Meeting papers

COUNCIL POLICY – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS


         Consortiums – not for profit business representative groups, for profit businesses,
          governments1.

    Additionally applicants and projects must:
         Primarily service the Noosa Shire business community
         Comply with State / Federal incorporation requirements
         Have appropriate insurances and meet Workplace Health and Safety requirements
         Have met acquittal conditions for previous Council grants, and
         Are able to provide a copy of the most recent Annual Report including audited or reviewed
          financial statements.

ELIGIBLE PROJECT OR PROGRAMS

To be eligible to apply to the Economic Development Grant Program, applications must adhere to
the terms and conditions set out in this Policy as well as the supporting Economic Development
Grant Program Guidelines.

Additionally, applications must demonstrate value for money and Council may determine priority
funding areas on a year-to-year basis. These priorities will be identified in the Economic
Development Grant Program Guidelines.

The Economic Development Grant Program is a competitive grant fund, where all applications are
assessed individually against the following criteria:

         The extent to which the project aligns with and addresses key findings, weaknesses
          and/or threats, or targets the opportunities identified in the Local Economic Plan
         The extent to which the project can demonstrate community benefit
         The scale of the economic impact likely to be achieved (e.g. creating the conditions for
          business success, industry or business development, investment attraction)
         The level of innovation, insight or creative thinking that makes the project unique
         The quality of the application (e.g. a well-developed, clear and realistic action plan,
          supported by research where appropriate and including an accurate financial plan/budget)
         The ability of the organisation and/or stakeholder group to deliver the project
         The potential for the project to create business/industry networks and partnerships that
          can drive future economic development activities.

Grant funding cannot be used for:

         Programs, projects and services run for the direct commercial profit of an individual
          business
         Activities that have already commenced or will commence outside the project period
         Retrospective funding
         Events that do not have a clearly identifiable benefit to the business community
         Projects that do not benefit the Noosa community
         Payment of debt
         Charitable fundraising
         Political activities
         Items funded by other Council grants


1
 For the purposes of this grant program a consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies,
organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common
activity or pooling their resources to achieve a common goal.

                                                                                                             Page 2
                                                                                                            Page 321 of 476