Community benefit fund: gambling amelioration grants

Introduction

This page has information about gambling amelioration grants in the Northern Territory (NT).

The community benefit fund (CBF) receives funds from a levy on electronic gaming machines in licensed hotels.

Gambling amelioration grants provide funding to support the promotion of community awareness and education in respect of problem gambling.

Funding can also include counselling, rehabilitation and support services for problem gamblers and their families.


Who can apply

This page has information about who can apply for gambling amelioration grants in the Northern Territory (NT).

Funding depends on budget availability and the relative merit of applications.

Your organisation must be not-for-profit and have a physical presence in the NT.

You must be an NT based non-profit community organisation.

You must also be incorporated under one of the following:

  • the Associations Act (NT)
  • the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth)
  • the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Commonwealth)
  • any other Act of Parliament.

You must be compliant with all reporting requirements relevant to the Act under which you are incorporated.

If you are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC), you must be compliant with their reporting requirements.

You can't apply for a gambling amelioration grant if you are:

  • an individual
  • an organisation licensed to operate electronic gaming machines
  • a body corporate or similar
  • a government or semi-government organisation like a hospital, library,  municipal or regional council
  • a public or private school - including primary, secondary and tertiary institutions
  • a school affiliate or auxiliary body like a school council
  • a research foundation or trust
  • you have an outstanding acquittal from a previous CBF grant
  • an association that is not compliant with your reporting obligations under the Act under which you are incorporated or to ACNC if applicable.

There is no limit to the number of applications that can be lodged for a gambling amelioration grant.

Each application will be considered on merit and in accordance with the available budget.

If you wish to apply for the gambling amelioration grant your project should include services such as:

  • promoting community awareness and education about gambling harm or deliver counselling,
  • rehabilitation or support services to gamblers and their families who are experiencing gambling related harm.

You can't apply for funding for:

  • substitute funding for operational or core business activities
  • commercial ventures, developments or outputs
  • experimental or pilot programs unless future funding is guaranteed
  • projects that have already started prior to applying for the grant.

If you get duplicate funding from a different funding source, you are required to refund any component of the gambling amelioration grant that has been funded elsewhere.


What you need to know to apply

Eligible organisations can apply for gambling amelioration grants.

There are no defined limits on how much funding can be applied for.

You can apply for the amount of funding you require to deliver the activity in your application.

The amount of funding awarded will be limited by the available funding at the time of assessment.

You can apply for funding once each financial year.

Applications must be lodged between the opening and closing dates of the round.

Round 1

  • 1 January - round opens and you can apply
  • 28 February - round closes
  • 30 April - you will be notified.

Funding does not commence until the following financial year - on or after 1 July.

To apply for a gambling amelioration grant follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the gambling amelioration grants application.

Gambling amelioration grants application PDF (479.0 KB)
Gambling amelioration grants application DOCX (77.6 KB)

Step 2. Attach any supporting documents.

Step 3. Submit your application.

You can submit your application by email, mail or in person.

Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Community benefit fund secretariat
Level 3 NAB House
71 Smith Street
Darwin NT 0800

GPO Box 1154
Darwin NT 0801

Freecall: 1300 650 153
Fax: 08 8923 7616
cbf.ntg@nt.gov.au

Late applications will not be accepted.

Your application must be received by the CBF secretariat prior to the cut off time.

The cut off time on the closing day for applications is:

By email

If you send your application by email, the cut off time is midnight.

By mail

If you are sending your application by mail, it must arrive by 4pm.

In person

If you are delivering your application in person, you must deliver before 4pm

If the closing date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline to submit will be extended to 10am the following business day.

A letter will be sent to your nominated email confirming your application has been received. Depending on the volume of applications received, this can take several days.

If you haven't received a letter after one week, contact the community benefit fund secretariat by calling 1300 650 153 or email cbf.ntg@nt.gov.au.


