Community Celebration Fund

2009 It’s the 150th anniversary of Queensland’s separation from New South Wales.

The Queensland Government has provided a total of $4 million to help communities celebrate Queensland’s 150th birthday. The funding is to be allocated over three rounds. The first round saw funding of over $400,000 granted, while the remaining $3.5 million is due to be allocated over the remaining two rounds.

The grants range from $2,000 to $10,000 and are available to community groups, educational institutions, incorporated organizations and local councils within Queensland, for projects which will commemorate the historic occasion in a way that is meaningful for them.

www.q150.qld.gov.au

Granted – Funding Applications Help

Granted is a not-for-profit organisation that provides advice to community sector organizations that are developing funding applications.

They provide free assistance to organizations that: are not-for-profit focus on making a positive social or environmental impact have limited resources to prepare submissions

www.granted.org.au

Source: http://www.volunteeringnthqld.org.au/grants.htm

Community Help Grants

NRMA Insurance is providing grants of up to $5000 for projects that help make your community safer and more sustainable. Community groups can apply for grants in the areas of emergency services, crime and injury prevention and the environment. www.nrma.com

The Writing Wizards

The Writing Wizards have been providing professional writing services throughout Townsville and North Queensland since 2001. They assist companies, including community organisations, with the preparation of funding applications, grant writing and policy and procedure manuals.

The Cowboys Community Fund

The NQ Toyota Cowboys, supported by Coca-Cola, have launched a charitable trust – The Cowboys Community Fund. The fund’s main aim is to provide encouragement and financial assistance in improving the quality of life for young people in North Queensland. The trust raises funds through a variety of activities, which are then distributed to charitable community causes.

www.cowboys.com.au

Volunteer Small Equipment Grants (VSEG)

The Volunteer Small Equipment Grants (VSEG) is designed to help Australia’s volunteers support their vital work. This funding, provided by the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, will provide grants of up to $3,000 (GST inclusive) for community organisations to help them purchase portable and tangible items of small equipment that will make the work of their volunteers easier, safer and/or, more enjoyable.

www.facs.gov.au

Source: http://www.volunteeringnthqld.org.au/grants.htm

Integrated Grants Information Service

Through the Integrated Grants Information service, Queenslanders can access information on State Government funding and grants programs and find all of the grants they may be eligible to receive from all departments, through an online wizard.

www.qld.gov.au/grants

Australian Giving Centre

The Australian Giving Centre is a service that provides an opportunity for community organizations to receive donations through their websites.

Interested organizations are required to have a website. They can then sign up with the service to gain the facility for receiving online donations.

www.ourcommunity.com.au/giving

The ABC of Auspicing

If you are not eligible for a grant to do something in your area, than you can sometimes remedy this by working with an organization that is eligible. Some organizations provide an umbrella for groups that are not incorporated.

Auspice Agreements have to be designed with care, because there is a chain of responsibility to be organized. The funding body (let’s call them A) is giving the money to the auspicing organisation (B), which is giving it to the group who has applied for the funding (C). The funding body (A) does not have a contract with (C), and has not got a comeback against (C) if things go wrong. The only remedy (A) has is to take up a grievance with the auspicing body (B). Therefore it is (B) that is taking the risk, if any, and needs to have insurance – provisions in the Agreement, that will enable it to intervene where necessary to keep things on track.

www.arts.nsw.gov.au

Source:http://www.volunteeringnthqld.org.au/grants.htm

Smart Supplies Community Rebate Scheme:

Smart Supplies, a Queensland-based IT consumables retailer, has developed an online scheme that provides a fundraising opportunity for not-for-profit groups.

The Smart Supplies Community Rebate Scheme works liks this: Everyone who purchases IT consumables through the company’s website can nominate to support one of the not-for-profit groups registered in the scheme. 2% of every purchase made by that supporter then goes to the nominated group.

www.smartsupplies.com.au

VaultOne Rebate Scheme

VaultOne is a financial services company that offers a free fundraising service for community groups.

The company has access to 80+ authorized agents and 30+ lenders, including the major banks, and offers financial planning, superannuation packages and general insurance. VaultOne donate 30% of their agents’ finance approval fees and their train commission fees to not-for-profit organizations.

Donation Home Loans

Donation Home Loans, a mortgage broker, donates a sizable proportion of their ongoing commissions to client-nominated charities, schools, non-profit organizations and clubs.

www.donationhomeloans.com.au

Regional Partnerships Program Grant Funding

The Regional Partnerships Program is funded by the Australian Government and administered through the Department of Transport and Regional Services. It provides funding for new projects that generate economic activity, capacity building and community benefit.

