Native Title Anthropologist Grants Program Guidelines

(March 2013)

Attorney-General’s Department—Native Title Unit

Section 1—Purpose of funding

Anthropologists are vital to the successfuloperation of the native title system. Native title claimants rely on experienced anthropologists, usually engagedby their Native Title Representative Body, to provide high quality expert connection evidence to support their application. Governmentparties also require anthropologists to help assess connection evidence in relation to native title claims to which they are a party.

In 2008, the Australian Government conducted a review of funding for the native title system to identify blockages within the system and reallocate funds to target priority areas of need. The review found there is an overall shortage of experienced anthropologists working in native title and there are a number ofchallenges to attracting and retaining junior anthropologists within the system.

As a result ofthe review, theAttorney-General’s Department introduced the Native Title Anthropologist Grants Program (the Program),which commencedwith an open grants round in 201011. Funding for the Program is ongoing.

The amount of funding (exclusive of GST)available is expected to be $574,000 in2013-14,
$583,000 in 2014-15 and $594,000 in 2015-16. There are no limitations on the amount requested in individual applications. All allocated funding will be reported onthe Department’s website at

Section 2—Objective

The objective of the Program is to provide support to native title anthropologists working in the native title system. This will be achieved through measures encouraging anthropologists to enter or stay within the system, or assisting those working in native title anthropology through training and professional development.

The Program supports the Australian Government’s native title strategy and Closing the Gap agenda with respect to land rights and native title, which has a focus on faster and better claims resolution, improving agreement-making and promoting good governance and sustainability.

These Program Guidelines come into effect on March 2013 and replace all previous guidelines for this Program.

The Department is seeking value formoney and will invest in an efficient, effective and ethical manner in projects or initiatives which best meet the requirements and priorities for funding.

Multi-year funding will also be considered.

Assessment and management of funding applications and program delivery will focus on:

  • accountability to Government and members of the organisation
  • provision of the best service possible effective use of funds
  • effective prioritisation and management of risk
  • demonstration of elements of good practice, and
  • alignment with the priorities of Government.

Section 3—Priority areas and essential criteria

The Attorney-General’s Department has identified three priority areas of need based on consultation with stakeholders, including anthropologists currently working in the native title system.

These three priorities should contribute to an overall outcome of improving claims resolution rates in the native title system by addressing current constraints or issues regarding native title anthropologists.

The Department welcomes applications that target one or more of these areas:

1. Training and development for anthropologists to smooth the transition from study to native title field work. Examples include internships, apprenticeships, mentoring programs, workshops and applied anthropological training (undergraduate and postgraduate level).

2. Professional development and support for anthropologists, particularly mid-career anthropologists, working in the native title sector. Examples include initiatives to develop career pathways, activities to promote cultural change within organisations (particularly relationships between legal officers and anthropologists in Native Title Representative Bodies/Service Providers) and providing mentoring and support for junior anthropologists.

This could involve the professional development of anthropologists on a particular claim which involves a range of tasks from field work, mentoring and professional support to connection report writing and developing a report for publication.

3. Stronger linkages between academic and applied anthropological work. Examples include more opportunities for research, publication and teaching for field anthropologists.

Each application will be assessed against the three priority areas as well as two essential criteria:

a. the proposed activity does not replicate existing programs, and

b. the proposed activity demonstrates value for money (i.e. the cost of the proposal is proportionate to the work involved and expected outcomes).

As a guide, applications may be more successful if they:

  • achieve broad outcomes across the priority areas of need, or
  • create sustainable outcomes through either:
  • benefiting the native title system as part of a larger project, perhaps with benefits across States or regions, or
  • a targeted localised project which directly benefits a small number of anthropologists, or
  • meet more than one of the identified priority areas.

However, applications will also be considered if they can have a targeted impact on a particular organisation or group and provide identified support or assistance. There is no weighting attached to individual priority areas. Applicants are not required to address all priority areas to be eligible.

