Building Stronger Communities Grants – Brisbane City Council

The following information about Brisbane City Council’s (Council) grant program is relevant to any of your clubs or associations who are lessees with Council. Information has and will be sent to lessees and is available on Council’s website.

Council’s, Building Stronger Communities Grants (BSCG) will open on Monday 15 July and close Monday 9 September 2019. Council’s Community Facilities Operations Team (CFOT) is reminding all our tenants to start planning their grant application now.

Please see below important timeframes in planning a strong grant application:

  • Immediate action, call CFOT on 3407 0000 or email and talk to a Sport and Recreation Officer (SRO) regarding your proposed grant project. For complex projects such as building on a landfill site, new or extensions to buildings, field lighting, removal of trees, new fields etc, its best to set up a site meeting with an SRO.
  • From May to the end of July, if your organisation is applying under Category 1 or 2, you will need to submit an Application for Works on a Community Lease Site (AFWs). AFW’s are required by 29 July to ensure Council has sufficient time (20-30 business days) to review, given a large number of AFW’s are submitted during this period.
    • Tenants on Council land must complete the Application for Works on a Community Lease Site online form to request the consent of Council as landlord for any proposed improvement works within the lease area.
    • AFWs can take from 20 to 30 business days depending on the complexity for CFOT to respond with a decision letter.
    • As a requirement of your grant application, you will need to have an approved AFW letter attached.
    • The approved AFW letter will provide conditions to help your organisation plan and budget the project e.g. Category 2 Development, a new building extension may require a Development Application (DA) and tree removal/replacement, this will take time and require budget.
  • In July and mid-August, Council strongly recommends undertaking as much planning as possible to deliver the project prior to submitting an application (relates to Category 2).   In submitting a strong application, your organisation should have an:
      • approved AFW decision letter,
      • clear scope of works, site plan, detailed design plans,
      • quotes or tendering process,
      • development or building approvals,
      • confirmed funding contributions
      • facility and ongoing maintenance management plans.
  • From 15 July to 9 September, the BSCG program is open for 9 weeks, this gives you plenty of time to answer the selection criteria and call an SRO for advice (relates to all Categories).  Please remember when addressing the criteria to clearly outline the:
      • Need and benefit for the project.  Council Ward Community Profiles are available to provide statistics on population growth, age, cultural groups, family composition, homelessness, people with disabilities etc.
      • Membership, users and groups accessing your services.
      • Service gaps to meet current and future demand
      • Consultation e.g. minutes to meetings, surveys, letter of support from current and future users that outlines their use and the tangible benefit the project will provide their users. Also consider including excerpts from state level organisation/Council infrastructure or broader regional site plans or the organisations strategic/facilities plan.

Please see below Building Stronger Communities Grants Program

The Building Stronger Communities Grants Program will provide funding to community-based, not-for-profit organisations to deliver projects that develop or improve their facilities, or improve their governance and long term organisational sustainability. The program provides funds to incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and networks, or unincorporated groups under the auspices of an incorporated not-for-profit organisation.

Purpose
Brisbane City Council recognises the significant contributions of community organisations in promoting and linking residents to recreation and wellbeing opportunities that positively impact the broader community.

A community facility is a facility that supports community sport, recreational, cultural and social activities and in doing so, helps provide for the physical, cultural, mental and social wellbeing of the community.

By undertaking a project suitable for the Program, your organisation is helping to achieve theBrisbane Vision 2031 for a friendly and safe, active and healthy, and vibrant and creative city.

There are three categories for funding, with category one and two focussing on facility development and maintenance. Category three focuses on improving organisational development, particularly in the area of effective committee management. Lessees can apply forONE OF Category 1 – Maintenance or Category 2 – Development (co-contribution required)AS WELL AS Category 3 – Organisational Development (no co-contribution required). Therefore, all organisations are strongly encouraged to apply for Category 3 in addition to any other application they may submit

The categories are:

  1. community facility maintenance
  2. community facility development
  3. organisational development.

Funding available

Funding is available for up to $7,500 for organisational development grants and up to $100,000 for community facility maintenance or development grants.