Stronger Communities Programme – Round 6
Improving local community participation and vibrancy
Last Updated: 15 December 2020
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Stronger Communities Programme – Round 6
The Stronger Communities Programme provides each of the 151 Federal electorates with $150,000 to fund small capital projects. These projects aim to improve local community participation and contribute to vibrant viable communities. Federal Members of Parliament (MPs) identify potential projects and invite applications from their electorate.
What do you get?
Up to $20,000 of funding for capital projects.
Who is this for?
Applicants invited to apply by their local MP.
Overview
The Stronger Communities Programme supports the Australian Government’s commitment to deliver social benefits in communities across Australia. Round 6 of the program will provide $22.65 million to fund small capital projects in each of the 151 federal electorates.
The program intends to encourage and support participation in local projects, improve local community participation and contribute to vibrant and viable communities. Round 6 of the program will continue to support Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. For this special round, grant funding will be up to 100 per cent of eligible project costs except for local governing bodies where grant funding will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs.
Community consultation is a critical element of the program. In consultation with their community, each MP must identify potential applicants and projects in their electorate and invite them to apply for a grant. Invited applications will be assessed against the program’s eligibility criteria through a closed non-competitive process.
Each electorate has total funding of up to $150,000 that can be allocated to successful applications. A maximum of 20 projects will be funded in each electorate.
Project details
The grant amount for small capital projects is up to 100% of eligible project costs except for local governing bodies where grant funding will be up to 50% of eligible projects costs. Your grant request must be between $2500 and $20,000.
For this special round ‘in kind’ expenditure is not eligible expenditure.
Projects under round 6 of the program will have up to 31 December 2021 to complete.
Eligibility
What are the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible, you must:
- be invited to apply by your MP
- have an Australian business number (ABN)
You must also be one of the following incorporated entities:
- an incorporated not for profit organisation
- an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust with responsibility for a community asset or property
- a local governing body as defined by the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995
Incorporated not for profit organisations can include:
- incorporated associations
- non-distributing co-operatives
- companies limited by a guarantee
- Indigenous corporations
- religious organisations incorporated under legislation
For the purpose of this program, we also consider the following organisations to be local governing bodies:
- Anangu Pitjantjatjara, Maralinga, Gerard, Nepabunna and Yalata local governing bodies in SA
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council
- Lord Howe Island Board
- Norfolk Island Regional Council
- The Outback Communities Authority
- The Shire of Christmas Island
- The Silverton and Tibooburra villages in NSW
- The Trust Account in the NT
- ACT Government
For further information on the eligibility criteria, please see section 4 of the grant opportunity guidelines.
Not eligible
Applying
How do you apply?
MPs are responsible for the community consultation process. In consultation with their community, each MP must identify potential applicants and projects in their electorate and invite them to apply for a grant. If your local MP invites you to apply, you will receive the link to the online application form in an email.
Read the grant opportunity guidelines before you apply. The guidelines provide detailed information on the grant opportunity, including:
- grant activity objectives
- eligibility criteria
- the assessment processes
- reporting and acquittal requirements
- a description of review mechanisms
To apply you will need to receive an email invitation from your MP with a link to apply via the grant portal. You will need to fill in the online application form and attach any mandatory attachments.
After you submit you application you will be able to view your application online in the grant portal. You will also have the option to get a copy of your complete application.
Open all
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What happens next?
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