Purpose

 

The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust (Trust) is an Ancillary Fund (and a Public Fund) within the meaning of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth), established solely for the purpose of providing money, property or benefits to another fund, authority or institution which has been endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient.

 

The purpose of the Trust is to support Brisbane’s grassroots charities and other charitable grassroots activities, by using the high profile of the Trust to raise funds to be distributed to a range of worthy, lower profile and generally underfunded charitable organisations or charitable activities within Brisbane. As outlined in the Trust Deed, the Specific Purposes of the Trust are:

 

• To attract and retain for the Trust the continuing interest and financial support of members of the public

• To solicit donations, gifts, bequests and other forms of financial assistance

• To widen knowledge and understanding among the public of the Trust, its activities, needs and objectives

• To support organisations which do community work for the people of Brisbane; and

• To promote goodwill among the people of Brisbane and their relationship with the Lord Mayor and Brisbane City Council.

 

The Trust may from time-to-time initiate specific programs and causes to assist in the community. Applications from small and medium charities, as classified by the ACNC, will be prioritised by the Trust when considering awarding grants. Applications from charities classified as large from the ACNC may only be considered by the Trust if the applicant seeks a grant specifically for a project or activity that has an impact at a grassroots level.

 

The Ratepayer Grant is aimed at providing funding to grassroots charities and organisation and for charitable grassroots activities delivered within the Brisbane City Council local government area. A grassroots charity, organisation or activity is a charity, organisation or an activity which is community-based and inclusive, seeking to address frontline local issues which may include health and wellbeing, social injustice, poverty or economic inequity.

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Eligibility  

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An organisation is eligible to apply for this grant if all the following criteria are met:

 

• Has Deductible Gift Recipient status

• Is an incorporated body with:

• not for profit objectives; and

• a charitable purpose(s).

• The benefit afforded by the Trust is provided directly to recipients residing within the Brisbane City Council local government area by the organisation

• The organisation is registered with the appropriate regulatory body (ACNC, ASIC etc.) and operates in Australia

• The organisation intends to use the benefit for the endorsed purposes set out in their Deductable Gift Recipient status and in accordance with their constitution.

• The organisation is located or provides services within the Brisbane City Council local government area.

 

​Ineligibility

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The following are ineligible applicants:

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• Employees of the Brisbane City Council

• Employees and relatives of the Lord Mayor and the Trustees of the Trust

• Government or semi-government organisations

• Unions and student guilds

• Professional associations

• Investors of the Trust and their associated entities

• Organisations registered as a company limited by shares; and

• Organisations that are Public Ancillary Funds.

 

Organisations which are not eligible to apply for a grant in their own right cannot apply for a grant through an eligible organisation. In the same way, an organisation cannot apply on behalf of another eligible organisation. To remove doubt, auspicing arrangements with and between organisations will not be considered.

 

The following are ineligible applications:

 

• Applicant with outstanding acquittals from previous rounds

• Capital funding for infrastructure building; and

• Any activity that does not provide a direct benefit to the community such as;

• General salaries or wages

• Marketing costs and materials including social media

• Rent and lease costs

• Administration expenses

• Repayment of debts or loans

• Items purchased from overseas suppliers

• Any other operational costs of the organisation

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Applications

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The Trust may choose to receive and consider applications as part of its grant round process on an “as and when considered appropriate” basis. The Trust reserves the right to add to, amend or forgo any grant rounds as they see fit.

 

Only one application from each organisation will be considered at a time. Organisations must not submit multiple applications or apply in a subsequent round if a previous application is still valid for consideration by the Trust

 

The application must be completed online to the Trust on or before the grant closing date and time as published on the Trust’s website, otherwise the application may be deemed ineligible.  Late applications may not be accepted.

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Assessment of Application

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Trustees of the Trust will assess applications against the following criteria:

 

• Does this application fall within the Specific Purposes of the Trust?

• Does the organisation do charitable or good works for the community?

• Is the project, proposal or activity one that will deliver genuine direct benefit to the community?

