Am I eligible to apply for a community grant?

Grants can be applied for by Tennis Australia (TA) Coach Members, Member Association (MA) affiliated clubs and Not-for-Profit (NFP) Organisations.

Can schools apply for a community grant?

Schools cannot be the applicant body for a community grant. If a school wishes to run a program which would be suitable for a community grant, they must partner with a TA Coach Member to deliver the program and the TA Coach Member can apply for the grant.

How do I apply for a grant?

All applications are done online through SmartyGrants. When funding rounds are open they will become visible at https://tennis.smartygrants.com.au/. To apply – click the link, create a log-in to the site and begin your application. Your login will be unique so you can save your application as you go until it is ready to be submitted.

How do I complete the budget table in the application form?

There are five columns in the budget table. The first column is ‘Income description’ where you need to list all the funds that are coming in for the project. One of them should be the Tennis Australia Grant that you are applying for, other sources of income may be sponsorship or other grants. You should indicate in the second column whether or not this funding is confirmed or unconfirmed and the third column should indicate the relevant amounts. The fourth and fifth column of ‘expenditure’ is where you should list all your expenses for the project, make sure you provide as much detail and breakdown as possible. Once your budget is complete, the ‘income’ dollar amount should be equal to the ‘Expenditure’ dollar amount.

Who can I speak to if I need help with my grant application?

If you need help with developing your grant application it is advisable to speak with your Member Association, e.g. Tennis SA or similar. They will be able to give you guidance with your application and be able to offer advice and contacts if required. If you are having trouble with the online application process through SmartyGrants, then please contact the Tennis Australia contact noted in the application guidelines.

What is the assessment process for applications?

Once the round has closed, all applications will follow the same assessment process. Tennis Australia will shortlist applications based on the assessment criteria listed in the application guidelines. Shortlisted applications will then be reviewed by the relevant Member Associations who will provide feedback on the merit of the projects as well as applicant capacity to implement the projects. Tennis Australia and the Member Association will jointly decide on which clubs will be successful in obtaining grants.

When will I be notified if I’m successful or not?

After a funding round has closed, assessment takes place over a six-week period. Once assessment and final funding allocations are confirmed, all applicants are notified of the outcome via the email address provided in the application. Applicants will be notified whether or not they have been successful by formal letter detailing the funding allocation. The key dates for each funding round including the assessment period can be found in the application guidelines.

Will I receive the full amount I’ve applied for?

If you are successful in your grant application you will not necessarily receive the full funding amount you applied for. This could be due to a number of reasons including oversubscription, scope of different aspects of your project, capacity, etc. If you have not received the full amount you applied for, please discuss this with your Member Association who will guide you on which part of your project funds should be allocated to.

What do I need to do in order to receive my funds?

Once you have received your letter confirming your funding outcome, you will need to provide two documents to Tennis Australia – a supplier enablement form and a tax invoice for your confirmed funding amount. If you have received a grant in the past and already completed a supplier enablement form, you will not need to complete another one.
Do I receive my grant in full up-front?
If your grant is in the range of $1,000-$2,000 then you will receive your grant payment in full up-front. If your grant is above the amount of $2,000 then you will receive 50% of your grant up-front and the remaining 50% upon submission of your final project report.

What do I have to do to complete my project report and receive my final payment?

Once you have completed your project you will need to submit an acquittal online through SmartyGrants. You will need to use the same login that you created when completing your application. Your acquittal will be reviewed in conjunction with the scope of your application. Once Tennis Australia has completed its review of your project, you may submit an invoice to Tennis Australia and your funds will be released.

Should I include GST on my grant invoice to Tennis Australia?

There should be no GST included on the invoice as any grant from the AO Community Grants Program is a ‘gift’ and gifts under income tax legislation do not attract GST.

Is it ok if I change aspects of my program to be different from my application?

We understand that in some instances you may need to change parts of your program from your original plan, however it is important to stay aligned with your planned activities and budget as closely as possible. If changes have to be made, please highlight these and the reasons why when you acquit the project.

Do I need to keep my receipts?

Yes, where possible you will need to retain receipts or invoices and attach them to the budget in your post project acquittal.

Can I apply for extra funds if the project runs over budget?

No, if you run over budget you cannot apply for extra funds, however, if you have another phase to your project you are welcome to apply for further funding in a subsequent round of AO Community Grants.