Financial Assistance Scheme
The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) enables the Catholic Schools in the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, to undertake property related projects (modernisation and major maintenance) on a shared funding basis with the Catholic Education Office. The FAS benefits both schools and the Catholic Education Office by sharing the costs of projects that individual school communities wish to advance/undertake.
If a school wishes to participate in the Diocesan FAS scheme it is invited to do so on behalf of the Proprietor. If a school wishes to accept the invitation and raise money on behalf of the Proprietor for a FAS scheme project, then all monies raised must be raised in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s fundraising advice for Boards of Trustees of Integrated Schools – this fundraising advice provides clarity to the governance responsibilities of proprietors and boards that apply specifically to fundraising
BACKGROUND
The Proprietor (Bishop Barry Jones) has approved the funding of a Financial Assistance Scheme from Government Policy One revenue. The focus of the scheme is to assist Boards of Trustees (on behalf of their school community) to hasten capital works, capital maintenance or modernisation projects, which would normally be the Proprietor's full responsibility.
The Catholic Education Office has budgeted $100,000 GST for the FAS for the 2010 Catholic Education Office financial year (01 July 2010 30 June 2011).
DEFINITIONS of PROJECTS ELIGIBLE for ASSISTANCE
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The projects must be within school property guide (SPG) entitlement for a comparable State school
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The projects must be either on the Catholic Education Office's current Five-Year Property Programme or eligible for inclusion on the programme i.e. the project would normally be the Proprietor's full responsibility.
Applications must be made under one of the following definitions:
1. Capital Works
These are either new facilities or extensions to existing facilities which are SPG related.
2. Modernisation
This is work which either removes deficiencies relative to current SPG accommodation or those which upgrade or remodel existing accommodation which is outdated/obsolete. The project must meet the following criteria:
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To support and enhance education and student learning outcomes in line with the Ministry of Education's and the Catholic Education Office's policies; and curriculum changes; and
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are SPG related; and
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will remodel space in line with Ministry of Education and Catholic Education Office's policies.
3. Capital Maintenance
This is work which it is the Proprietor's responsibility to fund. The works can either be:
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on the Catholic Education Office's Five-Year Property Works Programme; or
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eligible to be part of the Catholic Education Office Works Programme.
Note: Maintenance, which is the Board of Trustees' responsibility, is NOT eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme.
PROJECTS WHICH ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
Assistance will not be available:
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for a project which will render a relocatable classroom incapable of being moved
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for furniture and equipment (approved projects in the capital works and modernisation section will be eligible for a furniture and equipment grant in accordance with the Ministry of Education's policy and entitlements)
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for maintenance which is a Board of Trustees' responsibility
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for any work which could not be integrated
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for any work which is not the Proprietor's obligation to fund from Policy One funding e.g. over SPG entitlement, adventure playgrounds, shade areas, swimming pools, etc.
SHARING the COST
In the interests of equity, the Proprietor has approved the following table, based on school decile ratings for subsidies:
| Decile | School Community Input | Catholic Education Office Input |
| 10 | $1.00 | $1.20 |
| 9 | $1.00 | $1.40 |
| 8 | $1.00 | $1.60 |
| 7 | $1.00 | $1.80 |
| 6 | $1.00 | $2.00 |
| 5 | $1.00 | $2.20 |
| 4 | $1.00 | $2.40 |
| 3 | $1.00 | $2.60 |
| 2 | $1.00 | $2.80 |
| 1 | $1.00 | $3.00 |
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The total contribution made by the Catholic Education Office to any one project will be to a maximum of $10,000 plus GST.
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The amount of financial assistance approved in the original application will remain the approved amount. Over-runs and extras will not be subsidised.
A school community's share can include funding from:
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locally raised funds and donations (raised on behalf of the Proprietor)
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Trust monies or lotteries grants (raised on behalf of the Proprietor)
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voluntary labour and materials (sweat equity or working bee)
However, only locally raised funds and donations, Trust monies or lotteries grants will be considered for the direct subsidy.
HOW THE SCHEME WORKS
The eligible applications for the FAS will be forwarded to a Catholic Education Office FAS Consultative Committee which will consider all applications received from the schools of the diocese.
The Catholic Education Office FAS Consultative Committee comprises a diocesan secondary and a primary school principal, a secondary and a primary school Board of Trustees representative and the Manager of the Catholic Education Office.
The FAS Consultative Committee will only meet if requests exceed the total funding pool available.
Are all eligible applications successful?
The value of applications may exceed the funding available. If this occurs, priorities will be set. However, all applications will be carefully considered on their merits by the Catholic Education Office FAS Consultative Committee.
Unsuccessful projects may be resubmitted and reconsidered in any subsequent year that the FAS is in operation.
What happens if my application is successful - how are the funds raised and forwarded?
If the Board of Trustees is successful, then it will be required to begin fundraising (on behalf of the Proprietor) their school community's required level of contribution.
For schools who choose to participate in the Diocesan FAS scheme, a vital component of all fundraising is to ensure that the party undertaking the fundraising (the Board of Trustees or the PTFA) explicitly and clearly identifies and communicates to potential donors (i.e. to parents, the wider school community and other potential funding sources, e.g. the Canterbury Community Trust ):
- the intended beneficiary of the fundraising (i.e. the money will go to the Proprietor), and
- the purpose of the fundraising (i.e. the Proprietor will use the money raised for a particular, nominated project – the Board is to provide details of the particular, nominated project)
Upon receipt of these monies the Proprietor will then undertake the project.
How do I make an application?
By fully completing the Application Form (available from the Catholic Education Office) and returning it to the Manager of the Catholic Education Office (mnolan@chch.catholic.org.nz), no later than 31st May in any given year.
Where applications are not successful, applicants will be informed as to why their application was unsuccessful and what would be required to have their project considered in a later round.
The 2012 FAS application form can be accessed by clicking on the link below: