1. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

Penrith City Council’s Magnetic Places Neighbourhood Renewal Community Cultural Grants Program provides support to initiatives with a creative, cultural or environmental focus in the neighbourhoods of the City. Initiatives share the aim of place-making: to activate local meeting spaces by harnessing the creative capacity of residents to share their stories, building connections and contributing to a vibrant city.

The program encourages collaboration between artists and residents through partnerships with schools, businesses and community organisations. For more about projects previously funded in the program visithttp://magneticplaces.blogspot.com/.

Magnetic Places is an initiative of Penrith Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Program. Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) involves residents of older, established suburbs and rural localities in the revitalisation of their suburbs. The 12 suburbs that are the focus of the program are Cambridge Park, Colyton, Cranebrook, Kingswood, Kingswood Park, Llandilo, Londonderry, North St Marys, Oxley Park, Penrith Suburb (outside of the CBD), St Marys and Werrington.

Applications proposing projects in these 12 neighbourhoods will be prioritised for funding however projects proposed in all suburbs of Penrith will be considered. Projects which respond to issues highlighted in a Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAP) for a suburb will be particularly prioritised. NAPs have been created by for 8 suburbs following an engagement process with residents to determine and prioritise concerns. NAPs can be accessed by contacting Council’s Cultural Development Officer - Local on 02 4732 8098 or 0481 000 455 or by emailingmagneticplaces@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au.

Magnetic Places includes 3 funding streams. Projects may apply in more than one of the following streams:

Stream 1 ($500-$1500) – Community Collaborations is directed at initiatives that offer creative responses to issues in local communities through a focus on place-making. Priority will be given to proposals that respond to issues identified in existing NAPs. Projects proposed in communities where a NAP does not exist will be asked to provide evidence of community collaboration.

Stream 2 ($5000-$8000) – Creative Communities focuses on initiatives that activate and bring to life public spaces and meeting places in local communities through quality creative and cultural engagement and expression of local residents. Priority will be given to proposals that are innovative in concept and build partnerships. Priority will be given to proposals that respond to issues identified in existing NAPs.

Stream 3 ($8000 to $15000 in Year 1 and $8000 to $15000 in Year 2) – Seeding Creativity targets projects that activate and transform a public space through creative and cultural collaboration with the local community, in a place-making initiative over 2 years. Priority will be given to projects that develop strategic partnerships with a range of organisations to highlight community strengths or respond to a community issue that emerges over the course of the project. Projects that demonstrate development from Year 1 to Year 2, and sustained outcomes beyond the life of the project will be prioritised.

The total amount of funds available for allocation under Magnetic Places is $50,000 for 2012-2013.

2. WHO CAN APPLY

Applicants can be:

• Individuals,
• Organisations (non-government),
• Groups (incorporated or unincorporated), or
• Businesses,

involved in the arts, community, cultural or environmental sectors. Applicants who are locally based or provide services and programs benefiting the residents of the Penrith Local Government Area are encouraged to apply.

Grants will not be provided for projects to cover a shortfall in an organisation’s funding or for fund-raising purposes. The funds provided by Council must not lead to an organisation or group becoming dependent on Council for ongoing financial support and consequently grants will not be provided for an annual or recurring event.

Grants will not be provided to groups that have not acquitted funds from the previous round of Magnetic Places funding.

Grants will not be provided to political parties.

3. HOW TO APPLY

Applications for a grant must be made online at http://penrith.smartygrants.com.au/magneticplaces2012. The online application form includes the following sections:

1. Project summary (all applicants)
   
   
2. Application details (all applicants)
   
   
3. Essential criteria (all applicants to address criteria for Stream 1, 2 or 3 only)
   
   
4. Project budget (all applicants – Stream 3 applicants to complete a 2 year budget)

1. Resident participation and community partnerships

• Resident participation (all applicants) and
• Community partnerships (Streams 2 and 3, optional for Stream 1)

1. Support material (Streams 2 and 3)
   
   
2. Declaration (all applicants)

It is strongly recommended that applicants discuss their project with Council’s Cultural Development Officer - Local, prior to finalising the online application. Please make contact on 02 4732 8098 or 0481 000 455 or emailmagneticplaces@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au.

Applicants are encouraged to upload supporting documentation to the online form. If you wish to send hard copies of supporting documentation please submit these on A4 paper or on CD in a format suitable for Windows PC’s. Please do not attach covering letters or any other items not requested in the guidelines.

Please send supporting documentation to:

Cultural Development Officer - Local

Penrith City Council
PO Box 60
Penrith NSW 2751

The closing date for all applications is 4.00pm Wednesday 7th November 2012.

Applications will not be accepted by fax. Late applications will not be accepted. Hard copies of supporting documentation must be received at Council and stamped on or before the closing date.

4. CRITERIA FOR FUNDING

4.1 ESSENTIAL CRITERIA (All Streams)

All projects must demonstrate in the online application that they meet all of the following Essential Criteria:

• The project must have a focus on place or place-making; AND

• The project must enhance access and equity for residents; AND

• The project must be completed by 30th June 2013. Stream 3 projects must be completed by 30th June 2014; AND

• Applicants must have a current certificate of cover for public liability insurance (a current quote for insurance cover can be included in the budget).

4.2 ESSENTIAL CRITERIA FOR STREAM 1

Projects applying for funds from $500 up to $1500 must:

• Respond to an issue identified in Council’s Neighbourhood Action Plan (NAP) for the local area, or where a NAP has not yet been developed the project must respond to an issue identified by a number of residents who live and /or work in the local community;
• Demonstrate a high level of resident involvement and active participation

4.3  ESSENTIAL CRITERIA FOR STREAM 2

Projects applying for funds from $5000 up to $8000 must:

• Demonstrate it will activate a gathering place, centre or public space in the community;
• Demonstrate collaboration across a range of partners;
• Describe the expected creative and cultural processes and outcomes;
• Describe involvement of community members as active participants in the production of creative programs.

4.4 ESSENTIAL CRITERIA FOR STREAM 3

Projects applying for funds of $8000 to $15000 over 2 years must:

• Demonstrate it will activate a gathering place, centre or public space in the community;
• Demonstrate collaboration across a range of partners;
• Describe the expected creative and cultural processes and outcomes in Years 1 and 2;
• Describe involvement of community members as active participants in the production of creative programs;
• Demonstrate the ongoing outcomes and sustainability of the project;
• Demonstrate how the project will benefit from a two-year period of funding.
  

5. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

In addition to the application form completed online, each submission must include:

• Contact details of least two residents involved in planning the project;
• Contact details of the listed project partners;
• Letters of support from the listed project partners.

Stream 2 and Stream 3 projects must also include:

• Artists and/or arts workers’ CV’s (no more than two pages in length);
• Support material that demonstrates the creative work of the proposed artist /arts workers to be engaged on the project. This may include CD, DVD, website pages, video or audio files. This must be no more than 5 pages or 5 minutes in length.

6. SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS

Applications will be assessed by a panel convened by Council Officers against the eligibility criteria. Council’s Place Manager will present a report to Council providing recommendations on which applications are proposed to be funded.

All decisions are final.

Once funding has been endorsed by Council all applicants, successful and unsuccessful, will be advised of Council’s decision via email as soon as practical.

Following notification of the results of the funding program, all successful applicants will be invited to attend a program information workshop. This workshop will confirm the objectives of the program as well as an outline project management strategies and Council protocol that should be adhered to. Details of the workshop will follow closer to the date in an email notifying applicants of the outcome of their project proposal.

The Cultural Development Officer – Local will be available to provide information and general support to successful applicants in the development of their projects.

7. REQUIREMENTS OF MANAGING THE GRANT

1.1   GENERAL

Successful applicants will:

• Accept the conditions of the grant that Council will detail;
• Attend the scheduled Magnetic Places best practice workshop;
• Seek written approval from Council as soon as possible if the purpose of or timeframes for which the grant was awarded is to be varied;
• Show high levels of community consultation in project development and implementation;
• Use project management principles in the administration of project including producing artists’ agreements, documenting approaches to risk management strategies and OH&S requirements.

.

1.2   PROMOTION

Council will:

• Provide a copy of its logo to successful applicants for use in advertising and promotion;
• Promote activities where appropriate through its Communications team.

Successful applicants will:

• Provide good quality digital photographs of activities and events for use by Council (in reports and other promotional material);
• Acknowledge the Magnetic Places Neighbourhood Renewal Community Cultural Grants Program on promotional material or in press releases;
• Supply electronic copies of draft promotional material to Council staff for review prior to finalising; and
• Extend invitations to elected Councillors to attend activities where appropriate and work closely with Council staff to ensure protocols are supported.

1.3   REPORTING

Once the project is completed, applicants will:

• Complete the acquittal from provided by Council by 30th June 2013 (for Stream 1 and 2 projects) or by 30th June 2014 (for Stream 3 projects);
• Stream 3 projects must also submit a progress report by 30th June 2012, describing progress of the project in relation to the plan submitted at the application stage, and incorporating any amendments to the original plan. Funding in Year 2 is contingent on reaching Year 1 outcomes as detailed in the original plan;
• Agree to a Council representative contacting successful applicants to interview them as part of the evaluation process; and
• Provide receipts for the purchase of equipment as part of the acquittal form, if funds were approved for this purpose. The purchased equipment is to be treated as an asset of the funded organisation. Should the organisation cease to exist the equipment must be returned to Council.

Failure to comply with these requirements will mean the funded organisation will not be eligible for grants in the future from Penrith City Council and in some instances may face legal proceedings.