Item 11.3 - Attachment 4

Assessment criteria for community grants

 

Community Capacity Building – 100% Voluntary

 

Funding submissions should:

·     Provide evidence that the organisation is 100% volunteer run.

·     Provide information and evidence to support the need for the project.

·     Identify minimum and maximum numbers of individuals it is anticipated will participate in the proposed project.

·     Present a detailed timeline detailing the major tasks associated with the project, including milestone dates.

·     Provide clear costings for all aspects of the project and demonstrate cost effectiveness. 

·     Where possible and/or relevant, provide evidence of co-operation and partnership to maximise the use of existing community resources and avoid duplication. 

·     Demonstrate creativity and propose innovative and/or best practice approaches to project development and delivery.

 

Question

Assessment Criteria

Weighting

4. 2

Ability to work towards Parramatta’s Twenty25 Strategic Plan

15%

4.3

Demonstrated need for the project

10%

4.4

Demonstrated ability to engage the community

10%

5.1

Practical, innovative or creative approach to addressing the identified need

15%

5.2

Project outcomes are realistic and measurable

10%

6

Work plan is clear and achievable

10%

7.1

Budget is comprehensive, realistic and provides value for money

15%

7.2

Demonstrated financial need

5%

8

Clear evaluation measures and methods

10%

 

 

Community Capacity Building – Paid Staff

 

·     Provide evidence of community needs in the Parramatta Local Government Area, such as: service consultation outcomes, other statistics or research.

·     Identify strategies and outcomes for the involvement of participants in identifying their needs and developing the project plan.

·     Present a clear project work plan that is achievable in the specified timeframe, including project timeline and ways you will to evaluate the project outcomes and achievements.

·     Include strategies to sustain project outcomes that will contribute to community social and cultural capacity building on an ongoing basis, even when the funding period ceases.

·     Where possible and/or relevant, provide evidence of co-operation and partnership to maximise the use of existing community resources and avoid duplication. 

·     Demonstrate creativity and propose innovative and/or best practice approaches to project development and delivery.

·     Provide clear costings for all aspects of the project and demonstrate cost effectiveness. 

 

Question

Assessment Criteria

Weighting

4. 2

Ability to work towards Parramatta’s Twenty25 Strategic Plan

15%

4.3

Demonstrated need for the project

10%

4.4

Demonstrated ability to engage the community

10%

5.1

Practical, innovative or creative approach to addressing the identified need

15%

5.2

Project outcomes are realistic and measurable

10%

6

Work plan is clear and achievable

10%

7.1

Budget is comprehensive, realistic and provides value for money

15%

7.2

Demonstrated financial need

5%

8

Clear evaluation measures and methods

10%

 

Community Capacity Building – Social Enterprise

 

All Activity Phases (A, B and C) (note criteria weightings in brackets)

The applicant must demonstrate that:

·     They have discussed their application with the Community Capacity Building Officer Social Enterprise prior to submission.

·  The grant funds will assist with funding a social enterprise that has a social, environmental or cultural mission that will contribute to wellbeing in the Parramatta LGA. (10%)

·     The existing or proposed social enterprise is based on a ‘theory of change’ that clearly links proposed activities with the stated purpose. (20%)

·  The existing or proposed social enterprise entity has a constitution or rules which ensures that any profits are reinvested into the enterprise for continuation of its social, environmental or cultural objectives (i.e. are not allocated to shareholders, owners or members) – or a plan for how this will be achieved during the funding period. (10%)

·     The budget for the proposed project has been properly costed, is based on realistic figures and where possible provides evidence of how the costings were arrived at (eg. quotes).  (10%)

·     Sound business practices will be used to manage the proposed enterprise activity, including providing details of any relevant business-related skills that the applicants bring to the social enterprise. (10%)

·     Progress towards the social, environmental or cultural mission will be documented and reported on. (10%)

·     The applicant (or its auspice) has a bank account in its name with a minimum of two signatories, and a set of audited accounts.

 

Activity Phase A only (in addition to above)

The applicant must provide:

·     A social enterprise business plan, containing detail similar to that outlined in the template provide at Attachment Two.  (30%)

·     That this social enterprise business plan demonstrates that the projected outcomes justify the level and timing of funding sought (amount and multi-year, if requested), including –

o Projected income for a minimum of three years. 

o Details of projected wellbeing outcomes related to the social, environmental or cultural mission that the grant funding will assist with achieving.

·     A breakdown of costs for the entire social enterprise activity which the grant funds will contribute to, not just for the amount requested through this grant process. These costs should relate to the business plan.

·     Evidence of contact with an independent and accredited Business Adviser (eg. Business Advisory Service Inc, www.basi.com.au, Parramatta office ph: 9687 6944) who can confirm that the project is seeking relevant business advice.

