Page 644 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019
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(1) The Community Services Directorate uses the online Smarty Grants platform and has dedicated staff to provide technical assistance to grant applicants throughout the grant process to ensure everyone can access and understand the form and process. All grant rounds and guidelines include the direct phone number and email address for the Service Funding Support Team. The Service Funding Support Team are highly skilled in the use of SmartyGrants and in assisting with technical difficulties that applicants may be experiencing while applying for a grant.
The Environment Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) makes the ACT Heritage Grants Program “Guidelines for Applications” available both digitally and in paper form on request. The Guidelines provide details on how to obtain the publication in alternative formats, such as large print, and contact numbers for a translating and interpreting service for those whose first language is not English.
Additionally, EPSDD grants for Actsmart programs, Community Garden Grants and Community Zero Emission Grants also use the online Smarty Grants platform for the application and assessment process.
The uptake of grants has improved since the introduction of the online system, over the previously used paper system, as it allows for a more streamlined approach for applicants and support for completion for community groups. Although the online forms are not multilingual, all applications are visible once they are commenced, which allows Actsmart to make contact and offer application support to any organisations, including CALD community groups.
Actsmart provide information sessions to allow community organisations to ask questions and seek assistance in the application process.
Skills Canberra does not directly provide grants to individuals or groups in CALD communities. Skills Canberra does provide grants to businesses which may provide services to people in Canberra’s CALD communities. For example, many successful projects targeting people in CALD communities who experience barriers to using digital technology have been funded by the ACT Adult Community Education (ACE) Grants Program in recent years. These projects are delivered by organisations with close ties to the CALD community of interest.
In 2019 the ACT Adult Community Education Grants Program will include a focus on providing opportunities for participants to develop their digital literacy, reading and writing skills.
The ACT Health Promotion Grants Program (ACTHPGP) includes details in its funding guidelines about translation and interpreting services to make its information more accessible. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact (face-to-face meetings, telephone and/or email) the ACTHPGP to seek further information about available funding opportunities, to discuss their project ideas and to seek more information about the application process.
(2) The Community Services Directorate is not planning to introduce paper applications for grant programs. The applicant feedback received (as per below table) indicates that overall, applicants find the SmartyGrants system easy to navigate. The use of the Smarty Grants system ensures a consistent and transparent approach to the expenditure of grant funding.
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