2019-06-11 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     11 JUNE 2019


Background
2019/20 Round 1 Community Project Grants and 2019/20 Round 1 Environment Project Grants
The first 2019/2020 round of the Community and Environment Project Grants was advertised in
local media and through community networks with a closing date of 3 April 2019.
A total of 29 Community and Environment Project Grant applications were received requesting in
total, $262,610.08.
Applications were checked for eligibility against the relevant Noosa Council Grants Policies
(Community Grants Policy and Environment Grants Policy) and Guidelines. Applications were
then reviewed, assessed and commented on by specialist staff with appropriate expertise.
All applications and staff comments were discussed and assessed by the grants assessment
panel. The assessment panel is recommending that eighteen Community Project applications
receive $114,476.25 funding from the Community Project Grants fund and four Environment
Project applications receive $39,443.00 funding from the Environment Levy.
For administrative purposes, these grants are split into the four categories of: programs, events,
equipment and infrastructure.
The remaining allocation for 2019-22 Round 2 will be confirmed when the 2019/20 Budget is
adopted.
As per the relevant Noosa Council Grants Policies, assessors and assessment panel members
recognised and declared any material or perceived conflicts of interest and did not debate nor
were they involved in any discussions on matters relating to that application.

Three Year Alliance Agreements – Community and Environment
Council provides financial support for up to three years to not for profit incorporated community
organisations whose services provide significant benefit to the Noosa community (beyond their
membership); demonstrate value for money; and closely align with Council’s strategic goals and
identified key initiatives.
Council called for expressions of interest for this Grants program in 2016 and again in 2019. If
Council decides to continue with the program after another three years, renewal of agreements
will be negotiated three months prior to their expiry, and if funds allow, will invite expressions of
interest from eligible not for profit community organisations.
Recipients of Three Year Community Alliance Agreements are ineligible for Three-Year
Maintenance Agreements and Three Year Signature Community Event Grants.

Three Year Festive Season Event Grant
In July 2015 Council implemented a three year Festive Season funding program for eligible
organisations, for events that are free to the public and occur between late November and
January each year. Events that can be funded through this program include Christmas Carols,
Concerts, Parades, New Year’s celebrations, and Australia Day activities within the Noosa
Council area. Council Festive Season Event Grants will contribute to costs associated with:
    Expenses related to hire of equipment, temporary structures, professional services and
      promotion and advertising of the event; and/or
    Traffic management plans including traffic control services.
Council now has to consider whether or not to continue this program for a further three years.
These agreements are by invitation only rather than a through a competitive process as per the
Community Grants program.
Staff are recommending no change to the organisations receiving Festive Season funding in
previous years and a CPI increase over the previous year’s funding levels.


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