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Australian National Commission for UNESCO Grant Scheme 2007-08

Applications for 2007-2008 have closed

The Australian National Commission for UNESCO assists projects which will further National Commission and UNESCO priorities and objectives as set out in UNESCO's approved Program and Budget for 2008-09 (34 C/5) and Medium Term Strategy (34 C/4) for 2008-13. Grants applications should be in the order of $2,000 to $30,000 (note, the National Commission may decide to grant only part of the funding requested). The Guidelines below provide further details.

Please note: applications for the Australian National Commission Grants Scheme for 2007-08 closed on 10 March 2008. Please check the Australian National Commission for UNESCO web site in coming months for information for the 2008-09 financial year.

Australian National Commission for UNESCO Grant Scheme Guidelines

Publicising the grant scheme

1. The opening of applications for the Australian National Commission for UNESCO grant scheme will be announced on the National Commission website.

Who can apply

2. All members/sectors of the community are eligible to apply for grant funding.
3. The National Commission and Networks can invite submission of particular projects.
4. Grants will not normally be awarded to any particular applicant, or for a particular project, more than two consecutive years in a row.
5. Projects or programs which are directly associated with UNESCO's major programs and priorities may be awarded ongoing support on an annual basis (i.e. subject to annual acquittals and assessment of annual applications), on the recommendation of the grants sub-committee.

How to apply

6. Applications must be made on the appropriate application form and include all the information requested on the form.
7. The project commencement date (i.e., when applicants first need National Commission funding) must be no earlier than six weeks after the closing date for applications. Note: preparation time should be taken into account. Your start date should be when you will first need to expend National Commission funds, for example, when airline tickets must be paid for, not the departure date, nor the date it was booked.
8. Covering letters are not supplied to the grants sub-committee and should not contain any additional information about the project.
9. The applicant should be the owner of the bank account into which the grant (if successful) will be paid.
10. The owner of the bank account into which a grant is paid will be legally responsible for the proper acquittal of any funds awarded.
11. The persons signing an application form and funding agreement must be duly authorised to do so.
12. Applications must be accompanied by letters of support from two referees with no direct financial interest in this project.
    • Referees should comment on the project's objectives and the strategies to achieve them.
    • It is the responsibility of the grant applicant to ensure that the letters of support reach the National Commission Secretariat by the closing date.
13. The amount applied for should be exclusive of GST; if the applicant is registered for GST, the National Commission will add that amount to the grant if successful.
14. Income and expenditure must match be equal in the project budget supplied as part of the application process.
15. Project budgets should be as full, detailed and accurate as possible; these will form the basis of the funding agreement if a grant is awarded.
• Applicants should ensure that the items you wish the National Commission to fund or partially fund are clearly indicated; unless the National Commission specifies otherwise, these will be the only activities for which the applicant can use any funds awarded.
16. Applicants should note that misleading the Australian Government on financial matters may have serious legal consequences.
17. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their written references are received by the National Commission Secretariat before the closing date.
18. Any curricula vitae (CVs) included with a grant application are strictly limited to one page.
19. Applications should:
    • be typed wherever possible; hand-written applications should be written neatly with a dark pen
    • be in black and white, and
    • not be stapled.
20. A paid return envelope must be included with a grant application if any materials are to be returned to the grant applicant.
21. It is acceptable to submit a fax (02 6261 2272) or e-mail a PDF file of your signed application on the due date, if the original is express posted the same day.
22. No extensions for applications will be granted.

Criteria used for assessing grants

23. A sub-committee of the National Commission, comprising the Chair, Deputy Chair and specialist members for each of UNESCO's five programs and the youth representative, will be responsible for recommending which projects will be funded annually.
    • If a member of the grants sub committee has a financial or other interest in any of the projects which are being considered for funding, they must declare that interest and not take part in the decision making process.
    • Where a member of the grants sub committee has stepped aside from the assessment of a project in which he or she has an interest, the Chair may nominate another member of the National Commission or its Networks to consider the application.
24. Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
    • the project addresses current National Commission and UNESCO priorities as set out in UNESCO's approved Program and Budget 2008-09 (34 C/5) and Medium Term Strategy for 2008-13 (34 C/4)
    • the project has outcomes reflecting UNESCO objectives and ideals as set out in the UNESCO Constitution
    • National Commission funding is seed funding for the project, i.e. the application demonstrates that the project has received, or will likely receive, part of its funding from other sources
    • the application demonstrates a capacity for sustainable outcomes and impact beyond its completion
    • the application demonstrates a benefit for the Pacific sub region, in particular, and the Asia-Pacific region more generally, and
    • the project has not previously received funding from the National Commission or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
25. Grants will not normally be available for the following purposes:
    • capital expenditure in real property, equipment or computer software
    • conference travel—an exception to the general rule may be made for participants in conferences when the subject of the conference is of direct relevance to the Australian National Commission for UNESCO and the applicant is a leader in the field. Applicants must also demonstrate that a substantial program will be arranged before and/or after the conference
    • funding support to grant-giving organisations for activities mainly involving their own personnel
    • activities that are properly the responsibility of other funding bodies or other government agencies (e.g. development assistance projects, activities under bilateral science and technology agreements, projects normally handled by Austrade, etc.)
    • activities that are properly the responsibility of the host institution, e.g., post graduate students applying for travel assistance to do field work as part of their thesis will not normally be considered
    • activities that are commercially viable in their own right
    • any project in which the furthering of the National Commission's and UNESCO's objectives and priorities is incidental to the main aims of the project
    • activities undertaken by schools where travel by a significant number of students is the principal element of the proposal
    • employment of research assistants, administrative staff, etc., or the payment of administrative charges levied by the applicant's organisation
    • funding of completed projects, or recurrent funding of projects, and
    • salaries and honorariums.
26. The grants sub-committee will be responsible for recommending to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of funding to be provided for each project; applications may be partly funded.
27. A call for applications does not guarantee that any grants will be made.
28. Partial support of travel for UNESCO-related purposes is an effective way of using grant funds.
29. All decisions of the grants sub-committee are final and are not subject to review.

Notification

30. Applicants for Commission funding will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application, usually five to six weeks after the closing date.
31. Successful applicants will receive a funding agreement for signature and will be advised of any additional special conditions which the National Commission may specify for their grant.

Responsibilities of successful applicants

32. Funding recipients are responsible for all administrative costs and arrangements associated with their activities, including visa and travel arrangements, visa charges, airport taxes, ground transport, travel and health insurance and accommodation, unless these are specifically included in the award.
33. Funding recipients are also responsible for making their own arrangements regarding any taxation liabilities, which may arise from the award of funding.
34. Payment will only be made after receipt of the signed funding agreement, and a tax invoice.
35. Funding recipients who are registered, or required to be registered, for GST must include GST, separately itemised, on their tax invoice.
36. Funding recipients who do not have an ABN must provide the National Commission Secretariat with a completed ATO Statement by a Supplier form.
37. All funding recipients must abide by their funding agreements, otherwise funding be withdrawn.

Acquittal

38. All projects/programs funded from the grant scheme are to be acquitted, including a report on outcomes and a financial statement, within 30 days of the project being completed.
    • Acquittals for grants of $10,000 or more must be signed off by an accountant.
    • If funds are not acquitted, further funding will not be available until the particular project is acquitted.
    • Unspent grant funds must be returned to the National Commission.

    Review of these guidelines

39. These guidelines may be subject to periodic review and amendment at the discretion of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO.

 

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