Council on Australia Latin America Relations
Guidelines for Funding Applicants
Applications should be received by the COALAR Secretariat by 16 May 2008 for the Council’s consideration. Funding proposals received after 16 May may be considered on an ad hoc basis throughout the 2008-09 financial year.
In addition to these Guidelines, all applicants should familiarise themselves with COALAR’s Strategic Plan 2007-2010 before submitting a funding application.
Applications are assessed against these Guidelines.
1. Program objectives
1.1 Applications for COALAR’s Grants Program should seek to contribute to the Council’s objectives as outlined in the Strategic Plan 2007-2010 (please link to page). The Council concentrates its activities on four priority areas – business, education, tourism and culture.
2. How to apply
2.1 To enable an accurate and comprehensive assessment of applications, all applicants must complete the COALAR funding application form in full.
2.2 Applications should be received by the COALAR Secretariat by 16 May 2008. The Council has no obligation to consider applications received after this time. However, applications received after this time may be considered by the Council on an ad hoc basis in the 2008-09 financial year. COALAR will not consider requests for supplementary funding.
2.3 Applications that are incomplete, do not include the requested documentation or do not address the selection criteria may be deemed ineligible.
2.4 Two copies of the application should be sent to the COALAR Secretariat. An electronic copy should be emailed to latin.desk@dfat.gov.au and an original signed copy should be mailed to:
COALAR Secretariat
Americas Division
Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON ACT 0221
2.5 Applicants must also provide letters of support from two referees (see Referee Requirements).
3. Eligibility
3.1 Both individuals and organisations may apply for grants. They should demonstrate an established record of achievement in the development and management of projects relevant to their proposed area of endeavour, and should provide evidence of this.
3.2 When preparing your application you should bear in mind that Council members may not be familiar with you, your organization or the field of activity. As the Council’s decision will be primarily based on the information provided in the application form, this document should be clear, accurate, comprehensive and concise.
4. Selection criteria
4.1Applications for funding will be assessed against the following criteria:
a) The proposal demonstrates relevance to one or more of the following objectives:
- to influence corporate Australia and assist in developing government policies so as to enhance Australia’s economic, political and social relations with Latin America;
- to support Australia’s broader diplomatic and economic objectives in the Latin American region; and
- to foster a greater awareness of Australia in Latin America, and of Latin America in Australia.
b) The project outcomes:
- are achievable within the stated timeframe;
- offer prospects for ongoing self-sustaining activity in business, education, tourism, culture, agribusiness, youth leadership or sports;
- represent value for money.
c)The applicant demonstrates the ability to plan, manage and evaluate the project.
4.2 COALAR reserves the right not to fund projects, even if they satisfy the Selection Criteria. The Council will consider a range of issues when selecting successful projects including, although not limited to: availability of funding, rating against the selection criteria, spread of projects across the Latin American region and spread of projects across the Council’s four priority areas.
5. Activities not funded
5.1 COALAR has a policy of supporting innovative proposals in a broad range of areas. Grants are not normally available for the following purposes:
- activities which are commercially viable in their own right
- activities that will be of a commercial benefit to the recipient (eg. promotion of the recipient's business)
- capital expenditure on real estate property and purchase of equipment
- travel and accommodation costs for attendance at conferences, meetings, fieldwork, sporting and other short-term activities where such activities are not of direct relevance to COALAR's objectives (see 5.2)
- activities which are properly the responsibility of other funding bodies or other government agencies (eg academic research, development assistance projects, and activities under bilateral science and technology agreements)
- day-to-day operational costs of the organisations seeking funding, e.g. wages, salaries
- funding of completed activities, or recurrent funding of activities.
5.2 COALAR does not generally fund travel and accommodation for attendance at conferences or meetings, participation in fieldwork or sporting or other events, unless such activities are considered by the Council to be of direct relevance to its objectives. In assessing applications for such activities, COALAR considers whether:
- the activity would involve a sharing or transfer of expertise from which institutions or individuals in both countries would benefit, and in ways which would directly advance COALAR's objectives
- the activity includes a wider program that would directly advance COALAR's objectives
- the activity would result in an expansion of links in new areas in ways consistent with COALAR's objectives
Regarding funding attendance at conferences or meetings, COALAR will normally apply the following additional criteria:
- only one participant per conference or meeting will be funded
- the conference or meeting participant should be a principal speaker, and a copy of any paper presented by the participant is to be provided to COALAR together with the report on the activity
6. Referee requirements
6.1 Applicants must provide letters of support from two referees and where possible should comment on
- their relationship to the applicant,
- their involvement or interest, if any, in the project,
- the project’s objectives and the strategies to achieve them, and
- the applicant’s ability to complete the project and administer project funds.
6.2 COALAR may or may not contact referees directly to provide additional information. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the referees and provide them with a copy of the grant application. Referees may not include staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
6.3 COALAR also reserves the right to seek advice on the application from other persons as appropriate.
7. Funding arrangements
7.1 The Funding Agreement (sample only) is the legal agreement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (on behalf of COALAR) and the funding recipient. In managing the funding provided, the funding recipient must comply with all the requirements of the Funding Agreement. The COALAR Secretariat will prepare the Funding Agreement for each recipient after their application is approved.
7.2 All funding recipients must abide by these Guidelines and the Funding Agreement. The funding may otherwise be withdrawn.
7.3 COALAR funding is only valid for the financial year for which it is awarded. If the funding cannot be taken up within the specified period it may be withdrawn. Any delay in the proposed activity should be reported promptly. If required, a request for extension should be provided to allow COALAR to consider the reasons for the delay and to take any appropriate action.
