required to be submitted at the time of application:
• Any quotes between $500 - $4999 require one written quote.
• Any quotes between $5000 - $10,000 require two written quotes.
• Where funding is granted for a public event, the Shire retains the right to withhold payment until Public Event Approval has been granted (where applicable). Successful funding applications do not grant automatic event approval.
• A maximum of 20% of the total funding received can be used for catering purposes.
• Any works being undertaken to a Shire owned or managed facility must be carried out by an appropriately qualified tradesperson where relevant. 
• Only one grant can be applied for per project or event.
• Projects and events that receive grant funding under the Community Growth Grants are ineligible to receive funding for Bright Idea's Grants or funding under the Council's CP.70 Donations, Sponsorships & Allocations Policy.
• For grants awarded over $1,000, 90% of the funds can be claimed upfront. The remaining 10% of funds will be withheld until the grant acquittal is submitted.
• Decisions are final and will not be reconsidered.
• Canvasing of Council Members may result in your application being disqualified.
• Any unspent funds at the conclusion of the project or event are to be returned to the Shire.

Eligibility for Shire Grants

Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply for any Shire grant:

• The organisation must be based and/or operate within the Shire of Northam.
• If an applicant is not based within the Shire, an application may be submitted, however it must be auspiced/administered by a local Incorporated not-for-profit community organisation.
• The project must be of benefit or be available to the whole community, and/or diverse/specific target groups across the community.
• A community group seeking to make upgrades to a community building must prove that they have a current lease or licence in place for at least a three-year tenure.
• Groups must demonstrate that they are an Incorporated, not-for-profit community group or
  sporting club. If a group is not Incorporated, an application may be submitted for a Bright Ideas Grant, however it can only be to the value of $500.00.

Not Eligible for Shire Grants

The following are not eligible to receive funding:

• Retrospective, contingency or on-going operational costs, e.g. salaries, rent, insurance, admin costs.
• Businesses/profit making ventures.
• State and Federal Government agencies, including schools.
• Council Members or staff employed by the Shire of Northam (however, the Council Member or employee may be a part of the group who is applying).
• Activities that are unlawful or will cause an environmental hazard.
• Anything that will become the property of an individual.
• Purchase of alcohol, (or any alcohol associated licences), prizes, gifts or any activities with a fundraising outcome.
• Equipment not directly related to the project or event.
• Projects that are the core responsibility of government agencies.
• Projects with a political purpose.
• Faith based or activities for religious purposes (although welfare and community service activities of faith-based groups can be funded).
• Activities that duplicate an existing service in the Shire.
• Projects that have received another Shire grant for the same project/event in the same financial year.
• Applicants or auspice with outstanding debts or acquittals due to the Shire.

FAQ

How many times does this grant open per year? Once annually, in August.

When are the successful applicants announced? The end of November.

What is the minimum and maximum amount of funding that can be applied for? $2001 - $10,000 (EXC GST)

How long do organisations have to carry out the project/event? 18 months from when the grant is awarded.

What if there is a change in scope of the project after the funding is awarded? You must put the scope changes in writing to the Chief Executive Officer and be granted approval before carrying out the work.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

In preparing your budget, you will need to consider any GST implications.  Please note: If you do not have an ABN, you will need to fill in a Statement by a Supplier form (reason for not quoting an Australian Business Number to an enterprise) form from the Australian Tax Office. If you do not do this, Council will be required to withhold 48.5% of the grant and remit to the ATO on your behalf.

It is important to remember that if you are successful in receiving a grant and you are registered for the GST, the additional 10% in the cheque will need to be forwarded through the BAS (Business Activity Statement) to the ATO (Australian Taxation Office).

Assessment of Applications

Applications on the prescribed application form will initially be forwarded to the Community Development Officer where they will be assessed in accordance with Council Policy CP.32 Community Grants Program. The assessment will then be presented to Council’s Community Grants Assessment Committee, who will make a recommendation to Council. The recommendations will be presented at the next Ordinary Council Meeting for final approval.

Successful Applicants

Successful applicants will be required to sign a grant agreement specifying the terms and conditions of the grant, before claiming the awarded funds. If at any stage the applicant is unable to meet the terms and conditions of the funding agreement they should contact the Community Development Officer as soon as possible.

Successful applicants are to submit a compliant tax invoice to the Shire of Northam to claim their funding. 90% of the allocated funding can be claimed upfront. The remaining 10% will be withheld until the project is complete and a financial acquittal and project evaluation has been submitted and approved.

Financial Acquittal & Evaluation

Successful applicants will be required to acquit the funding and submit a project evaluation upon completion of the project.

The following information is required for the financial acquittal and evaluation:

• Declaration by the Chairperson/President that funding was utilised in accordance with the grant agreement
• Financial statement (income & expenditure)
• Copies of invoices/evidence of expenditure
• Evaluation of the project against the expected outcomes which may include photographs and project summary, statistics, attendances or case studies.
• Evidence of public acknowledgement of Shire of Northam support
• Completed financial acquittal and project evaluation form

Any unspent funds are to be returned to the Shire within 60 days of notification. If funds are not returned, the applicant will be ineligible for to apply for any future grants, sponsorships or donations.

Any withheld funds will be paid once the project is complete and the financial acquittal and evaluation form has been finalised.

If the applicant wishes to make changes to the expenditure, as outlined in the application, these changes need to be requested in writing and addressed to the CEO.