yes Optus Community Grants Program 2015: Application Process, Guidelines and Terms and Conditions [23-09-2014]
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 2 Application Process The yes Optus community grants program 2015 (the Program ) offers funding to eligible non-profit organisations who strive to provide critically needed services and opportunities to young people in need within their community. We provide grants of between a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $10,000 to each successful applicant. Applications can only be entered via the online application form at optus.com.au/grants. Applications will close at 5pm AEST, 31 st October 2014. Below are the questions in the application form which need to be answered in order to apply for funding under the Program. Before applying, you will need to read the Program Terms and Conditions at the end of this document. Successful applicants registered as GST taxpayers will be required to supply a tax invoice for the grant amount. Non GST registered organisations will receive a GST exclusive amount and will also be required to submit an invoice to Optus. Application form questions: Organisation and contact details: Organisation Name o Please provide your full registered organisation s name. Do you have an ACN or ABN registration number? Do you have a current Deductible Gift Recipient status? o Organisations without DGR status are not eligible to apply for a yes Optus Community Grant. If you are unsure of your organisation s Deductible Gift Recipient status, click here to search the Australian Business Register Contact person o Please provide the details of the contact person for this application Address
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 3 o Please provide the details of the organisation s postal address Contact phone o Contact number of person making the application. Please include the area code if calling from a landline. Email o Email address of person making the application Background o Please provide a brief description of the organisation s background and purpose, and the service the organisation provides to the community. Max. 250 words. Please confirm you have authorisation from the organisation to apply for this grant o All applications must be made with the approval and consent of the organisation for which the application is made. Optus reserves the right to request written proof of this approval. How did you hear about the grants? You may choose more than one option. o Tell us how you heard about the grants. Was it through someone who works for Optus (either in one of our Yes Stores or in our offices)? If so, please provide their name, store (if relevant) and contact number. If it wasn t through an Optus staff member, that s OK. It doesn t impact your application. Is an Optus employee supporting your application? o We encourage our people to nominate a cause that matters to them. This is known as supporting an application. If an Optus employee is supporting your application, please provide their name, store (if relevant) and contact number. If you don t have an Optus staff member supporting this application, that s ok. It does not impact the chances of your application being successful. Are you an Optus Employee? If yes, please let us know your name, email address and contact number. Promotions o If successful, please indicate any ways in which your organisation will promote Optus contribution. Provide quotes and approve a media release by Optus Participate in photo opportunities and approve photographs for media release
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 4 Participate in filming opportunities and approve video for media release and/or advertising Participate in media interviews for Optus, either for print of broadcast Acknowledge the Optus Community grant in any media activity about the project Acknowledge the Optus Community Grant on the organisation s website and social media channels Acknowledge the Optus Community Grant in any newsletters by the organisation Use the Optus logo in the project location Project Details: Project Name Project Summary max. 500 words Is this a new or existing project? Project Location please indicate where the majority of the project will take place Nominate your local Optus store o Type the name of the Optus store closest to the project location. You can find all of the Optus store using our Store Locator Project start date Project end date Project Selection Criteria o Please choose from which Selection Criterion you are seeking funding (see the Project Guidelines for an overview of the Selection Criteria). Whilst some projects may be eligible for more than one criterion, please choose the most appropriate criterion. Project critical need - max. 500 words o What is the critical need in the community and how will this project meet this need? Project evaluation max 250 words o How will your organisation evaluate the success of this project/activity? Project risks o Are there any project risks that Optus should be made aware of? o If yes, please describe these risks Funding required
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 5 o How much funding are you applying for? Optus Community Grants are for a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $10,000 including GST Please select how this funding will be mostly spent? o Whilst some projects may have many different expenditures, please choose the option which will receive the most of the Optus grant Technology hardware Technology software Training and development programs Technology services Equipment Materials Other Should your grant be successful and it is to fund technology or related services, then we ask you to visit your local Optus Store to see how they may be able to help you. To find your nearest Optus store, please use our Store locator page. Please indicate the total estimated cost of this project. Is the grant amount you applied for the total cost of the project? o Please note, operating and administration costs related to maintaining the existence of the non-profit organisation will not be considered for funding. These include: utility costs, general office supplies, labour costs, postage and couriers, maintenance, repairs, office equipment. Please read the Terms & Conditions and Program Guidelines for items and activities which will not be considered for funding. Please provide the breakdown of the grant expenditure: Will this project receive funding from any additional sources other than the Optus Grant? o If yes, please list these additional funding sources Please confirm that the grant amount will be used and applied solely for the purpose of the project stated in your application for funding. Please confirm you have read and understood the Program Terms and Conditions
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 6 Please see next page for Program guidelines and program Terms and Conditions
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 7 Program Guidelines About Optus Community Grants Optus Community Grants Like to help Australia s vulnerable youth? Great. We do too. Optus Community grants were born to help organisations like yours. To help the helpers. With funding of up to $10,000 for eligible organisations. Is it working? You tell us. In five years, we ve donated almost $1.2 million dollars to more than 200 community organisations across Australia. Now maybe it s your turn to get a helping hand. The 2015 Optus Community Grants open on 1 October 2014. Applications close on 31 October 2014. You will be notified of the outcome of your application by 17 December 2014. We will publish all those great projects we will be funding on this website shortly after they have been announced. Guidelines Program Guidelines Here are some guidelines to help you to prepare your application for funding. This is important information, so make sure you take the time to read these guidelines and the Program Terms and Conditions (at the end of this document) before completing your online application. Who can apply? To be eligible to apply for a grant, a non-profit organisation must have Deductible Gift Recipient ( DGR ) status. If your organisation does not have DGR status, you will not be eligible to apply. You can check if your organisation has DGR status online at www.abr.gov.au. Simply search by name or ABN to find if your organisation has this status. What age group is youth? We define youth or young people to mean people from the age of 4 up to the age of 26 years.
