Small Projects Fund

Purpose

The emphasis for the Small Projects Fund is on small community projects which assist community groups to enhance their capacity and/or increase participation in their activities. It is not for major funding.

This fund is available at both metropolitan and local levels. The upper limit for this fund is $5,000.

Note: Funding is for the period 1st September in the current year to 31 August the following year.

Funding Outcomes and Priorities

Funding Outcomes and Priorities will be used to assess and prioritise applications.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from eligible not-for-profit groups whose activities provide opportunities in the areas of community, social, recreation, sports, arts, environment or heritage to the wider community or to specifically defined communities of interest.

The following criteria must be met by all applicants:

• A community based not-for-profit community, recreation, sporting, arts, social service, environment or heritage organisation.
• Groups requesting over $2,000 must be a legal entity.
• Groups requesting under $2,000 who are not a legal entity will need to have a bank account in the name of the organisation and may be required to have an umbrella organisation who is a legal entity.
• Be based in the Christchurch City Council area with funded programmes or services being provided primarily for Christchurch City Council residents.
• Must have provided accountability reports for all previous Council funding and have no unresolved or outstanding accountability issues including outstanding debt to Council.
• Must have had the funding application approved at a properly convened committee meeting and in writing.
• Must provide evidence of the need for the project.
• Have appropriate financial management, accounting, monitoring and reporting practices.
• Have sound governance and appropriate operational capability and capacity to deliver to the level as agreed.
• Be able to commit to collaboration and partnering, where appropriate
• Groups receiving Council funding at a metropolitan level may only apply for local funding if the project is specifically local and no portion of it has been funded at the metropolitan level.

Note: Recreation and Sporting clubs/organisations do not have to be affiliated to a national sporting organisation to be eligible to apply however in alignment with the Physical Recreation and Sport Strategy we would encourage you to affiliate.

What We Fund

• Equipment, including recreation and sport equipment deemed necessary for participation only
• Small Community Events
• Project related costs for the twelve month period starting

1st September and ending no later than 31 August

• Projects which improve the administration, business and strategic capacity of organisations, i.e. clubmark, strategic planning, etc
• Costs that support the recognition, contribution, training and retention of volunteers

What We Will Not Fund

• Arts projects which are eligible for Creative New Zealand Creative Communities funding
• Programmes / services / initiatives that have not been agreed within the scope of the funding agreement
• Retrospective costs or project or purchase costs incurred or settled before the agreed commencement date of the funding agreement
• Debt servicing or re-financing costs
• Stock or capital market investment
• Capital purchases (except for small equipment as noted above)
• Gambling or prize money
• Entertainment costs (except for costs directly linked to volunteer recognition)
• Funding of individuals (only non-profit organisations)
• Payment of any legal expenditure
• Costs or expenditures related to mediation disputes or ACC, Employment Tribunal, Small Claims Tribunal, Professional or Disciplinary Body hearings
• Purchase of land and buildings
• Building maintenance or facility design, development and renovation costs
• Activities or initiatives where the primary purpose is to promote religious ministry, political objectives, commercial or profit-oriented interests
• Fundraising or general income-growth purposes
• Medical or healthcare costs – including treatment and insurance fees
• Money which will be re-distributed as grant funding, sponsorship, donations, bequests, aid funding or aid to other recipients
• Payment of fines, court costs or mediation costs
• Payment for IRD penalties or retrospective tax payments
• Costs to remedy, rectify, upgrade, retrofit or replace equipment, vehicles or premises as a result of action by central or local government departments or other agencies who hold regulatory or enforcement powers
• Purchase of vehicles and any related ongoing maintenance, repair, overhead costs or road user charges
• Social functions
• Air travel, accommodation, hotel / motel expenses
• Conference fees and costs
• Projects which have received other Council funding in the same financial year.
• Projects that are considered to be the primary responsibility of:
• Central government
• Some other funding body
• A Council Unit (where funding should come from an internal budget)

Assessment Process

Applications will be sorted into either metropolitan or local projects.

Metropolitan applications will be assessed by staff and presented to the Metropolitan Funding Sub-Committee for allocation consideration.

Local applications will be assessed by staff and presented to the relevant Community Board for allocation consideration.

Accountability and Compliance

• Funding received is to be spent by 31 August .
• Any alterations to the use of the funding must be discussed with council staff and agreed to or funding may be required to be returned.
• An accountability form must be completed:
• when funding is spent
• Or by 30th September the following year
• Or when another funding application is lodged and there are still outstanding funds from previous funding.
• Future funding can be withheld if accountability requirements are not met.

How to apply

Applications must be made on the Christchurch City Council’s Community Grants Funding application form which is available from all Service Centres, the Civic Office and Council Libraries and online here:

• Funding Application Form [PDF 67KB]
• Funding Application Form [Word 467KB]
• How To Guide [PDF 67KB]

Closing dates

The closing date for Small Projects Fund is 31 May each year.

Further Assistance

Application forms and further assistance are available from:

Metropolitan Community Adviser - Funding 03 941-8933
or
your local Community Development Adviser or Community Recreation Adviser (see Ward Areas for Contact Details)