Aboriginal Affairs NSW 2022-2023 Community and Place Grants Program

An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisation delivers services, including land and resource management, that builds the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people and is:

• incorporated under relevant legislation and not-for-profit;
• controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people;
• connected to the community, or communities, in which they deliver the services; and
• governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body.

Eligibility criteria:

• Applicant organisation must be an eligible legal entity located in NSW and able to enter into a funding agreement with Aboriginal Affairs NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, have an Australian bank account and an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Applicant organisations must have public liability of at least $10 million per claim or include the cost of insurance within their application.
• An unincorporated Aboriginal community group, which would otherwise not be eligible, may apply if it has entered into an agreement with an eligible applicant organisation, which has agreed to auspice the funding. In this situation the eligible organisation must demonstrate compliance with the two eligibility points above.

Auspice Organisations:

An auspicing organisation means that another organisation, which is an eligible organisation under this grant program, agrees to apply for and be responsible for the grant funding, on behalf of your unincorporated association or group.

Aboriginal Affairs NSW has template Auspice Agreements available for funded organisations to use and adapt.

Applicants not eligible for funding are

• individuals
• incorporated not-for-profit organisations not controlled or operated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• unincorporated groups which are not led by Aboriginal people
• federal and state government agencies and bodies
• NSW public schools.
• for-profit organisations, including Aboriginal businesses.
• unincorporated organisations or groups without an eligible auspicing organisation.
• organisations that have not met project requirements, including acquittal, and reporting for funding received from Aboriginal Affairs NSW in the previous two years.
• organisations with redress sanctions, as described in the National Redress Scheme.

Funding can be used for projects that meet the outcomes of Closing the Gap Community and Place Grants program. Project could include:

• activities, programs, purchase or lease of equipment and capital works
• a single project or multiple activities that form a larger project
• local partnership projects where all parties are Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) or Aboriginal community groups and a tangible program or infrastructure outcome is being delivered in an Aboriginal community.

Applicants may include up to 25 percent of the total infrastructure component of their application as contingency (where relevant) and up to 10 percent of the total application for project management and administration.

Design, including regulatory applications and approvals costs, must be listed as administration costs.

To be funded, projects must:

• be delivered in a local Aboriginal community in NSW (state-wide programs or activities are not eligible for funding). Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for guidance on what is considered a local community for the purpose of this grant.
• show how it will contribute to one or more CTG socio-economic outcome targets.
• demonstrate community support and involvement in the development and delivery.
• for capital works projects, have property/landowner’s consent and all planning approvals.

Funding cannot be used for:

• state-wide projects
• projects in a community outside NSW
• wages, salaries and on-costs for ongoing staff
• sitting fees, travel allowance or costs associated with membership of boards/councils
• international travel costs. Proposals for domestic travel costs need to demonstrate the benefits of travel to the project, organisation, and community
• activities that may create an ongoing dependency on Community and Place Grants Program, for example, funding over multiple years
• costs that are not directly associated with the delivery of the project that is funded by the grant
• project costs that are supported by another grant, subsidy or financial assistance
• project works or costs that have been or will be covered by insurance claims (for example, repairs following weather events)
• project costs incurred prior to the earliest possible project start date of 1 January 2023
• costs to cover existing debts or budget deficits
• general operational or business as usual costs
• maintenance or construction of residential infrastructure.