CLGF Community Development Scholarship Program Guidelines
Country Local Government Fund
Community Development
Scholarship Program 2017 - 2018
Guidelines
Contents
Guidelines
Contacts
About the Program
Program outcomes
What is covered by the scholarship?
Funding may be used for:
Funding may not be used for:
Assessment criteria
Who can apply
Who cannot apply
How to apply
Assessment and notification
Successful applicants
For further information
Guidelines
During the transition of the former Department of Local Government and Communities grant programs to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the Department of Communities is providing administrative support for the Country Local Government Fund grant programs.
Please refer to the Department of Communities’ Grants and Funding web page to access the application form.
Contact should be made with the Senior Grants Officer, Departmentof Communities, to discuss your scholarshipproposal before completing the application form.
To be considered for funding, all applications must be received by the Department of Communities by email (preferred), faxor post by the closing date. Please allow up to 8weeks from the closing date foryour application to be processed.
Closing date: 4:00pm,Thursday, 26 October 2017
Contacts
For information regarding the Country Local Government Fund Community Development Scholarship Program, or for assistance to complete an application, please contact:
Senior Grants Officer
Strategy & Policy
08 6551 8700
Freecall 1 800 281 116
About the Program
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industriesis committed to enhancing the capacity of local governments.
Local governments face increasingly complex social issues, as well as the need for modern facilities and services. The facilitation of a partnership approach to community development can assist in managing these challenges.
The Country Local Government Fund Community Development Scholarship Program provides scholarship funding for country local government employees and elected members to participate in accredited training to build their capacity to deliver community development within their local government and community.
Program outcomes
- Local governments have an enhanced understanding of community development.
- Local governments have an understanding of the benefits of community development in building community well-being.
- Local governments have an understanding of their role in community development.
- Local governments are able to engage effectively with community groups from the not-for-profit sector to enhance services to members of their community.
- Local governments deliver services that better meet the needs of their community.
What is covered by the scholarship?
Funding of up to $10,000 per individual is available to undertake accredited training in community development.
Courses must be delivered through a Western Australian institution, where possible. Applicants are encouraged to consider online training options.
Application or acceptance to the desired course is not required prior to applying for a scholarship through this program. Payment of funding will be held until the recipient’s course acceptance has been confirmed.
**Please note all grants are to be acquitted by 30 June 2018. If the scholarship training is not completed by 30 June 2018, a progress report to date will need to be submitted with the final acquittal.
Funding may be used for:
- course fees.
Funding may not be used for:
- travel and accommodation*
- purchasing capital items, infrastructure, text books, and/or equipment
- retrospective funding for courses that have already been undertaken or in which the applicant is currently enrolled at the time of application
- wages or backfill of the successful applicant’s position within the local government
- study tours and conference attendance (including any DLGC workshops).
*Travel and accommodation costs will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Exceptions will be reviewed and awarded, on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Assessment criteria
Each application will be assessed againstthe following criteria:
- the scholarship recipient is an employee or elected member of a Western Australian country local government
- the scholarship recipient meets the prescribed course prerequisites, the course is accredited and the qualification obtained through the course is at least a Certificate III
- the extent to which the scholarship will achieve the program outcomes
- the extent to which the course will benefit the recipient and how the qualification will assist to deliver improved community development within the local government area
- the extent to which the course will support the relevant local government’s strategic community plan and/or corporate business plan
- demonstrate value for money.
Who can apply
Local government authorities located in regional Western Australia.
More than one application may be submitted per local government, however, priority will be given to ensuring a range of local governments benefit from the scholarship program and no more than one scholarship per individual will be supported throughout this program.
The local government is required to apply for the scholarship and assume administrative responsibility of the funding, on behalf of the intended employee/elected member.
The scholarship recipient is not required to be employed in a community development role to be eligible for a scholarship through this program.
Who cannot apply
Funding is not available to:
- local government authorities or organisations located within the Perth metropolitan area
- local government authorities or organisations located within the Indian Ocean Territories
- federal and state government agencies
- individuals(except through a regional local government within Western Australia)
- community sector (not-for-profit) organisations
- private or commercial for-profit organisations
Local governments that have not provided an acquittal and/or evaluation from previous Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ grant or program funding, in accordance with the agreed time frames, are ineligible to apply to this program until the required documentation has been submitted. Please contact the Department if there are any queries about the organisation’s acquittal status.
How to apply
Step 1Contact theSenior Grants Officer,
Department of Communities,
on (08) 6551 8700or ,
to discuss your scholarship proposal prior to submitting an application for this program.
There is no question too big or too small
Step 2Download the application form and complete all sections of the document with respect to the proposed scholarship.
Step 3Before submitting an application for assessment, take a moment to complete the checklist at the end of the application form to ensure that all application criteria have been met and all relevant information and attachments have been included.
Step 4Applications can be submitted to the Department of Communities, via the following means:
Email (preferred):
Please ensure that a scanned copy of the signed declaration is included with email submissions. If it is not possible to include a scanned copy of the signed declaration, please post the original copy to the Department within five working days.
Please note, as there is a limit to the size of attachments that can be accepted by email, supporting documents can be sent via post where required. Please make reference to this in the email should additional information be posted.
Post:GPO Box R1250, Perth WA6844
Fax:(08)6552 1555
Step 5All applications will be acknowledged via email within five business days of receipt. Should you not receive an acknowledgement, please contact the department by telephone or email to confirm that your application has been received.
Assessment and notification
Please allow up to 8 weeks from the closing date for advice regarding the outcome of your application.
Applications will be reviewed against the assessment criteria outlined in this document. All organisations that apply for funding will be notified in writing of the outcome of the submission.
Successful applicants
The local government will be required to enter into a negotiated grant agreement with the Department of Local Government, Communities and Cultural Industries and assume administrative responsibility for the funding. This agreement will detail the obligations of both parties including, but not limited to, funding and payment details, scholarship recipient responsibilities, reporting requirements, agreedoutcomes, and acquittal conditions.
Scholarship fundingwill be paid directly to the local government, upon the execution of the grant agreement. Confirmation of the scholarship recipient’s placement will need to be provided within one month of enrolment in the approved course. The local government is responsible for paying the educational institution on the recipient’s behalf.
Afinal report must be submittedto meet acquittal requirements and to finalise all obligations of the organisation. Final reportingrequirements will be detailed in the grant agreement, however, generally, this report will give a summary of the recipient’s experience and progress throughout the course, personal and professional outcomes achieved, and any problems incurred or lessons learned, to evaluate the effectiveness of their participation in the program.
Final acquittal of the grant also requires a statement of income and expenditure for the scholarship, which must be certified by the authorised signatory of the organisation.
Once the project is complete, any unspent funds, or funds that have not been expended in accordance with the grant agreement, must be returned to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
For further information
For information regarding the Country Local Government Fund Community Development Scholarship Program, or for assistance to complete an application, please contact:
Senior Grants Officer
Strategy & Policy
Department of Communities
GPO Box R1250, Perth WA 6844
Level 13, Gordon Stephenson House, 140 William Street, Perth WA 6000
Telephone:(08) 6551 8700
Email:
Website:dlgc.wa.gov.au
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)Telephone:13 14 50
Country Local Government Fund Community Development Scholarship ProgramPage 1 of 8
Guidelines