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 8 Selection Criteria for Applications All funded projects must address at least one of the Selection Criteria below: Education and employability: This Selection Criterion funds projects which help to improve education outcomes. Projects funded will aim to close education gaps, help kids stay engaged in school and remove barriers to completing education or training. These projects may help young people with future career options and transitions to employment. Inclusion and Wellbeing: This Selection Criterion funds projects which help to improve young people s mental wellbeing and health. This Selection Criterion may include opportunities and accessibility for isolated and remote areas to ensure they have access to services. Access to technology: This Selection Criterion funds projects for young people who, due to disadvantage, don t have access to technology. Projects may focus on delivery of technology that enables or improves access. The following projects will not be considered for funding: > Individuals who are looking for support or fundraising > Events such as community and school fetes, golf days or charity dinners > Religious or political activities > General fundraising appeals > Everyday activities, loan repayments or operational deficits > Retrospective or deficit funding requests, e.g. funding of past expenses > Everyday operating or administration costs outside of the project > Professional fees (e.g. labour, salary and/or wages) can only account for up to 50% of the grant amount requested. The grant will only support these professional fees where a skill is being transferred (e.g. training for employment). Please note, we will only consider one application for a project in the Program funding round. Two or more parties cannot submit applications for the same project. However, we will accept applications for both new and existing projects. A new project is any project that has not been run for the same audience group, in the same location by your organisation before. An existing project is any project that has previously been run, and requires funding to continue or expand in the same location. Please
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 9 note grants will not be awarded for retrospective or deficit funding requests. How to Apply The opening date for applications is 1st October 2014. Applications can only be submitted via the online application form at www.optus.com.au/grants. Applications will close at 5pm AEST, 31 st October 2014. To help you prepare your submission, we have listed all the questions you need to complete in the Application Process section of this website. This is not the form you submit; it is only a preparation tool. How will my application be assessed? Assessment of applications will be made by a panel made up of senior Optus employees and also external representation with experience in not for profit organisations. Applications will be assessed according to: > How well your project meets the Selection Criteria > How well your project meets a critical need within the community > How your project benefits vulnerable youth > How well planned your project is, considering feasibility within the budget and timeframes > How well the impact of your program can be evaluated > How well your project implements technology or digital innovation Important Information Grant amount: We provide grants of between a minimum of $1000 and a maximum of $10,000 (excluding GST) to each successful applicant. Our panel will determine the amount granted during the assessment process. Period of Funding: Grants are for projects occurring in the next year, and the expenditure of the granted funds will need to be completed by 30 June 2015. Notification: All non-profit organisations who have applied for a grant will be notified by email by 17 th December 2014 regarding the outcome of their application.
