Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program

Transcription

1 Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program Guidelines Purpose These guidelines provide information to organisations applying for the Department of Health and Human Services Age-Friendly Communities Grants program. This program is part of a range of initiatives to strengthen and embed sustainable age-friendly practices across Victorian communities. What are Age-Friendly communities? Age-friendly communities encourage active ageing and optimise opportunities for social and community participation for Victorian seniors. The Age-Friendly Victoria initiative aims to promote the inclusion of older people and support services, business and community leaders to better plan for the needs of seniors and enhance their quality of life as they age. Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program The aim of the Age-Friendly Communities Grants program (grants program) is to build local government and community capacity to plan and deliver projects that will make a positive difference to the quality of life, social participation, health and well-being of older people in local government areas with significant ageing populations. The objectives of the grants program are to:- Build community capacity to develop age-friendly communities that confidently engage older people in community activities; Support good physical and mental health, and alleviate social isolation for older people by increasing older people s participation in active living programs and activities; Foster community development by increasing the social and economic participation and life-long learning opportunities for older people in local communities; and Establish projects for seniors community participation that are replicable in other communities and locations, and develop knowledge and learnings for sharing. The outcomes of the grants program is to ensure that funded projects will: Increase the number of older people participating in community led activities that promote good health, wellbeing and social connectedness; Increase community awareness of the causes of social isolation of older people and how to maintain and support community participation of older people; Increase social and economic participation and lifelong learning opportunities for older people in local communities; and Increase engagement of older people in community leadership and volunteering. Two stage approach Program grants of $100,000 are available to deliver projects over two years, in two stages. Councils, services and community organisations working with older people are asked to work in partnership within the local government area. A lead organisation must be nominated to manage the expression of interest, receive and manage funds; facilitate the local partnership and lead consultations, project planning and implementation. In most cases, the lead organisation will be the council. However other agencies can be nominated to be the lead organisation, if required. Stage 1 Consultation and Planning Up to $20,000 of the grant is available (via the lead organisation) to consult with local organisations and the older population, and to develop detailed project plans for creating agefriendly communities which will include the following elements:-

2 Demonstration of consultation with, and inclusion of, older people in all aspects of the development and implementation of projects, for example, the design of the project, project governance, project planning, project delivery and project evaluation; Evidence of a partnership approach for the design and delivery of projects; and Descriptions of each of the proposed projects. The project plan template will be provided. Stage 2 Project plan implementation Once the project plans have been received and agreed with the Services, the remaining funding will be used to manage implementation of the project plans. The lead organisation will be required to provide sixmonthly reports and a final report at the completion of the projects to the Department of Health and Human Services. There is no limit to the number of projects within a plan, but the total expenditure on consultation and projects cannot exceed the overall funding of $100,000. Roles and responsibilities Lead organisation The funding agreement will be with the lead organisation. Rural and regional councils are invited to submit proposals for funding and are required to demonstrate that they: Are the lead organisation, or have a partnership agreement with a community organisation who will act as the lead organisation. Will manage the expression of interest, receive and manage the funds, facilitate local partnerships, and lead consultations, project planning, project implementation, reporting and evaluation. Have sound consultation mechanisms, or a commitment to establishing these, to ensure that funded projects are driven by the input and engagement of older people. A partnership agreement form, stating the arrangements for the partnership members to work together, must be submitted with the Expression of Interest (EOI) Form. Partners Councils, local community and service organisations working with older people are encouraged to work collaboratively, share information and responsibility, and contribute resources to the Age-Friendly Victoria initiative. Each organisation within the partnership is expected to be actively involved in the development, implementation and ongoing operation of funded projects to achieve a common goal. Relevant local community organisations working with older people include, but are not limited to: Community Health Centres, Primary Health Networks, GPs; Local CHSP Assessment Service; Falls Prevention Programs; Peak bodies VicHealth, Diabetes Australia, Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria, Council on the Ageing, Alzheimer s Australia, National Seniors Association; Fitness related organisations YMCA, local gyms; Seniors clubs - Senior Citizens Centres, U3A s, Probus, Rotary; Community organisations - Neighbourhood houses, community centres, Men s Sheds, volunteer resource centres, Country Women s Association, Returned and Services League, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, and culturally diverse agencies. Municipal Association of Victoria The Municipal Association of Victoria will support councils and partner organisations to coordinate information provision, evaluation and reports of projects to the Services. Expressions of interest and eligibility Expressions of Interest for the Age-Friendly Communities Grants program are invited from Victorian rural and regional councils. Councils are asked to work with local community organisations to agree on partnerships and nominate a lead organisation to submit an EOI and Partnership Agreement forms. The EOI form will identify relevant community groups and stakeholders to be consulted in the consultation and planning process. Partnership Agreements will seek to clarify the organisations involved, the lead organisation and arrangements for management of the partnership. Proposed timelines must be provided. Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program Guidelines 2