Collaboration between organisations, such as academic institutions with Native Title Representative Bodies, is encouraged if more anthropologists in the system would benefit, for example through tailored training or support initiatives that provide sustainable outcomes for the native title system. One organisation must be listed as the primary applicant.

Section 4—Allocation of funding

Funding options and assessment process

It is anticipated that for the 2013-14 funding round, an open competitive grant funding round will be conducted, with applications opening in March 2013. Depending on the outcome of the open competitive grant funding round, and whether there is funding still available, the Department may choose to also provide funding via other sources, as detailed below.

a) Open competitive grant funding round

All eligible persons and organisations will be able to apply for available funding. The available funding amount will be advised on the Department’s website. Applications will be open for a period of at least three weeks and applicantswill be required to submit aformal application for funding. It is preferred if applications are submitted online at the Department’s website but hard copy applications will also be accepted.

Eligible applications will be assessed by a selection panel appointed by the Department, comprising internal and external persons with anthropology, native title and grants expertisewho do not have conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest with the applicants or identified personnel named in the applications. Applicants are welcome to propose multi-year projects up to three years in duration. However, applicants should note that funding for future years will be provided annually and ongoing funding will be subject to the approvalof progress reports and any other specified reporting requirements.

Contingent on the outcomes of these processes, and the funding committed over the 2013-14 financialyear and future funding years, a funding round may not be held in 2014-15 or 2015-16.

b) Other funding processes

Depending on the results of the open competitive grants round and whether there is funding still available, the Department may choose to also or instead provide funding via other methods, including:

  • direct engagement with a single granteeor group of potential grantees based on the specialised requirements of the Program
  • one-off grants (Department identifies individuals or organisations to fund), or
  • other initiatives as determined by the Department.

The Department may also allocate funding to support the ongoing development and continued improvement of the Program. Activities considered for funding may include training, reviews, evaluations, publications, domestic conferences, meetings, websites, strategicplanning and advisory services. This will be determined by the Department.

Eligible applications will be assessed by the Department. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by telephone and in writing.

Ongoing funding for the Program is subject toGovernment priorities.

Section 5—Eligibility

In order to be eligible for funding under this program, applicants should ensure they are able tomeet the selection criteria outlined in these guidelines. Applications should clearly outline how their project satisfies one or more ofthe priority areas as wellas theoverall objective.

All individuals or organisations are eligible to apply for funding.

Applications for joint or partialfunding of a larger project with other contributors will be eligible for funding under this program.

Applications willbe assessed on their merit against the priority areas and essential criteria as stated in Section 3 and any identified requirements.

After an application round, all applications will lapse on 30 June, at the end of that financial year. This means the Department willnot keepapplications from previous rounds, and applicants will need to apply again for future funding rounds, with the exception of multi-year projects.

The application form is available online at

Funding willnot be provided for:

  • activities that duplicate existing programs provided by the Commonwealth Government, State and Territory governments, educational institutions and/or non-government organisations
  • activities that already receive significant funding through other Commonwealth Government programs, or
  • retrospective activities.

Each application should be able to be considered individually on its merits and not be reliant onthe success of other applications or a later funding round.

Funding will generally not be considered forthe following, unless the budget in the application can demonstrate that costs are directly associatedwith the proposed project for the funding period:

  • administrative expenses—the ongoing operation or running costs of an organisation. For example, generaloperation/secretariat/ support expenses, and
  • capitalequipment and capital works—such as the purchase of large scale capital equipment or capitalworks, including the purchase or lease of land and the purchase, construction or maintenance of buildingand vehicles.

Section 6—Performance and monitoring framework

Reporting requirements

The Department seeks to work in partnership with successful applicants to ensure accountability and transparency. Successful applicants will be required to submit performance reports, financial statements and acquittal documentation. In most cases,financialand performance reporting will be required on a half-yearly or annual basis.

The frequency of reporting will be determined as part of the risk assessment of each grant. Acquittal requirements will include providingsufficient information to determine whether theobjectives of the projects have been met and if funding has been expended in accordance with the funding agreement.

