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Glen Waverley Uniting Church Congregation Outreach Projects, Overall Procedures

COP Overall Procedures V2014 V1.pdf contains the 2014 procedures. These were revised following a resolution of a meeting of the congregation in December 2016 - see http://wiki.gwuc.org.au/gwuc/CongMeetingMinutes20161213

1. Congregation Outreach Project (COP) Selection Panel

1.1. The Panel is a group co-opted each year by the Community Outreach Group.

1.2. Panel members shall have no involvement or connection with any of the submitted Projects.

2. Timing

2.1. Community Outreach Group shall select the COP Selection Panel by latest mid February each year. The Selection Panel shall attend the February (prerred) Community Outreach Group meeting to ensure that the duties and Assessment Criteria are understood particularly the Account details.

2.2. Community Outreach Group shall call for Grant Applications by late March complete with the publication of the Project Assessment Criteria.

2.3. Project submissions are required by late-April (checking the effect of timing of Easter each year).

2.4. The Selection Panel’s decisions on submissions shall be completed by early June.

2.5. The Selection Panel’s recommendations shall then be made known to the Community Outreach Group.

2.6. Community Outreach Group shall arrange for the recommendations to be advertised to the congregation two weeks prior to the Congregational Meeting.

2.7. The Selection Panel shall deliver the recommendations to the Congregational Meeting in July including identification of the GWUC proposer.

3. Applications

3.1. Applications may be submitted either as paper on the form provided (hard copies) or electronic (as a WORD file on the format provided) attached to an email. A pdf file is NOT acceptable.

3.2. Advertising for submissions shall clearly state the above and the mail/email address for submissions.

3.3. The COP Selection Panel shall:

• ensure that a GWUC member is proposing each Project,
• manage the receipt of submissions (so that they are not mislaid),
• acknowledge receipt of each submission in writing to the applicant within one week of receipt,
• meet with each applicant to ensure that the Panel understands the Project and the submission, e.g. the overall Project scope, total Project cost, and that all Application requirements are understood and completed

• assess each project and confirm that they satisfy the requirements of the Assessment Criteria for Congregational Outreach Projects document (http://wiki.gwuc.org.au/gwuc/CopAssessmentCriteria). The Panel shall review:

  1. Banking details to ensure name of bank and full Account details are provided. The Account shall be legitimate and belonging to the Project. If a third party account is proposed this arrangement shall be agreed with Community Outreach Group before the Project is recommended.
  2. Estimate details to support funding request, If necessary Panel to obtain answers from Applicants regarding possible shortfalls and/or lack of details to fully assess Projects,
  3. That only one organisation is being supported by each Application
• select Projects and funding,
• after Project selection, advise all applicants in writing the recommendations.

The Template for COP funding allocation spreadsheet, attached, is to aid allocation of money across the Projects. Editing note form John Snare. The reference template is not yet linked.

4. Project Recommendations

4.1. Community Outreach Group shall recommend the total amount ($X) to be originally allocated across the selected Projects based on recent Fete income.

4.2. The COP Selection Panel recommendation shall include a statement as to whether ALL or only part of the Fete total income should be allocated to the Projects this year.

4.3. The COP Selection Panel’s recommendations shall include how any excess or shortfall (to the amount in 4.1 above) shall be allocated.

4.4. Following the declaration of the Fete Total income, the Community Outreach Group shall advise the successful Applicants in writing of any change in the allocated funding so that the Applicants can keep the recipients accurately informed.

4.5. Community Outreach Group shall, in conjunction with the successful Applicant, be responsible for preparing the covering letter accompanying the funding cheque including checking of relevant names of the recipient and organisation, and the address.

4.6. Community Outreach Group shall arrange for the presentation of the funding to each recipient, and encourage feedback on the outcome of the funding.

4.7. COP Funds will not be available until after the Fete net income is declared.

4.8. The congregation recognizes that the COP Committee works on their behalf and at times may need to make difficult choices. The projects recommended for support are to be those that are most likely to achieve a full and successful outcome from the receipt of COP funds. Some projects may not be funded to ensure successful projects are able to be completed.

5. Panel Tenure

5.1. To provide for a range of views across the Church and to limit the chore of the task, it is recommended that COP Selection Panel membership be limited to a maximum 3 year tenure.