Overview
The Sydney Community Foundation is seeking Expressions of Interest for our Belonging Project.
The purpose of the Sydney Community Foundation is to connect people who care with causes that matter to Sydney. Our vision is a sustainable and inclusive Sydney community and our mission is to strengthen our community by connecting the people of Sydney.
An inherent component of stronger communities is the sense of belonging to that community. That is why we want to build connections and support to enable the marginalized of Sydney to participate in their community and to feel a greater sense of belonging.
The concept
This innovative approach to grantmaking invites applications for community projects in Greater Sydney that help create a stronger, more inclusive Sydney community and build a greater sense of belonging to our communities. It represents an innovative and new approach to grantmaking. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to be included in the forthcoming “Belonging in Sydney” campaign which the SCF will take to potential donors.
Successful applicants will not receive immediate funding from the SCF but rather receive the opportunity to participate in this new approach to donor engagement as we promote the successful projects to the wider Sydney community. We will be seeking donors to fund these projects and join us in building a stronger sense of belonging within our very own Sydney community.
This approach has been very successful within the Sydney Women’s Fund, a subfund of the Sydney Community Foundation, and in fact provides organisations with a fantastic opportunity to increase their exposure, raise awareness and potentially gain higher levels of donor engagement than the traditional funding model. Click here to see the example of the Sydney Women’s Fund brochure.
The SCF stresses this is not a guaranteed immediate granting program but an opportunity to participate in an innovative approach to growing giving in Sydney. Projects that are time critical are not encouraged to apply.
Focus areas
For the Belonging Project the SCF will consider proposals within these areas:
& Youth at risk
& Families and children
& Homelessness
& Pathways to employment
& Migrant support and assistance
Grant parameters
The SCF will accept submissions for grants between $5,000 and $15,000.
Grant criteria
Submissions will initially be assessed against the following criteria:
& Does the application fit within the key focus and catchment areas for the Belonging Project?
& Is there a clearly identified need and target group for this project?
& Is the project appropriate to meet the identified need?
& Does this project represent duplication of existing services?
& How effective and sustainable will the impact be?
& Who and how many will benefit from this project?
Grant exclusions
Grants will not be made for:
& Religious or political causes
& Projects for building traditional infrastructure which is the responsibility of government
& Fundraising costs and annual appeals
& Sporting projects where sport is the principal purpose
& Emergency relief, except where a major crisis affects the Sydney community.
Eligibility
The SCF welcomes applications from a diverse range of non profit community organisations, for projects and activities which align with the SCF’s vision and which meet some or all of our stated criteria above. Applicants must have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) and Tax Concession Charity (TCC) endorsement from the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
As the SCF was created to benefit the community of Sydney, the Belonging Project will only provide funding for initiatives and projects that are delivered within the Sydney region (generally speaking, this region is bordered by the Hawkesbury to the north, the Blue Mountains to the west, Camden to the south west and the Sutherland shire to the south). The SCF prefers to fund smaller, grass roots organisations that work towards improving the wellbeing and social inclusion of people who live in Sydney, even in small ways.
How to apply
There are two stages to the application process, the first being to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). We are looking for initial EOIs for projects which demonstrate an innovative approach to developing a greater sense of belonging to your community. You can contact the SCF on 02 9251 1228, or send an email to scfgrants@sydneycommunityfoundation.org.au should you require clarification as to whether your project is something that would be considered for funding. The SCF may also consider grants for infrastructure providing that a clear and strong alignment with our vision can be demonstrated.
EOI applications for the 2011 Belonging Project open on 26 August 2011 and will close on 30 September 2011.
Click here for the Belonging Project EOI and related information. The EOI form must be completed in full to be considered. As the SCF office has very limited space, please do not send DVDs, posters or other material with your application.
The SCF will acknowledge all EOIs within two (2) weeks of receipt. We may request additional information from you after you have submitted your application.
The second stage of the application process is to assess all EOIs against the criteria and focus areas stated above. From the EOIs received a listing of those applicants whose projects best meet the criteria will be formulated, and these applicants will be notified in writing to submit further information in the form of a Full Application. From these second stage applications a shortlist of seven projects will then be finalised for inclusion in the Belonging Project brochure, to be launched early 2012. Funding for these projects will be sought during 2012.