• Is the project, proposal or activity delivering a grassroots benefit?

• Is the organisation funded elsewhere, and if so, by whom?

• Is the organisation located or does it provide services within the Brisbane City Council local government area?

• The size of the charity as classified by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission.

• Will the benefit afforded by the Trust be provided directly to clients residing within the Brisbane City Council local government area?

• Amount of Trust funds available to be distributed

 

The Trustees reserve the right to:

 

• exercise the Trust’s discretion in the assessment of an application; and

• choose a particular cause to which it intends to direct part or all of its funds.

 

Applications for projects delivering grassroots charitable benefits will be looked upon favourably.

 

Please note: applications for amounts of $10,000 (the threshold) or below will be considered more favourably than applications for funding exceeding this threshold.

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Application procedure

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Applications must be submitted via the Trusts online form with the following required supporting documents:

 

• Letter of Deductable Gift Recipient status

• Most recent audited financial statements

• Quotes/estimates for requested items or to conduct the activity

• Proof the organisation intends to provide the benefit afforded by the Trust directly to recipients residing within the Brisbane City Council local government area

• High resolution logo; and

• One A4 page submission in support of the grant application detailing in brief

• the nature and focus of the charity

• the item/activity/proposal being applied for funding

• how the grant would provide direct benefit to the community; and

• expected impacts of or outcomes from the grant.

 

Applications received by the Trust after the closing date and time of the grant round, as publicised on the Trust’s website, and/or which do not have the required supporting documents attached may be deemed ineligible for a grant.

 

By signing the application form the applicant agrees to abide by the conditions of the grant.​

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Outcome of applications

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There are three outcomes for submitted applications:

 

• Approved in full

• Approved in part

• Not approved

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Applicants will be notified by the Trust regarding the outcome of their application.

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Accountability

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The organisation receiving a grant from the Trust must, within 3 months of grant receipt, complete an acquittal form (provided by the Trust) showing documentary evidence of the expenditure of the funds in accordance with the purpose the grant was provided. The acquittal must be accompanied by pre-approved images for promotional use of the activity or project that the grant supported.

 

The Trust reserves the right, following acquittal, to request the return of unexpended funds or funds expended for a purpose other than the purpose for which the grant was provided. If the recipient is unable to expend the funds (in full or part) for the approved purpose, the recipient must contact the Secretariat before expending further funds and seek the consent of the Trust in writing for a change of approved purpose. Consent is in the absolute discretion of the Trust. Where consent is not given by the Trust for the change in the approved purpose, the organisation must refund the funds to the Trust.

 

If the organisation fails to complete and return the acquittal form to the Trust within 3 months of grant receipt, the organisation may be ineligible to receive funding from the Trust in future grant rounds.

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Acknowledgement of Trust

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In any publicity or promotional opportunities made in relation to the grant from the Trust including social media, the Trust requests that it be acknowledged as the donor of the funds. Further, where the organisation publishes an annual report, the Trust would appreciate recognition of its grant within that report. The Trust will assist in making the Trust logo available for marketing collateral to assist with the acknowledgment.

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Privacy and Direct Marketing

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The Trust collects, uses, discloses and stores any personal information collected from an organisation using the application form in accordance with the Trust’s Privacy Policy. A copy of the Trust’s Privacy Policy may be found here or you may request a copy from the Trust by emailing the Trust at lmct@brisbane.qld.gov.au.

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By completing the application form you:

 

• consent to the Trust collecting, using, disclosing and storing any personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy and the conditions of grant; and

• consent to receiving newsletters, emails, SMS or similar electronic or physical communications from the Trust for the purpose of the Trust marketing the activities or business of the Trust; and

• consent to the use, publication, adoption and reproduction of photographs, images, designs, drawings and other visual media provided by you as part of your grant application, proposal, submission, acquittal reporting and other interaction with the Trust in relation to the grant of funds by the Trust to you, for any marketing and promotion of the Trust or related Trust activities.