The North Queensland Area Consultative Committee (NQACC) works in partnership with local governments, regional development organizations, community groups and individuals to assist them with gaining funding through the Regional Partnerships Program. NQACC provides information and assists in developing applications for the program.

www.nqacc.org.au/

Source: http://www.volunteeringnthqld.org.au/grants.htm

Gambling Community Benefit Fund:

The fund distributes one-off grants of up to $30,000 to Queensland-based, not-for-profit community groups in order to benefit Queensland communities. There are four funding ’rounds’ each year, with closing dates of 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December respectively.

www.gcbf.qld.gov.au

DET Community Employment Training Programs

The Department of Employment and Training provides funding to elegible organisations and individuals for community employment and training programs. There are a wide range of funding opportunities available.

www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au

Arts Queensland Grants

Arts Queensland have annual one-off grants available to individuals, collectives and not-for-profit organisations working in any art form, for funding programs that support the arts, economic development and innovation.

www.arts.qld.gov.au

Townsville City Council Community Grants:

Townsville City Council offer a range of cultural, sport/recreational and general grants designed to support projects that enhance the local community.

www.townsville.qld.gov.au

Partnership Grants:

The Office for Women is looking for organisations willing to become involved in delivering programs related to its five goals. These goals are:

*improving women’s health and well-being

*promoting opportunities to help women balance work, family and lifestyle

*improving women’s capacity to achieve economic security

*enhancing women’s safety

*increasing women’s participation in leadership, decision-making and community building

There are funds available for general community projects, events and activities.

www.women.qld.gov.au

Source: http://www.volunteeringnthqld.org.au/grants.htm

Governance volunteering: is on board and management committees. These volunteers provide direction and leadership for not-for-profit organisations. Governance volunteers carry a high level of responsibility and accountability

Informal volunteering: takes place in local communities in response to specific social needs. Volunteers work in largely unfunded, less structured settings, and this group may include neighbourhood groups, self-help groups, recreational, sporting, social and special interest groups and mutual aid activities.

Social Action volunteering: is usually cause driven and in response to specific social or community needs. This type of volunteering is typified by strong passion, and clearly identified outcomes, and takes the form of community action, advocacy and campaigning.

Project volunteering: reflects short term volunteer engagement, often by volunteers with specific skills, with clearly delineated outcomes and timeframe. This is an option particularly suited to professionals, corporates, retiring baby boomers and students.

Formal volunteering: takes place in traditional structured settings. Volunteers have clear ongoing roles with clear lines of accountability and responsibility. Volunteers are usually part of the service delivery team, within a managed environment.

http://www.volqld.org.au/resources/5_models.shtml

In Queensland, the total value of volunteering continues to grow, from almost $10 billion in 2000 to more than $16 billion in 2004. This represents an additional 11.2 per cent of Queensland’s Gross State Product and equates to volunteers providing a volume of work equivalent to an additional 387,000 jobs in 2004.3 These figures highlight the important contribution that volunteers make to Queensland’s society.

http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/stay_connected/volunteering

Office of Fair Trading (OFT) administers the Collections Act 1966, which controls how charities and community purpose organisations conduct appeals for public support or fundraising in Queensland. Any organisation that wants to publicly fundraise for a charitable or community purpose is governed by this Act. The Activities regulated by OFT under the Collections Act 1966 include:

• fundraising appeals
• door-to-door appeals and street collections, and
• commercial appeals on behalf of charities by entrepreneurs.

What permits or approvals are required?

Under the Collections Act 1966, you may require one or more of the following permits or approvals.

Obtaining a sanction for authority to fundraise

Organisations that wish to fundraise or conduct an appeal for a community purpose may be required to apply for a sanction. Form 5 – Application for Sanction needs to be completed by the applicant and approved by OFT. If approved, OFT will issue the applicant with Form 6 – Certificate of Sanction.

http://www.ato.gov.au/nonprofit/content.asp?doc=/content/56555.htm&page=5&H5

The Strengthening Non-Government Organizations strategy was launched in August 2005. The strategy comprises a range of collaborative initiatives between the Queensland Government and the community and disability sectors. These initiatives focus on building the capacity of funded NGOs so they can continue to provide high-quality community and disability services to Queenslanders.

The strategy consists of initiatives that are being undertaken collaboratively by the Queensland Government and the community and disability sectors. Overall, these initiatives are designed to:

• clarify the government’s expectations of funded NGOs
• improve the government’s systems for administering funding and other resources for community and disability services
• ensure NGOs have organizational tools and resources to help them operate effectively
• encourage sharing and collaboration between NGOs and stakeholders in the community and disability sectors.

http://www.export.qld.gov.au/250.html

Non-profit organisations operate in many areas of society. They can include:

* church schools
* churches
* environmental protection societies
* public museums and libraries
* scientific societies
* sports clubs
* traditional service clubs
* neighbourhood associations
* community child care centres
* cultural societies
* scholarship funds
* scouts
* surf lifesaving clubs

A non-profit organisation is one which is not operating for the profit or gain of its individual members, whether these gains would have been direct or indirect. This applies both while the organisation is operating and when it winds up.

Any profit made by the organisation goes back into the operation of the organisation to carry out its purposes and is not distributed to any of its members.