Applications can now be made by schools for the Local Schools Community Fund, as announced in the May budget.
Each federal electorate is allotted a sum of up to $200,000, and government, Catholic and Independent Schools are all eligible.
Schools can apply for between $1,000 to $20,000 per project. Schools may apply for more than one project.
Schools wanting to participate need to check whether their local MP is participating, because this determines whether funds are available. The MP sits on the committee which decides the projects to be funded, and the committee puts forward its recommendations in November 2019.
It appears that if the MP is not participating, then the committee does not sit in that electorate, and the funds are tipped into other electorates.
Eligibility
Schools must be in receipt of Australian Education Act funding, and projects must be small scale capital or non-capital projects.
Example of such projects are:
- master-planning;
- small scale extensions / refurbishments;
- installation of computer or ICT facilities / equipment / software;
- playground and sporting equipment;
- shade structures;
- landscaping;
- procurement of musical facilities, furniture, computer equipment (e.g. digital whiteboards), library resources;
- air-conditioning;
- measures to target student wellbeing;
- counselling or youth mental health support;
- excursions for students from remote areas;
- additional English as a second language support for refugee students; and
- specific facilities for students with a disability in a school.
Retrospective funding is not available, and facilities to be used primarily by international (ie non-funded) students or pre-schoolers (again, not funded as schools) will not be eligible. Given the VRQA’s recent requirement to show reasonable adjustments in all land and buildings, schools might consider the fund to aid the addition of required features for disability access.
Projects must be completed by 31 December 2020.
Application
Applications are assessed, and schools need to address these considerations:
- Who will benefit from the project;
- Expected benefits of the project for the school community;
- How the project provides value for public money;
- If the project can proceed without the funding.
Application Form
The online application form is available here: https://schools.education.gov.au/
Approved Applications
Notification shall be sent to approved schools in early December 2019.
Funds shall be paid to the approved authority from the beginning of 2020. If there are unspent funds after the completion of the project, they must be returned to the department.
How we can help
The team at Moores advise extensively on regulatory compliance in education, reviews and agreements.
Practice Leader Cecelia Irvine-So is not only a parent of children at an independent school but also a school board member.
For more information regarding the Community Fund or to discuss any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us.