Introduction

Gosford City Council’s Grants Programs aim to provide assistance to Community Groups who undertake invaluable work and projects in our local community.

Council already provides a number of Community and Cultural Grants. At its meeting of 24 February 2004 Council gave consideration to a request by community groups for the establishment of a new grant to provide financial assistance to Community Groups toward meeting the cost of their annual public liability insurance premiums.

Grant Objectives

• The grant is for community groups with an annual turnover less than $50,000.00 per annum who are seeking partial or full payment of their annual premiums and are able to demonstrate that their financial status does not allow them to cover the full cost or part of the cost of their annual premium. Note however that full payment of premiums will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

• The Community Groups Public Liability Premium Grant Program will operate within the current grant guidelines and system administered by the Community Services Directorate.

• The aim is to provide a way of financially assisting those community groups who provide an invaluable service to our community and our city.

• Council recognizes that some community groups do not have the capacity to raise sufficient funds to cover all their costs.

• Council also recognizes that the payment of public liability premiums can be a financial burden for many small community groups and in some cases community groups have ceased to operate due to this. It is these groups that Council seeks to assist with this grant program.

• This public liability grants program is not intended to fund the costs of one-off or special event cover.  Nor is it intended to fund additional costs to your existing premium to have your normal public liability premiums endorsed to cover one-off or special events.

• This application will be assessed based on the recommendations in the Community Plan, Cultural Plan and the Safety Plan.

Grant Amount

·     It is difficult to predict the number of community groups that will apply for this funding but it is anticipated that most public liability premium grants will be in the $250.00 to $750.00 range.  

·     Council’s grant may, in some exceptional circumstances, fund the full cost of the premium. 

·     The grant amount will be paid to successful applicants during the ensuing financial year once proof of payment of their premium has been provided to Council.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

·     Groups must be non-profit community organisations operating to benefit the broad community.

·     Organisations with an annual turnover less than or equal to $50,000.00 per annum.

·     There is no requirement for the community group to be incorporated to be eligible for the grant.

·     The group must operate within the Gosford Local Government Area.

·     The group must be able to demonstrate the ability to pay the balance of their premium from their own resources if the grant money forms only part of the premium cost.

·     Any grant monies allocated will not be paid until the group provides evidence of payment of their premium.

Non-eligible Applicants

Groups will not be eligible for funding if any of the following apply:

·     Where an applicant has not complied with conditions of previous funding

·     Where there is no direct benefit to Gosford residents

·     Where benefit is primarily to an individual or a small number of individuals

·     Operations/Projects occurring outside Gosford Local Government area

·     Where applicants are in a position to self fund the project

·     Where a more applicable funding source is available

·     Where applicants are Government departments or agencies

·     Sporting activities

·     Where a project will financially benefit a profit-making organisation, individual or a Government Department.

Criteria for Assessment

The following criteria will be utilised in assessing requests for funding assistance:-

Community Development

1.              Groups should have an aim to build on community strengths.

2.             Groups need to be focused towards contributing to community development.

3.             Groups should have a broad community focus.

4.             Long-term benefits to the Gosford region and improving community capacity.

5.             Sustainable outcomes resulting from the groups’ activities.

Funding

6.             Groups need to demonstrate a degree of self-financing. The level of self-financing may have a bearing on the outcome of applications.

7.             Groups must be able to fund the balance of their premium if only a contribution is obtained from Council.

Procedure

1                    Prior to the commencement of the annual allocation an information session will be advertised and held to assist applicants in the process of applying for the Public Liability Premium Grant [this session will be included with the session for Community & Cultural Grants].

2                    Each year Council will advertise and call for applications for funding for the ensuing financial years premium.

3                    Interested applicants must submit an application form by the due date. Applicants will be given approximately eight weeks in which to lodge their application.

4                    The granting of all premium funding will be subject to an application being lodged with Council during each financial year.

5                    Interested Councillors will be invited to participate in the assessment process. Applications will be made available to interested Councillors after the Application closing date.

6                    A financial statement for the organisation must accompany applications.

7                    A copy of the applicant's constitution [if applicable] should accompany the application.

8                    Upon receipt of applications, assessment and reports will be submitted to Council for consideration for inclusion in the ensuing financial year's budget.

9                    Applicants that do not meet Council’s guidelines will be advised that their request is not eligible for consideration.

10                Council reserves the right to assess any application (not fitting the criteria for assessment) on its merits according to Community Development outcomes.

11                Where an application is received by Council outside of the annual grants program, and not deemed to be urgent by the General Manager or Director - Community Services, the application will not be considered by Council and the applicant advised of this decision.

12                Following adoption of the budget by Council, all grants will be paid out during the ensuing financial year.

Conditions

1.               Funds will only be provided after proof of payment of the groups’ annual premium.

3        If a group wishes to modify its original funding request the applicant should make this request in writing. It is at the absolute discretion of the Director Community Services whether such modified application is considered.

4      Recipient groups will be required to give public recognition for the subsidy received from Council and acknowledge Council’s assistance on any relevant promotional or other material.

5        The failure of any group to comply with these conditions will automatically disqualify them from consideration for funding under the Community Development Grants Program.

8        Council may use its discretion to apply additional conditions on grant recipients if this is deemed necessary.

Application Requirements

• The application form included in this pack or downloaded from the Gosford City Council website is to be completed, signed and returned to:

Sharon Moore

Community Development Officer

Gosford City Council

PO Box 21,

GOSFORD NSW 2250

• Original application forms to be returned only with the necessary legal and financial documentation attached.

• Incomplete application forms will be returned to the applicant.

• Please ensure applications are clear and legible for scanning purposes. Hand written applications should be printed in block letters using black ink.

• Please keep a copy of your application for future reference.

• Applications should be stapled at the top left-hand corner.  Please do not submit your application bound or in display folders.

Audit Requirements

• Applicants must keep and maintain all records and accounts (including all receipts and invoices) in relation to the payment of their annual premium.

• The Applicant agrees to indemnify Gosford City Council in relation to any loss or expense incurred by Gosford City Council arising from the breach by the Applicant of its obligations or warranties given in relation to this grant.

• The Applicant will not assign, in whole or in part, their benefits under this grant without the prior written consent of Gosford City Council.

• All applications must be signed by at least one current executive member.