3 Organisations eligible to act as the lead organisation are: Victorian local government authorities Incorporated not-for-profit community-based organisations Charitable organisations Recipients of Improving Liveability for Older People funding, previous Age-Friendly Communities Grants and Strengthening Seniors Inclusion and Participation Grants are ineligible to apply for funding in the Age-Friendly Communities Grants program funding round. Applications must be complete and submitted electronically to by 5 pm 15 May. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Assessment of applications The grants program is a competitive process and applicants are advised to ensure they carefully address the assessment criteria. Assessment of applications will be undertaken by a panel established by the Seniors Programs and Participation Unit. Assessment criteria EOIs will be assessed according to the following criteria: Criterion 1 Criterion 2 Criterion 3 Criterion 4 Criterion 5 Criterion 6 Demonstrated need for establishing age-friendly communities in the local government area Demonstrated ability to engage older people in planning and consultation Demonstrated experience working with community members and community organisations to respond to the needs of older people Demonstrated experience of effective partnerships Demonstrated capacity to manage projects and funding Identification of strategies to embed age-friendly practices beyond the project (s). Funding conditions The following conditions of funding for the grants program apply: The grant recipient (lead organisation) must enter into a Funding Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services that sets out the conditions and reporting requirements of the grant. The project must commence within six (6) weeks of entering into the Funding Agreement. Funds must be spent on the project as described in the submitted project plans. Planned projects must be submitted to the Services for approval before proceeding to implementation stage. Any variation to the approved projects must be submitted to the Services in writing for approval prior to implementation. At the conclusion of the Funding Agreement, any unspent funds must be returned to the Department of Health and Human Services. Grant recipients are required to share learnings, tools and resources developed from their project to progress the Age-Friendly Victoria initiative. Funding exclusions The following expenses are considered to be outside the scope of the grants program and will not be funded: Major capital expenditure such as building renovations; Routine or cyclical maintenance works for existing facilities; The purchase of a vehicle or associated costs; Ongoing operational costs (e.g. salaries, rent, utilities); Projects requiring ongoing funding from the Victorian Government other than the initial grant; Requests for retrospective funding for projects that have already started or have been completed; Existing programs, projects, products or services; Projects that are funded by or duplicate an existing government program or service; Costs to cover existing debt or budget deficits; or Projects that are run by an organisation outside the relevant council boundaries. Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program Guidelines 3

4 Reporting requirements The grants program reporting requirements are supported by the Municipal Association of Victoria. The following reporting requirements apply: Lead organisations must provide a detailed report on their consultations with older people, and the consultation and planning processes undertaken in developing the projects (to be included in the project plan). Completion of six monthly progress report(s), final project report; financial and acquittal reports must be submitted to Services detailing the following but not limited to: Type, location and number of activities undertaken during the reporting period; Number of seniors who participated in each activity; Efforts undertaken to embed new, improved practices in the local area; Expenditure for the reporting period and remaining balances against all line items; and Descriptions of successful replicable projects and agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services to share knowledge, resources and learnings from these projects. Services Image Consent Forms must be submitted to project participants for all photos used in publications. The Services recognises that program objectives and timeframes developed for the application may change through the development and implementation of the program. Any such changes should be discussed and negotiated with Department of Health and Human Services staff. Useful resources for applicants (2016) /media/seniors/files/commissioner-for-seniorvictorians/ageing-is-everyones-businessweb.pdf Improving Liveability for Older People in small towns (ILOP) Good Practice guide Guidelines and Toolkit for Social Connection Initiatives content/uploads/2017/01/2016-social- Connections-Toolkit.pdf Colac Otway Shire Council Positive Ageing Ambassadors Toolkit and Age friendly Cities and Communities Information kit for local government councillors and senior management (July 2017) Age Friendly regional communities Age Friendly Community Planning Guide (2014) Creating Age Friendly Communities in Small Towns Project Global Age Friendly Cities: A Guide World Health organisation (2007) e_friendly_cities_guide_english.pdf Key dates Date Activity Applicants may wish to refer to some of the following resources for guidance:- Resource Age-Friendly Victoria Declaration better state and local government planning for the creation of age-friendly communities /media/seniors/files/age-friendly-victoria/agefriendly-victoria-declaration Ageing is everyone s business a report on isolation and loneliness among senior Victorians 24 April 5 PM 15 May Opening date for Expressions of Interest for Age-Friendly Communities Grants. Closing date for Expressions of Interest (EOI), Partnership Agreements and supporting documents submitted by lead organisations to the Department of Health and Human Services. Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program Guidelines 4

5 Date Activity June Successful applicants notified. October Sixmonthly June 2020 Partnership agreements approved; funding released. Stage 1: Consultation and project planning commences. Stage 2: Project Implementation plans submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services, including full report on consultation with older local community. Projects commence following Services approval. Lead organisations report to the Services/Municipal Association of Victoria on progress of projects at six monthly intervals from commencement of projects. Completion of funded projects and final reports and acquittal due to the Services. To receive this publication in an accessible format phone (03) , using the National Relay Service if required, or Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. State of Victoria, Services April. Available at Contact information For further information about the grants program or application requirements please contact:- Gillian Dickson-Hughes Seniors Program and Participation Unit Services t: (03) Monday to Thursday e: gilian.dickson-hughes@dhhs.vic.gov.au Jan Bruce Positive Ageing Policy Adviser Municipal Association of Victoria t: (03) e: jbruce@mav.asn.au Age-Friendly Communities Grants Program Guidelines 5