 

Activity Phase B and C only (in addition to above)

The applicant must provide:

·     An indicative quote for preparing the business plan from an independent and accredited Business Adviser (eg. Business Advisory Service Inc, www.basi.com.au, Parramatta office ph: 9687 6944). It is recommended that the applicants negotiate with the adviser to undertake aspects of the work involved themselves, with specific expertise that is unavailable within your own networks sourced from the adviser. The quote should also include facility for the adviser to provide a final review of the business plan before submitting it to Council at the end of the funding period.

·     A budget that relates to the business plan, including an estimated dollar value for any in-kind or pro bono contributions (eg. market and/or desk top research, community consultation activities, insurance expertise, legal expertise, accounting/financial expertise etc) that members or other supporters may make. Estimates should be prepared by setting a dollar value for the members time and multiplying this by the number of hours they have agreed to invest in developing the plan.

·     Acknowledgement that the scope for the social enterprise business plan for which funding is sought must be completed using a template agreed with PCC. The Table of Contents for an example template is provided at Attachment 2. The applicant must provide a summary work plan detailing how they will approach the planning process that will result in a plan of this nature being completed within the funding period. (10%)

·     Discussion on why a social enterprise model is the best model for the proposed organisation/activities. (10%)

 

Activity Phase B Only (in addition to above)

The applicant must provide:

·     Discussion that demonstrates the existing organisation supports the establishment of the social enterprise and is committed to its development. (10%)

 

Activity Phase C Only (in addition to above)

The applicant must provide:

·     Information on the types of support that could be accessed to assist with the establishment of the start-up social enterprise. (10%)

 

 

Arts Professional

 

The PCC grants program assessment process is outlined on page 8. The general eligibility criteria are detailed on page 5. Priority will be given to projects that meet the general eligibility criteria and the Arts Professional Projects fund criteria, as detailed below.

 

Funding submissions should:

·     Demonstrate that the project will contribute significantly to artistic and cultural practice and activities in the Parramatta Local Government Area.

·     Demonstrate that the project will contribute significantly to the development or sustainability of the arts and cultural sector in the Parramatta Local Government Area.

·     Demonstrate what the tangible output of the project will be and how the output will be made accessible to Parramatta Local Government Area communities and other interested parties.

·     Demonstrate the potential for the development of new audiences, new forms of practice or the recognition of hidden forms of cultural activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question

Assessment Criteria

Weighting

3.1

Quality of the artists and personnel involved in the project (degree to which the project reflects standards of excellence in arts practice compared to peers)

20%

4. 1

Align with arts & cultural outcomes as a part of Parramatta’s Twenty25 Strategic Plan

10%

4.2

Project will contribute to the development of the arts and culture sector of Parramatta LGA

20%

4.3

Clear project output and accessible to the Parramatta Community

10%

4.4

Practical, innovative or creative approach to the project

10%

7

Work plan is clear and achievable

10%

8

Budget is comprehensive and realistic

10%

8

Clear evaluation measures and methods

10%

 

 

Heritage and Stories Research Fund

 

Funding submissions should:

·  Demonstrate what the tangible output of the project will be and how the output will be made accessible to Parramatta Local Government Area communities and other interested parties.

·  Demonstrate an appropriate merit and methodology through the project proposal

·  Demonstrate the significance of the research topic to Parramatta’s history and heritage.

·  Demonstrate contribution to the gaps in knowledge regarding local history.

·  Demonstrate value for money.

·  Demonstrate how the project will benefit the wider community.

 

The following conditions and requirements relate to this category also:

·  Successful applicants must supply a complete research report document with three hard copies and one digital copy.

·  It is optional, though recommended, that a presentation be given at the Parramatta Heritage Centre or a power point presentation be submitted to summarise the research findings.

·  The research must be structured in a report style with an introduction, summary, discussion, findings, and bibliography.

·  The final research report will be available for public viewing through the Parramatta Local Studies Library. Transcriptions and original notes will remain with the researcher(s) and not be stored at the Local Studies Library. 

·  The research will be available to Council’s Parramatta Stories Project for non commercial use only. If the research is applied in the project the researcher(s) will be acknowledged accordingly.

The researcher(s) will retain copyright but must acknowledge (in the research report) that the research was funded by Parramatta City Council. The contents of the research will not necessarily reflect the views of Council. 

 

Question

Assessment Criteria

Weighting

4.1

Ability to work towards Parramatta’s Twenty25 Strategic Plan

15%

4.2

Projects contribution to closing gaps in knowledge regarding local history

15%

4.3

Project will provide value for money

10%

4.4

Clear benefit for the wider community and clear methods to measure the benefit

15%

5

3 Promotion strategies

10%

6

Work plan is clear and achievable

10%

7.1

Budget is comprehensive, realistic and provides value for money

15%

7.2

Demonstrated financial need

5%

9.1

Two Professional Referees listed

5%