More information is available in the Commonwealth’s short-form funding template on the Department’s website at

Each funding recipient will need to develop baseline data and performance information to show theimpact of the project. The level of performanceinformation required may vary according to the project identified. This could include surveys of participants, feedback forms and information obtained at the beginning and end of the project. This will be addressed in the funding agreement.

Applicants awarded a grant must enter into a funding agreement with the Department. The funding agreement will set out the terms and conditions relating to the grant, including funding arrangements and project reporting requirements.

In relation to each funded activity the Department will assess:

  • how much has been done, including achievement of key milestones
  • how well it has been done, and
  • whether the activity achieved what was expected.

Applicants should frame their applications based on these criteria and ensure they provide a clear purpose of the activity, an outline of the services to be delivered, and how they will be measured.

Reporting

If an organisation is successful in obtaining a grant, the Department is required to publish, on its website, information about the grantno later than seven working days after the relevant funding agreement takes effect(or14 daysworking days from 1 June 2013 or as implemented earlier according to the Commonwealth Grant Guidelines).

If an organisation has concerns about grantinformation being published, they should raise these concerns with the Department as part of the application process. If the organisation is successful in obtaining a grant, the Department will discuss these concerns with them.

Administration details

The Program is administered by the Native Title Unit, Social Inclusion Division of the Commonwealth AttorneyGeneral’s Department. The Unit may be contacted via email .

Where the Department has called for applications or approached an organisation to apply for funding, applications shouldbe preferably made online, but can also be submitted by email or by hard copy.

Approver of funding

The responsible person for approving allgrants under the Program is the First AssistantSecretary, Social Inclusion Division.

Conflicts of interest

Departmental officers involved in the assessment of applications and management of the Program are required to declare whether they have a conflict of interest. Staff are required to abstain from any decision where a conflict of interest is identified. A conflict of interest includes:

  • any personal financial interest, or those of immediate relatives, in the acquisition of funding under the Native Title Anthropologist Grants Program, and
  • any personal bias, obligation, interest or loyalty that affects decision-making in relation to the Program.

Privacy

Any personal information collected by the Department is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The Department collects personal information to carry out its functions properly and efficiently, and only uses personal information for the purposes for which it was given to the Department and for directly related purposes (unless otherwise required by, or authorised under, law).

Taxation

The Department does not provide advice on whether or how organisations pay GST. All applicants are advised to seek advice from a qualified professional or the Australian Taxation Office

Social and Community Services (SACS) Equal Remuneration Order

In November 2011, the Prime Minister committed the Government to paying the Commonwealth’s share of wage increases awarded as a result ofan equal remuneration order (ERO) by Fair Work Australia (FWA) in the Social and Community Services (SACS) equal remuneration case.

For further information about SACS please visit the Fair Pay for Social and Community Services Workers page on the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website at

Complaints mechanism

The Department regards complaints as a way of both assessing and improving our performance. The Department will endeavour, where possible, to ensure that complaints are resolved promptly, fairly, confidentially and satisfactorily and that our procedures are improved as a result.

Complaints regarding an application under theProgram should first be made in writing to:

Assistant Secretary
Native Title Unit
Attorney-General’s Department
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600

If you believe that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily, you can then direct your complaint to the Attorney-General’s Department complaints handling maiIbox (), by contacting theCompliments and Complaints Officer on(02) 6141 2525, or by mail or facsimile:

Compliments and Complaints Officer
AttorneyGeneral’s Department
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600

Fax: (02)6141 4096

All complaints referred tothe Department will be fully investigated and the complainant should receive a written response within 28 calendardays. You may also forward any positive feedbackabout the program.

Where a complainant is dissatisfied with the way the complaint has been handled by the Department they can seek further reviewand investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The Commonwealth Ombudsman can be contacted on:

Phone: 1300 362 072 (toll free)

Email:

Website:

Section 7—Further information

Applicants are welcome to contact the Native Title Unit within the AttorneyGeneral’s Department for further information.

Phone: (02) 6141 4730

Email:

All written communications with the Department should be through this email address.

Post:

Native Title Unit
AttorneyGeneral’s Department
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600