Community Sport and Recreation Development Program (CSRDP) Funding Guidelines
Contents
About the Program
Primary Objective
Outcomes
General Eligibility
Who is not eligibile to apply
Conditions of Funding
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Funding Parameters
Assessment Criteria
What may be considered for Funding
What will not be considered for Funding
Provision of Quotes
Acquittal of CSRDP Funding
About the Program
These guidelines provide details for organisations wishing to apply for financial assistance from the Community Sport and Recreation Development Program (CSRDP) for projects to be completed during the relevant calendar year. This is an ACT Government grant program administered by Sport and Recreation.
The funding provided by Sport and Recreation is limited and as such, all applications will be assessed on relative merit. It is not possible to approve all requests for assistance, therefore grant funding should not be deemed automatic or anticipated.
These guidelines supersede all terms and conditions contained in previous guidelines administered by Sport and Recreation. All funding is subject to the appropriation of funds through the ACT Government budget process.
Primary Objective
The primary objective of the CSRDP, in accordance within the ACTIVE 2020 Strategy, is to provide financial assistance to eligible sport and physical recreation organisations for outcome based projects, programs and initiatives to support participation in active lifestyles through the delivery of quality programs and services for the benefit of all the Canberra community.
Outcomes
The intended outcomes of the CSRDP are:
- to increase community access and participation in sport and physical recreation;
- to increase participation in active lifestyles, particularly for children and young people;
- to enhance health and well being through active participation in sport and physical recreation;
- to provide training and education opportunities for employees, volunteers and members that will assist in the development of sport and physical recreation organisations;
- to assist sport and physical recreation organisations with constitutional and governance reform;
- to assist in the development of planning initiatives for sport and recreation organisations with the view to improving the management and administration of organisations; and
- to assist organisations to purchase non-consumable equipment that will increase sport and physical recreation opportunities.
The Minister for Sport and Recreation is responsible for the final endorsement of all recommendations for the CSRDP.
General Eligibility
Any organisation applying for funding under the CSRDP must:
- be a not for profit organisation incorporated in the ACT under the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 or a company registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth) with its principal place of business in the ACT;
- deliver programs within the ACT;
- have current Public Liability Insurance coverage to a minimum level of $10,000,000;
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) if applicable (if turnover is greater than $150,000 per annum);
- have compliance requirements under the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 up to date; and
- have satisfactorily acquitted all previous grants provided by Sport and Recreation (except for current year's funding), including financial acquittals for any other ACT Government agency grant.
Who is not eligibile to apply
The following organisations or groups are not eligible to receive funding from the CSRDP:
- Schools; Tertiary education institutions;
- Parents and citizens associations; and
- Student community groups.
Conditions of Funding
- The declaration on the application form certifies that all information provided in the application is true and correct. Action may be taken for repayment of any grant made where information contained in the application is subsequently found to be false or the grant is not used for its approved purpose.
- All organisations are accountable for funds received from Sport and Recreation and must adhere to all conditions and guidelines of the CSRDP.
- All organisations must provide suitable acknowledgment for the financial support provided by Sport and Recreation under this program as outlined in the Acknowledgement Guidelines. This document can be accessed on the ACT Government Grant website. Failure to do so may result in reduced funding in subsequent years.
- All organisations that receive public funding from Sport and Recreation must comply with the ACT Government Policy on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).
- All organisations must be able to demonstrate that all principles and guidelines of the National Junior Sport Policy are guiding its directions in junior sport development.
- All organisations must be able to demonstrate that every effort is being made to ensure that the principles of access and equity are guiding the development of the organisation and any programs that it conducts.
- Successful applicants will need to seek written approval from Sport and Recreation to make any variation to the project, as detailed in the application form. Requests to amend the scope of the project need to be addressed to the Director, Sport and Recreation, clearly outlining why the change of purpose is required. Organisations should not assume that a change of purpose request will be approved.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
GST is payable to organisations that receive financial assistance under this program if they are GST registered with the Australian Tax Office and can provide an Australian Business Number (ABN), i.e. if turnover is greater than $150,000 per annum.