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 10 Please keep in mind that if the project for which you have applied for funding is completed between the application closing date of 31 st October 2014 and the grant notification date of 17 th December 2014 it will not be funded. Enquiries If you have an enquiry about the Optus Community Grants program, please get in touch with us by email (grants@optus.com.au). We will respond to your query as soon as possible. Please note that, in order to be fair to all applicants, we do not offer individual guidance on applications or discuss applications over the phone. Program Terms and Conditions The following conditions apply to the yes Optus community grants program 2015 (the Program ): 1. All applications must be made online at the Program website www.optus.com.au/grants. Once your application is submitted, no further changes will be accepted. 2. Optus Administration Pty Limited ( Optus ) will only accept applications for funding from Charity Organisations defined as Australian incorporated organisations that have been endorsed by the Australia Tax Office (ATO) as Deductible Gift Recipients (DGR). Optus may request proof of your status as a Charity Organisation if your application for a grant is successful. If you are unsure of your organisation s tax status, check the Australian Government s ABN Lookup website: http://www.abr.business.gov.au/. 3. Optus will only accept applications from or on behalf of Charity or Community Organisations under the categories of Education and Employability, Inclusion and Wellbeing and Access to Technology (together the Selection Criteria ). 4. An application may only be submitted by the following persons: a. An authorised representative of a Charity Organisation or Community Organisation OR b. An Optus employee on behalf of a Charity Organisation or Community Organisation OR
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 11 c. A Yes Optus franchisee or a Yes Optus retail shop staff member on behalf of a Charity Organisation or Community Organisation. 5. All applications must be made with the approval and consent of the Charity Organisation or Community Organisation. Optus reserves the right to request written proof of this approval. 6. Only one application may be submitted for the same project. 7. Applications must meet at least one of the Selection Criteria set out in clause 3 in order to be considered for a grant. Optus will, at its sole discretion, determine if an application meets one of the Selection Criteria. 8. As the number of responses can be high, not every application that meets one of the Selection Criteria will necessarily receive a grant. 9. The number of grants awarded to not-for-profit organisations is at the discretion of Optus. 10. A grant will not be awarded for the following activities: a. Individuals who are looking for support or fundraising b. Events such as community / school fetes, golf days or charity dinners c. Religious or political activities d. General fundraising appeals e. Everyday activities, loan repayments or operational deficits f. Retrospective or deficit funding requests, e.g. funding of past expenses g. Everyday operating or administration costs outside of the project h. Professional fees (e.g. labour, salary and/or wages) can only account for up to 50% of the grant amount requested. The grant will only support these professional fees where a skill is being transferred (e.g. training for employment). 11. The grant will not provide Optus products or services but can be used to fund the purchase of Optus products or services. 12. Where projects involve purchasing technology or services, these purchases are to be made through an Optus Store where possible. 13. Optus will provide the successful organisation ( the Grantee ) with a one-off grant between the amounts of minimum $1000 and maximum $10,000 (excluding GST) which will be determined by the grant expenditure breakdown submitted by the applicant. The granted amount may vary from the submitted application request. The amount of each grant is entirely at Optus discretion. 14. Grantees registered as GST taxpayers will be required to supply a tax invoice for the grant amount. Non registered organisations will receive GST exclusive amounts and will also be required to submit an invoice to Optus.
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 12 15. The grant amount must be used and applied solely for the purpose of the project stated in the application, unless Optus agrees to a variation in writing. 16 Expenditure of the funds so granted shall be completed by 30 th June 2015. 18. The Grantee must complete a report on its activities in a form nominated by Optus before 30 th June 2015. 19. Should the actual total project costs be more than the proposed project costs, Optus will not be responsible nor obliged to pay any monies additional to the notified grant amount. 20. If, at any time, the stated purpose of the project is no longer possible and cannot be completed in the manner described in the online application and proposal submitted to Optus, the Grantee must advise Optus of the inability to complete the stated purpose and any remaining unspent amount of the grant shall be returned to Optus within two weeks of this becoming apparent. However, Optus may agree to a variation in writing which alters the purpose provided that the variation still meets the initial Selection Criteria. 21. The Grantee must keep and maintain adequate insurance (including public liability insurance) for the activities carried out by the Grantee in relation to this project, against any claims for loss or damage to property and injury or death to persons. 22. Optus financial assistance to the project must be acknowledged, regardless of the amount of funding. This is a condition of the Grantee s funding. To acknowledge Optus financial assistance, please display the Optus logo, or state in writing that Optus has funded your project. Optus must be acknowledged for the duration of the project. Optus may not be referred to for any purposes outside of the activity/project. The Optus logo and logo guidelines will be supplied by Optus, and these guidelines must be complied with whenever the Optus logo is used. 23. All advertising, signage, media releases and other promotional material that contains the Optus logo or reference to the Optus funding must be submitted to and approved by Optus prior to its production and release. Optus reserves the right to make amendments prior to the release of the materials. 24. Optus may request to use photos of its grant recipients in Optus publications and websites as agreed between both parties. 25. Optus may request that grant recipients take part in media activities such as photo opportunities for a local newspaper, national advertising (including TV) or providing quotes for media releases.
Grants Application Form & T&Cs Page 13 26. An Optus representative from the Program team may visit the project site, before and throughout the funding period, at times as agreed between both parties. 27. The Grantee shall not do or say anything or cause anyone to do or say anything that may prejudice or cause damage to the name and reputation of Optus. 28. These Terms and Conditions are to be read together with the Guidelines before online applications are submitted. Together, these form the terms of the agreement for the grant. The term of this agreement is one year ( Term ). 29. During the Term the Grantee undertakes not to accept funding from or promote a Competitor of Optus for the same project. Competitor of Optus means: a. Telstra Corporation; b. Vodafone Hutchison Australia (t/a Vodafone and 3) c. Foxtel; d. any person offering telecommunications, internet or pay-television services in Australia; and e. any Related Body Corporate (as that term is defined in the Corporations Act 2001) of any person in sub-clauses (a) to (d) above. End of Document.