Community Grants - Assessment Process

How we assess your application

All applications are initially assessed by Mary MacKillop Today staff for eligibility and fit with the Purpose and Selection Criteria.
Eligible applications are then assessed by the Grants Committee that includes parties with relevant professional expertise.
Recommendations for funding provided by the Grants Committee are approved by the Mary MacKillop Today Board and Chief Executive Officer.

Things we priorities when assessing applications

Initiatives supported by the Mary MacKillop Today Community Grants Program include projects that:

Increase aspiration and confidence to undertake learning (e.g. mentoring, bridging or transitional education)
Improve access to education or learning opportunities for people who are vulnerable (e.g. by supporting learning opportunities in remote communities, enabling access to technology, breaking down learning barriers for people with disability)
Improve the quality of education or learning opportunities available to people who are vulnerable (e.g. training for parents or caregivers, development of teaching and learning resources, ensuring learning environments are culturally and linguistically inclusive)
Provide learning opportunities which empower people to strengthen skills for self-sufficiency (e.g. transition to work projects, health literacy and health promotion, financial literacy or leadership activities).

Projects must focus on members of the Australian community who may experience marginalisation, vulnerability or exclusion. Particular groups include:

Women and girls
First Nations people (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
People from refugee backgrounds, people seeking asylum and/or newly arrived migrants
People with disability
Other key vulnerable communities and groups

Additional information

Full or partial funding: While cuts to the amount requested will be avoided, consideration will be given to partial funding of projects where specific desired results can still be achieved, based on itemised budgets.

Ready access to other sources of funds: Preference will be given to applications unlikely to be able to access funds from other sources.

Evaluation of impact: Grants are subject to a formal self-evaluation of activities and project impact at both the six-month mark and toward the end of the 12-month project timeframe.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

Selection Criteria	Assessment Questions i.e. “To what extent…”
1. Project is a strong fit with Mary MacKillop Today’s Mission and the Community Grants Program Priorities	Does the project align with Mary MacKillop Today’s mission and values? Does the project align well with one or more of the grants program priorities?
2. Project is a unique response to a community need	Is the project responding to a genuine need in the community? Is it clear that members of the affected community have identified this need and support the project?
3. Project is likely to have broad community impact	How many people will this project impact? Does the project promote the leadership of affected communities?
4. Project is likely to achieve sustainable change in the community	Will the project build skills for self-determination? Will the project lead to lasting change in the community (e.g. new skills, networks, resources or services that will continue after the project)?
5. Funding of up to $10,000 will be significant to the Grantee	Will the grant funding help the Grantee to ‘kick-start’ a new idea or strengthen their ongoing work? Will the grant funding help the Grantee demonstrate their impact and get ‘runs on the board’ for future funding applications? Is the organisation below the annual revenue threshold?
6. Applicant organisation has the ability to deliver the activities planned	Does the organisation have good relationships with and support from within the affected community? Does the organisation have the networks and partnerships it needs to achieve the planned response?

Notification

All applicants will hear of the outcomes from us by the first week of December 2022.