The protection of our communities is a very important. To help protect our communities the Safer Communities Fund was initiated. This fund was designed to help communities install security measures at schools, child care facilities, community organizations, and at other local government facilities that house the community.
With the grant a community is able to request between $50,000 and $1.5 million. The amount is decided based on the need of the specific community. In order to be eligible the community must have children who are at risk of violence and/or harassment because of their religion, ethnicity, or culture. Money received from the fund must go directly toward security infrastructure.
Security infrastructure can mean different things to different people. For this fund, security infrastructure can be things such as:
Installing new features like:
- Enhanced Lighting
- Protective Fencing
- Alarm Systems And Emergency Systems
- Loudspeaker Announcement Systems
- Internal Communication Systems
Contracting Licensed Private Security Officers
Activities To Engage And Educate That Must:
- Reduce The Chances Of Violence And/Or Harassment Towards Children
- Training For Those Who Work With Vulnerable Children
- Training For Families Of Vulnerable Children
- Public Education About Religion
In order to be eligible for the Safer Communities Fund, all work on projects must be complete by March 31st, 2021. This is the fourth round of the fund and nothing will prohibit you for applying for a fifth round.
In Order To Be Eligible…
Eligibility for the Safer Communities Fund Round 4 certain criteria must be met. We have already mentioned a few of them above but knowing all of the criteria is important. Let’s discuss the eligibility requirements.
To be eligible one of the most basic requirements is to have an Australian Business Number, known as an ABN. You must also meet one of the following criteria:
- Be an Australian Local Government body, agency, or group (definition can be found in Appendix A of the grant if you have questions)
- Be an agency of or body of an Australian State or Australian Territory
- Be a non-profit organization through incorporation
- A school (or preschool) that is able to enter into an agreement without the need of consulting another agency and has its own ABN.
- Be an aide or another entity applying for one of the mentioned above
Schools are highly recommended to check their legal status before applying for the grant. Legal entity status must be established before receiving a grant. For those that are not an entity, the overall entity will have to apply for the grant.
What Is The Merit Criteria?
In order to be eligible for the fund you must also meet the merit criteria. A team will access your application and score your merit based on the application. Merit is broken down into three categories and a minimum of 50% must be reached before being considered for a grant.
Criteria For A Grant #1: The impact of the grant on the ability to protect children at risk. Scored at Up To 50 points.
Criteria For A Grant #2: How the funds will impact your project. For example, if the project could be funded without it. Scored at up to 30 points.
Criteria For A Grant #3: If you will be able to complete the project and if you can complete it satisfactorily. Scored at up to 20 points.
Application Assessment Procedures
Applications are accessed as they come in. If your application scores at least 50% on the above scale, we will recommend it for funding. The Australian Minister For Home Affairs will decide which grants to approve and which not to based on the application. The more supporting evidence and the higher you score on the scale, the more likely the grant is to be approved.
Once a decision has been made on your grant, you will be notified in writing. You will either receive a written offer of funds or a written decision otherwise. After you have received approval you must enter an agreement with the Common Wealth of Australia. You must also set and meet milestones with the Commonwealth of Australia in order to continue receiving funds.
