THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS POLICY REVIEW · Attachment 1 Review of Noosa Council Economic Development Grants Program

Executive Summary
Noosa Council’s Economic Development Grants Program (EDGP) has been in place since 2018 with the
endorsement of the Economic Development Grants Policy in November 2017.

With the program now running for six years, Noosa Council have now undertaken to review the EDGP.
The review has been driven by two main factors:

1. The program’s inability to fully expend budget each year, since its inception in 2018; and

2. A lack of strategic applications and projects capable of aligning with or delivering Noosa Shire
   Council’s Economic Development Strategy – A Smart Biosphere!

After extensive consultation with stakeholders to better understand the low application rate, this review
suggests the following continuous improvement recommendations to be trialled over a 12-month
period:


Recommendation 1:       Implement Funding rounds with open and close dates to create a sense of
                        urgency
Recommendation 2:       Amplified Marketing and Promotions
Recommendation 3:       Expand applicant eligibility
Recommendation 4:       Expand application criteria
Recommendation 5:       Remove the grant categories ad reduce maximum grant value
Recommendation 6:       Simplify wording in application template
Recommendation 7:       Establish a Grant Review Panel
Recommendation 8:       Simplify governance and reporting mechanism


If these adjustments are made to the program, it is envisaged that the following targets will be
achievable in FY 23/24:

•   50% increase in Grant Applications for FY 2023/2024
•   100% Grant Funding acquitted in FY 2023/2024




      Noosa Shire Council | Economic Development Grant Program Review                                  3