For successful applicant organisations, Sport and Recreation will gross up the grant/s by 10% if registered for GST and after receipt of a Tax Invoice. Organisations that are not registered for the GST will not have their grants grossed up.
Funding Parameters
All organisations must be aware of the following funding parameters:
- organisations can apply for a minimum of $1,000 in funding to any single application under the CSRDP;
- all organisations must provide matching funding (dollar for dollar) for financial assistance received under the CSRDP;
- the organisations financial contribution towards the project must be exclusive of GST; and
- organisations must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to commence and complete the project.
Assessment Criteria
When Sport and Recreation receives your application, it will be checked to ensure eligibility for funding (refer to Item 4 for eligibility requirements). All eligible applications are then provided to an assessment officer and a panel to be rated. The assessment panel is chaired by a senior staff member of Sport and Recreation.
Each application will be assessed against the guidelines and selection criteria on the application form. In addition, the assessment panel will consider the application as a whole and make an assessment as to the merit of the application in meeting the aims and objectives of the assessment round and its overall ability to address priority for the ACT community.
Applications that meet all the general eligibility requirements will be assessed against the following criteria in meeting the primary objective and outcomes of the CSRDP:
- demonstrated need;
- demonstrated benefits;
- value for money; and
- application quality and organisation history.
Even though an application may meet the above criteria, approval will depend on the number of applications received, the relative merit of the application, government priorities and available funds.
Recommendation for funding will then be made to the Minister for Sport and Recreation for final approval. Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after Ministerial approval has been given. Sport and Recreation is unable to provide feedback on the outcome of your application prior to the conclusion of the assessment process.
What may be considered for Funding
- non consumable equipment items that will assist in increasing opportunities for participation in sport and physical recreation activity;
- initiatives that are additional to the 'core business' of the organisation that aim to increase opportunities for participation in sport and physical recreation activity, including groups that have been traditionally disadvantaged;
- management improvement initiatives;
- eligible costs associated with constitutional and governance reform;
- eligible costs associated with organisation development and planning initiatives; and
- education and training costs to assist in the development of people within your organisation (employees, volunteers and members).
What will not be considered for Funding
- requests for retrospective funding;
- capital developments and improvements (refer to Capital Assistance Program);
- general administrative and management costs associated in operating the organisation;
- costs associated with initiatives that Sport and Recreation considers to be the 'core business' of the organisation;
- costs associated with salaries for staff currently employed by the applicant organisation;
- costs associated with voluntary labour and in-kind support;
- costs associated with the development of elite athletes, programs and initiatives;
- costs associated with hosting of events that Sport and Recreation considers to target elite competition;
- costs associated with travel to competition and events;
- requests for items damaged by vandalism, theft, fire, or any natural disaster where those should have been covered by the appropriate insurance;
- clothing or consumable equipment, unless for the purposes of providing a one off financial contribution for the development of a new club/organisation; and
- prize money, trophies, catering and hospitality expenses.
Provision of Quotes
All organisations must submit a minimum of one quote for each item of the application that has a clear and identifiable cost. This would include the purchase of equipment items and provision of services. Failure to submit this information may jeopardise any offer of funding.
Acquittal of CSRDP Funding
Within three months after the termination date of the grant period, organisations must provide Sport and Recreation with the following:
- a signed "Acquittal Form", certifying that the organisation has utilised the financial assistance in accordance with the Conditions and Guidelines of the CSRDP; and
- a copy of the relevant audited financial statement or invoices, receipts, bank statements or other financial documentation that clearly identifies the income and expenditure of the grant, in accordance with the matching funding requirement; or
- documentation that clearly identifies the income and expenditure of the grant, signed by the official auditor of the organisation.
No further financial assistance will be provided until all outstanding grants provided by Sport and Recreation (except for current year's funding) have been successfully acquitted, including financial acquittals for any other ACT Government agency grant.
For further information on Community Sport and Recreation Development Program, contact the Grants Officer on (02) 6207 6195.