Grants Template Wizard
The Grants Template Wizard is available to help officials determine which grant opportunity guidelines template to use before you prepare grants opportunity guidelines. The Grants Template Wizard is based on the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024 (CGRPs).
Before preparing guidelines, officials should refer to the Checklist for officials briefing ministers on proposed grants.
This checklist includes:
- the minimum requirements that officials must include when preparing a brief for ministers who are approvers of a grant or group of grants
- information officials must include when briefing ministers, such as providing clear advice on the merits of the proposed grant, or grants, relative to the grant opportunity guidelines and the key principle of achieving value with relevant money.
RMG-410 also provides further information on:
- briefing requirements that apply to grants administration
- ministerial reporting requirements
- evaluation strategies
- how to deliver election commitments through grants
- the publication and reporting requirements for GrantConnect.
For further information and support email grants@finance.gov.au.
Disclaimer
The Commonwealth may update the information in the Grants Template Wizard from time to time as required. However, the Commonwealth does not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained in the Grants Template Wizard.
The Commonwealth recommends that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to their use of the Grants Template Wizard and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, and completeness of the information they enter into the Grants Template Wizard.
The Grants Template Wizard will and is only intended to provide an estimated template type based on the information entered. The Grants Template Wizard is not a substitute for independent professional advice and users should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.
The Commonwealth makes no representations or warranties regarding the condition or functionality of the Grants Template Wizard, its suitability for use or that use of the Grants Template Wizard will be uninterrupted or error-free.
I have read and understand the disclaimer and the limitations of the system.
There are a number of factors to consider when determining which grant opportunity template to use:
- What is the eligibility criteria?
- Does the selection process consider eligibility and assessment?
- Does the selection process assess for merit using assessment criteria, but not assess against other potential grantees?
- Are potential grantees compared against each other?
- Does the grant meet the one-off ad hoc grant definition in the CGRPs?
A decision tree is also available to assist in selecting the correct template for your grant opportunity.
Which template to use?
Is the grant opportunity open to all types of Australian organisations, businesses and/or individuals?
The types of grants include:
- Open to all Australian organisations and/or individuals, and not otherwise restricted or targeted.
Is the grant opportunity targeted to potential grantees with specific characteristics?
This type of grant opportunity could be where a targeted or select group of applicants from a particular location, sector or industry are intended to be able to submit applications. An example would be where only businesses in a particular sector or industry are eligible to apply.
- Targeted to potential grantees with specific characteristics i.e. experience, qualifications, location, circumstance, entity type, etc.
Is the grant opportunity restricted to a single of few recipients?
This type of grant opportunity is where only a single applicant or group of applications are invited to submit applications. An example would be where only one of a small group of organisations can apply for the grants.
- Restricted to potential grantees by organisation name.
Does the application selection process only consider eligibility criteria?
This type of selection process is where an applicant satisfies stated eligibility criteria, such as type of organisations and/or individuals that are eligible to receive a grant. In this circumstance, the applicants are not assessed against any other criteria and applications are not compared against others. Examples of eligibility criteria to select potential applicants, includes (but not limited to):
Type of organisation such as not-for-profit, location, type of industry, nominated circumstances affecting an individual
Does this application selection process consider eligibility criteria and assessment criteria?
Assessment criteria are the specified principles or standards against which applications will be judged. These criteria are used to assess the merits of proposals and, in the case of a competitive grant opportunity, to determine application ranking, such as by demonstrated experience, suitability of an idea to meet the objectives of the grant and/or financial viability. An example may be where applications are to be compared against other applications to determine potential Grantees due to limited funding.
Does the selection process assess against assessment criteria, but not against other potential Grantees?
Where the assessment criteria are used to assess the merits of applications, but are not compared to other applications. This type of assessment is most commonly used for non-competitive processes.
Are eligible grantees compared against each other for relative merit?
Where the assessment criteria are used to assess the merits of applications, and then compared to other applicants and ranked, such as from most to least suitable. This type of assessment is most commonly a competitive process.
Is the grant an election commitment, gift, sponsorship or to a single recipient?
An example of this type of grant would be an entity has been asked to provide a grant to an organisation the Government made a commitment to fund during an election.
Demand Driven Process has been identified
Grant opportunities which require only eligibility criteria and do not have a merit process using assessment criteria:
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
Contact the Grants team if you need assistance or further guidance
Non Competitive Process
For grant opportunities using an open non-competitive selection to assess potential grantees use:
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
Competitive Process
For grant opportunities using an open competitive or targeted competitive selection process to assess potential grantees use:
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
Does this grant meet the definition of an one-off or ad hoc grant (CGRPs 2.4e) ?
One-off or ad hoc grants are due to an unforeseen and urgent matter or circumstance; to meet a specific need that does not involve a planned selection process, nor are they available on an ongoing basis. These grants are only intended for one or a small select group of recipients.
Is the recipient known to previously funded by the entity? Does the entity have information to make an assessment without an application?
Where the assessment criteria are used to assess the merits of on applicants, where suitability can be determined without a written application and are not compared to other applications. This type of assessment is most used for closed non-competitive non application approach.
One off or ad hoc grants
One-off or ad hoc grants are generally due to an urgent matter or circumstance and do not involve planned selection processes, nor are they available on an ongoing basis. These grants are generally not available to a range of potential grantees. For one-off ad hoc grants use the:
Grant opportunity guidelines are required for all grants, including one-off or ad hoc grants. However, the format, complexity and approval processes may vary, depending on the grant.
For example, if an entity provides a sponsorship grant, and this sponsorship does not fall within an existing grant opportunity, then officials may either develop overarching guidelines that would cover all sponsorships, or develop specific guidelines attached or incorporated into a brief to the decision-maker or sponsorship letter.
At a minimum, guidelines for one-off or ad hoc grants should include the purpose or description of the granting activity, the objectives, the selection process, any reporting and acquittal requirements and any evaluation mechanisms.
Guidelines for one-off or ad hoc grants are not required to be published on an entity's website, and are not subject to the mandatory processes relating to approval of new or revised grant opportunity guidelines. For transparency purposes, entities may still choose to publish these guidelines on GrantConnect.
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
Please contact the Grants Team
Gifts, Sponsorships and Single Grant Recipients
For grant opportunities using this approach use:
This template is intended for situations where only a single grant is available and there is just one specifically identified potential recipient. This may include gifts of relevant money, sponsorships or election commitments.
The template is designed to offer entities greater flexibility when developing grant opportunity guidelines for these types of grants. Additional sections from other grant opportunity templates can be incorporated as needed to address specific requirements.
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
A7. Closed non-competitive
This template should be used for closed non-competitive based approaches and use:
- Closed non-competitive and closed non-competitive non-application template.
Where eligibility is limited to a single or a few grantees. Applicants may be invited by the entity to submit an application or proposal for a particular grant.
Applications (or proposals) are:
- not assessed against other applicants’ submissions, but
- are assessed individually against the selection criteria.
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
Closed non-competitive (non-application)
This template should be used for closed non-competitive non-application based approaches and use:
- Closed non-competitive and closed non-competitive non-application template.
Where eligibility is limited to a single or a few grantees, who are not required to provide an application or proposal. This type of process may be applicable in areas of ongoing service delivery where the relevant entity determines that they hold or can obtain sufficient information to undertake a grant assessment. The grant opportunity should still explain what will be considered in determining proper use and value with relevant money.
All Grant Opportunity Guidelines must be consistent with the CGRPs and be published on GrantConnect. The CGRPs outlines the various selection process and provides detailed information on each type of grant opportunity.