7.4 Where possible, support requested from COALAR should supplement financial assistance from other sources, including the applicant's own resources. COALAR may decide to award funding conditional on supplementary funds being raised from other sources.
7.5 Where an activity contains an international airfare, this should be costed as an economy class fare.
8. Selection process
8.1 The process will be an open competitive selection process. The selection process will comprise the following stages:
Stage 1: Receipt and registration of applications. All applications received will be acknowledged in writing by email within 10 days of receipt.
Stage 2: Initial screening of applications by COALAR Secretariat includes:
- compliance with Guidelines
- applicant eligibility and ability to undertake project
- relevance of project to COALAR objectives
- clarification of details relating to the project strategy and/or budget
Stage 3: Assessment against selection criteria of applications by COALAR Executive Committee or COALAR Funding Proposal Sub-Committee and selection of successful projects.
Stage 4: Approval of COALAR recommendations by Minister’s authorised delegate.
Stage 5: Notification in writing to applicant of decision. Approved Grants advertised on COALAR website and entered into the whole-of-government database Discretionary Grants Central Register within two days of applicant’s notification.
Stage 6: Negotiation of Funding Agreement by COALAR Secretariat.
8.2 Successful applicants will be advised of any special conditions which COALAR may attach to their activity. Payment will not be made until the applicant has signed the Funding Agreement.
8.3 COALAR reserves the right at any time to:
- cease the selection process;
- change the structure, approach, content or requirements of the selection process; and/or
- call for new applications.
8.4 Applicants who submit their funding applications by 16 May 2008 will receive notification of the outcome of their application by 31 July 2008. COALAR cannot guarantee the timeframe that it may take to consider funding applications received after 16 May 2008. All applications are considered by either the full Council (which meets three times per year) or by the Council's Funding Proposal Sub-Committee (which meets as required).
9. Reporting and acquittal requirements
9.1 It is a condition of COALAR funding that recipients provide a written report and financial statement of expenditure as required by the Funding Agreement. Reports must be completed on the Acquittal Form included in the Funding Agreement.
9.2 In addition, a maximum two-page outcomes summary report suitable for up-load onto the Council’s website, should also be provided at the same time. This report should specify:
a) the title of the project
b) the activities undertaken
c) the outcomes achieved
9.3 If the grant awarded was $AUD10,000.00 and over, the Council requires a financial statement authorised by a certified accountant. The financial statement should contain sufficient detail to enable an informed assessment of the appropriateness of the expenditure of COALAR funds.
9.4 The Council may seek an oral report at a Council meeting in addition to the written report.
10. Publicity
10.1 Funding recipients are expected to cooperate with COALAR in publicising the activity, and COALAR sponsorship must be appropriately acknowledged during the course of the activity and in any publicity arising from it. Any publications, electronic media and publicly performed activities associated with the project should carry the COALAR logo, and invitations to Council members for key events associated with the project are highly desirable.
11. Taxation
11.1 Funding recipients are responsible for making their own arrangements regarding any taxation liabilities that may arise from the award of funding.
11.2 COALAR requires the following information in writing from funding applicants:
- the Australian Business Number (ABN) of the individual or organisation applying for funds, or advice that the individual or organisation does not have an ABN
- advice as to whether the individual or organisation is registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) under the Pay As You Go tax obligations, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is required to withhold tax (at the rate of 46.5%) and remit it to the Australian Tax Office, when the applicant does not have an ABN, or cannot provide written advice from the ATO of exemption from the withholding tax. Successful funding applicants who do not have an ABN should therefore provide the Council with written confirmation, where applicable, of one or more of the following, preferably on the ATO "Statement by a Supplier" form NAT 3346- 6.2000:
- that the payment is of a private or domestic nature;
- that the applicant is not carrying on an enterprise;
- that the applicant is an "income tax exempt body"; or
- that the applicant has applied for an ABN and has been rejected by the ATO.
12. Insurance
Funding recipients are responsible for obtaining and maintaining any insurances necessary or prudent for undertaking the proposed activity and to provide the COALAR Secretariat with evidence of these policies promptly on request as required by the Funding Agreement.
13. Responsibilities of recipient
13.1 Funding recipients are normally responsible for all administrative costs and arrangements associated with their project, including visa and travel arrangements, visa charges, airport taxes, ground transport, travel and health insurance for project participants, medical and hospital insurance cover for visitors not covered by Medicare in Australia (including evacuation and death cover), any necessary insurance for equipment, and accommodation costs and arrangements. Funding recipients should note that health insurance is essential. COALAR will not accept any liability for any medical, hospital or evacuation costs incurred by participants in projects funded by the Council.
13.2 Applicants should keep an electronic copy and hard copy of their application and supporting documentation for their own records.
14. Privacy and Freedom of Information
The information you provide in your funding submission is used when processing and assessing your submission. Summary information provided by all applicants will be stored centrally and will be available to Commonwealth officers and the government on a need-to-know basis. The information you have provided may be distributed to COALAR, Commonwealth and State or Territory governments, organisations which are responsible for grants programs, and may be made public through national and local media or via the DFAT or COALAR websites. DFAT may also publish this information, excluding personal information, in its Annual Report and on the DFAT web site. In other circumstances, DFAT will only use and/or disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988. Applicants should also note the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1982apply to documents in DFAT’s possession.
15. Access and Equity
16.1 All funding applications are made using standard documents and are assessed by a standard appraisal procedure, helping to ensure consistency and equity in Council funding decisions. COALAR is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and encourages individuals and organisations from target groups to apply for funding for projects consistent with the Council's guidelines.
16. Contact details
COALAR Secretariat
Email:latin.desk@dfat.gov.au
Address:
COALAR Secretariat
Americas Division
Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON ACT 0221
