Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program

1. Program information

1.1 About the program

The Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program is a $10 million initiative of the State Government, jointly developed by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) and the Department of Education (DoE), that aims to increase use of public school sporting facilities in Western Australia.

The program provides benefits to schools including enhanced resources, increased facility upgrades and improved community relationships, and benefits Community Sporting Groups (CSGs) in terms of gaining access to public school sports facilities that otherwise may not have been available.

It is envisioned that increased access to school sporting facilities will foster a greater sense of community involvement, belonging and connection, whilst also raising awareness of and participation in local sports.  

It is important, however, that enhancements to school facilities or the resultant increased use by CSGs do not adversely affect the safety or welfare of students and staff and must not interfere with the normal operations of the school.

1.2 Outcome and objectives

1.3 Eligibility criteria

• Applicants must enter into a CUA with an eligible CSG.
  Note: if the CUA is not signed at the time of application, a Letter of Intent to enter into a CUA can be provided, but a signed CUA must be received by DoE before funding is provided.
• For schools with existing CUAs, schools must demonstrate an increased use of the school sporting facility that is the subject of the funding application.
• The agreement cannot be cancelled prior to the expiration date specified in the CUA. 

1.4 Funding parameters

The program will provide funding for the following 4 types of one-off investments: 

1. minor equipment or infrastructure
2. minor playing surface upgrade of oval or hardcourts
3. minor improvements to existing facilities
4. other relevant activities that help enhance facility use. 

There is a limit of $50,000 (including GST) on the amount of funding schools can request, per CUA.

1.5 Program rules

2. How to apply

2.1 Application information

• Applicants must read and understand the program guidelines before commencing the application process.
• Schools may submit multiple applications for funding for the program, but only one application per CUA will be considered.
• Schools must partner with a CSG and ensure they are eligible for the program by asking them to complete a CSG eligibility declaration.
• Complete an application form and submit with the following supporting documentation:
  • signed CUA or letter of intent
  • completed CSG eligibility declaration
  • any quotes or other documentation to support your application (for example, photos of facilities needing to be upgraded).
• Submit the application form and supporting documentation to DLGSC by 5.00pm on the round closing date, using the link provided on the application form.

You will receive an automated confirmation via email when you submit your application. If you do not receive the confirmation email, contact DLGSC via the contact details in section 5, before the funding round closing time.

2.2 Important dates

The first 3 program funding rounds dates will be:

Please note additional funding rounds may be added and details will be published on the DLGSC and DoE websites.

3. Assessment, approval and acquittal process

3.1 Assessment and approval process

• Applications will be received by DLGSC.
• The DLGSC grant administrators will assess applications for compliance with the eligibility criteria.
• The DLGSC and DoE program assessors will conduct a preliminary assessment of eligible applications against the assessment criteria and provide a summary, which may include scores, rankings, funding allocations and rationale, for the Program Review Panel to consider.
• The panel will comprise a director from each of DLGSC and DoE, and at least one independent expert.
• Applications may be unsuccessful or may not be funded to the full amount requested.

3.2 Assessment criteria

• Applications will be assessed against the following four criteria:
  • Community impact and need: will the project increase access to sporting facilities for CSGs and benefit the school?
  • Feasibility and readiness to implement: is the project and budget realistic and achievable within the given timeframe? 
  • Facility suitability and equipment needs: are the requested items reasonable and necessary to support community access?
  • Financial efficiency and value for money:  are the project costs reasonable and well-justified? Does the application provide a clear breakdown of expenses for specific items like minor equipment, minor playing surface upgrades, minor improvements and other relevant activities? 
• Assessment criteria are weighted equally.
• The assessment of applications by schools will include also consideration of the following: 
  • Sports with high demand: there may be prioritisation of funding for CSGs that deliver sports that are in high demand.
  • Locations with limited access: there may be prioritisation of funding for locations with limited access to sporting facilities.

3.4 Notification

• Approved applicants will receive a ‘funding approved’ notice from DoE stating the funding approval and any conditions.
• Unsuccessful applications will be notified by DoE.

3.5 Acquittal requirements

• Schools that receive funding from the Program will be required to submit both a financial acquittal and project acquittal report.
  • The financial acquittal must be completed within 30 days of the project completion date and will include a financial statement plus images and evidence to substantiate the delivery of the project.
  • The project acquittal will include the completion of the program reporting form which will cover key metrics for the one-year period following the commencement of the CUA. This must be completed within 30 days after the one-year period from the commencement of the CUA.

4. Other conditions

4.1 DLGSC and DoE acknowledgement and evaluation

• Successful schools and CSGs will be required to acknowledge DLGSC and DoE. Further details will be provided to successful applicants as part of the funding approved notice.

• Successful schools and CSGs may be required to participate in any research and/or evaluations relating to this funding and/or funded projects.

4.2 Freedom of information

• The Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA) (FOI Act) gives the right to access documentation held by DLGSC and DoE subject to the limitations of the FOI Act. 
• These documents can be of a personal or non-personal nature and may apply to the funding administration processes.

4.3 Privacy

• The Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) regulates how personal information is handled by DLGSC and DoE.
• All information provided to DLGSC and DoE and gathered during the funding assessment process will be stored on a database that will only be accessed by authorised DLGSC and DoE personnel. 
• That database is subject to privacy restrictions in accordance with the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 1992.

4.4 Contact by Ministers or local Member of Parliament

• By applying for this program, applicants acknowledge and accept that successful applicants may be contacted by the Minister for Education (schools), the Minister for Sport and Recreation (sporting clubs), or their local Member of Parliament to discuss their funding.
• Applicants acknowledge that the contact details of the applicant may be provided to their local Member of Parliament for this purpose.
• If you do not wish for your details to be provided to your local Member of Parliament, you may ‘opt-out’ at the time of application.

4.5 Appeals and complaints

• When you submit an application, your application is subject to a competitive assessment process. Your application is assessed against the assessment criteria and all applicants are notified of the outcome of their application as soon as possible following the conclusion of the assessment process.
• Appeals of unsuccessful applications will only be considered where there is an alleged breach of the assessment process. If you believe that the proper assessment process has not been followed for your application, please discuss your concerns with the relevant DLGSC or DoE contact for the program.
• Lodging a complaint — following discussion with the relevant DLGSC or DoE contact for the program, if you consider your concerns have not been adequately addressed, you can lodge a complaint with DLGSC, in writing, by following the instructions outlined in the feedback section of the DLGSC website.

5. Further information

Senior Project Manager
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
PO Box 8349, Perth Business Centre WA 6849
246 Vincent Street, Leederville WA 6007

Telephone 618 9492 9654
Email communityuse@dlgsc.wa.gov.au

Footnotes

1. Level of insurance required will be as per the DoE, Licence for third party use of school property agreement. For public liability insurance, a minimum value of $20 million per claim or occurrence giving rise to a claim is required and for worker’s compensation insurance (where relevant), a minimum value of $50 million per claim or occurrence.
2. Refer to section 4 of Community Use Agreement Licence for third party use of school property agreement.