2023-2024 COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM - COMMUNITY PROJECT GRANTS (ROUND TWO) - OVERVIEW · Report

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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                    13 NOVEMBER 2023


REPORT
2023-24 Community Project Grants Round Two

The 2023-24 Round Two for Community Project Grants was advertised in local media, e-newsletters
and through community networks.

The round opened on 1 August 2023 and closed on the 12 September 2023.

Applications were checked for eligibility against the Noosa Council Grants Policy (Community Grants
Policy) and Guidelines. Applications were then reviewed and assessed by staff with a broad range
of skills, knowledge and expertise.

As per the relevant Noosa Council Grant Policies, assessors and moderator panel members
recognised and declared any material or perceived conflicts of interest and did not debate nor were
involved in any discussions on matters relating to that application.

The following table outlines the number of grants that were received, the number of grants
recommended by the assessment panel, the budget and the value recommended by the assessment
panel for Round 2 of the 2023-24 Community Grants Program.

A total of 24 Community Grant eligible applications were received in this round with a total project
delivery value of $3,687,336.

Community grant projects may include, but are not restricted to:
   •   Events
   Community based festivals or events that bring residents together (beyond the applicant
   organisation’s membership base), including cultural, sports or community festivals.
   •   Projects/Programs
   Projects or programs that respond to a specific opportunity or need within the community.
   Ongoing projects or programs may be funded for a maximum of three times. Previous recipients
   of ongoing projects or programs that have been funded by Council must re-apply each year.
   •   Building Work or Infrastructure
   Building work or infrastructure improvement projects that include new or replacement
   infrastructure or maintenance of existing infrastructure. This may include but is not limited to
   energy efficient lighting, shade sails, storage facilities, new or upgraded amenities, water
   harvesting, fit outs, solar systems etc.
   •   Equipment
   Purchases of equipment that respond to a specific opportunity or need within the community.


Through the assessment process, 13 projects are recommended for funding with a total project
delivery value of $99,459.67.

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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                        13 NOVEMBER 2023


              Grants     Grants     23/24    Recommended
             Received Recommended Budget      for Funding
                       for Funding Available

Community                                           $157.296.68
Projects -                                            * Actual
                21            15        $308,727.00
Round                                                expended
One                                                 $140,796.68

Community
Projects -
                24            13        $167,930.32     $99,459.67
Round
Two

Youth Projects Proposal

With $99,459.67 funding being recommended for Round Two projects, this leaves $68,470.65
unallocated funding for 2023/24. It is proposed to utilise this funding to respond to Council's 2023 -
2028 Corporate Plan goals and objectives that have a focus meeting the needs of our youth,
principally objective 4.3: Improve opportunities for increased inclusion of young people in community
engagement and decision-making to provide relevant services, activities, and opportunities.

Consultation through a range of programs and strategic plans has identified a growing need to better
engage with the youth in our community and respond to their identified needs. While this will be
considered and addressed through a proposed new Community Strategy, recent consultation has
highlighted the priority of this area, particularly in terms of supporting emotional and physical health
and wellbeing and creating a broader range of options for young people to develop connections
beyond a school environment. It is therefore proposed that the remaining grant funds are put towards
specific youth activities within the Living Well Noosa Program and to run an "out of round", quick
response Youth Grants Program.

The Youth Grants program would target young people aged 12–25 years of age and aims to:
   •   support community organisations to better engage with youth across the Shire;
   •   provide avenues for young people to guide the development of activities and programs
       related to their sector;
   •   provide services, activities and events that support the needs of young people; and
   •   create opportunities for young people to develop new connections.
The Youth Grants Program will foster a community-wide partnership approach to addressing social,
cultural, environmental and economic matters concerning young people, and support youth-led
creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation, active citizenship and social cohesion. Projects funded
under the Youth Grants Program would need to demonstrate how they will involve young people
throughout the different stages of the project, from issues identification, to design, delivery and
review. A higher priority will be given to organisations or groups who have engaged with young
people and involved them in the conceptual design of the project before submitting an application.
Link to Corporate Plan

Theme No. 2. - Liveability

Liveability encompasses housing, facilities and services, transport, health and wellbeing to enable
an inclusive, connected and vibrant community.

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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                      13 NOVEMBER 2023


Objective 2.3 - Nurture arts and culture to enrich the identity and vibrancy of communities, highlight
local talent, celebrate First Nations culture and encourage creative participation and expression.
Objective 2.5 - Ensure community facilities and services are inclusive, accessible and meet the
evolving needs and interests of residents across the shire.
Objective 2.6 - Facilitate strong, vibrant, inclusive communities where people have a sense of
belonging and are active participants in a rich community life.
Objective 2.7 - Fund and deliver sustainable assets and facilities and associated services
responding to the changing needs of the community and the challenges and opportunities of the
future.
Objective 2.8 - Provide opportunities to enhance the health, wellbeing and safety of our
communities.

Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes 15 June 2023, Item 5.4 page 6
That Council note the report by the Community Development Manager to the Services &
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 6 June 2023 and approve Round One 2023-24 Community
Project Grants.
Finance
Traditionally, two funding rounds for Projects are run and budgeted for each financial year with a
total of $308,727 allocated to Community Project Grants in 2023-24.

This is the second of two rounds for the 2023-24 financial year, with $157,296.68 of expenditure
being recommended in the first round and $99,459.67 for the second round. The first round only
expended $140,796.68 as the Federal Hall project did not require the full funding allocation
of $28,500. The project received part-funding through a QRA Disaster grant therefore only required
$12,000 from Council's community grants funding.

Funds remaining in the 2023/24 Community Projects budget would therefore be $68,470.65. It is
proposed that these remaining funds are allocated to the youth focused initiatives outlined above.


Risk & Opportunities
Community groups have the opportunity to leverage Council grant funding from other external grant
sources.

All grants go through an acquittal process whereby the applicant reports on the funded project’s
delivery.


Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
   •   Free information sessions and one on one meetings with potential applicants were held
       across the Shire for eligible not for profit community organisation to learn about the Council
       grants program
   •   Tourism Noosa
   •   State Government, Sport and Recreation Services


Internal Consultation

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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                            13 NOVEMBER 2023


Departments consulted:

     Office of the CEO, Mayor &             Community Services               Corporate Services
             Councillors
 x      Mayor & Councillors           x     Director                         Director
 x      Chief Executive Officer       x     Community Development       x    Financial Services
        Executive Officers            x     Sport & Active Lifestyles        Fleet
        Community Engagement          x     Arts & Culture              x    Revenue Services
        People & Culture              x     Community Connection             ICT
        Governance                          Customer Experience              Procurement

                                                                             Commercial Property

      Strategy & Environment              Development & Regulation          Infrastructure Services
        Director                            Director                         Director
        Strategic Land Use Planning         Development Assessment           Infrastructure      Planning,
                                                                             Design and Delivery
 x      Economic Development &              Local Laws                       Civil and Asset operations
        Destination Management
        Environmental Services              Environmental Health             Waste
        Innovation & Digital Hub      x     Building & Plumbing         x    Building & Facilities
                                      x     Property / Permits               Disaster Management