How your application is assessed

This page provides information on how your application for a gambling amelioration grant is assessed.

Your application will be assessed by the director-general of licensing.

The director-general of licensing will make a recommendation to the responsible Minister.

Step 1. Check

The CBF secretariat will check the following:

  • you are an eligible organisation
  • your organisation is meeting its reporting obligations under the Act under which it is incorporated or with Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission if applicable
  • your organisation does not have any outstanding acquittals with the CBF.

The secretariat will attach a funding history for your organisation to your application.

Step 2. Assessment

The director-general of licensing may seek input from other NT Government agencies.

The director-general considers all funding applications and makes recommendations to the Minister who will ultimately determine if an application will or will not be funded.

Your application will be assessed to ensure it:

  • meets the eligibility requirements
  • seeks funding for an activity, purpose or project permitted
  • aligns with the priorities set
  • has a clear plan and the proposed outcomes demonstrate the ability to  minimise gambling harms
  • addresses a short fall in the current provision of gambling amelioration services
  • demonstrates a strong community development focus
  • demonstrates the capacity of the organisation to deliver the project including qualifications of key personnel
  • provides evidence of your organisations sound financial management
  • provides evidence of community support and involvement
  • has an accurately costed and viable budget including financial support from other sources.

Step 3. A decision is made

Once an outcome has been determined for your application, the CBF secretariat will write and advise you of the outcome.

Read the funding rounds to find out when you will be notified.


If your application is successful

You will be notified on the result of your application. Read about funding rounds on what you need to know to apply.

Successful applications

If you are successful, you will receive an email letter of approval.

You will also be asked to negotiate a formal funding agreement. This agreement will outline:

  • project time frame
  • performance indicators and reporting
  • payment schedules
  • acquittal requirements
  • how to acknowledge the support of the Northern Territory Government in public and program materials.

If you are successful, you have 12 months from the date of your successful letter to claim your funding and sign the agreement.

If you don't claim within 12 months, your funding will be forfeited and you will have to re-apply.

Unsuccessful applications

If your application is unsuccessful you will receive an email.


How to manage your grant

This page contains information on how to manage your gambling amelioration grant.

You must submit request for variations to funding agreements in writing to the community benefit fund (CBF) secretariat.

You have the right to any intellectual property developed as a result of your project.

The Northern Territory (NT) Government has the right to use the intellectual property without cost in furthering its objectives and purposes.

Details of successful and unsuccessful grant applications may be published or used by the NT Government in any form and at any time.

These details may include:

  • name of applicant organisation
  • amount of funding
  • project details
  • any special approval conditions
  • reasons for approval or non-approval
  • photos.

You may be contacted for feedback on your application experience.

Your participation is voluntary and does not affect how applications are assessed or monitored.

Funding approval may be withdrawn at any time.

This may happen if there is a change in circumstances or your organisation or project is not financially viable.


How to acquit your grant

Gambling amelioration grants must be acquitted in the time frame detailed in your funding agreement.

Grants must only be used for the purpose stated in your application and in line with the budget breakdown you have provided. Any changes must first be approved in writing.

Depending on the time required to complete your grant you may be required to provide progress reports.

Payments will not be processed until the following financial year from when the application was lodged.

You must have an executed funding agreement in place before any funds can be paid.

For grants expected to be completed in 12 months or less, one payment will be made at the commencement of your grant.

Grants exceeding 12 months in length will receive annual payments. This payment is conditional on reporting requirements from the previous year being complete.

Your final acquittal must include:

  • a description on how your project progressed
  • the success of the final outcome highlighting the community benefit and achievements
  • a report on the performance indicators nominated in your application.

The community benefit fund secretariat may request additional information to complete the acquittal process.

All gambling amelioration grants are required to provide an annual independently audited, income and expenditure statement specific to the grant funding.

The audited statement must be certified by a qualified accountant who is:

  • a registered company auditor or public accountant under Northern Territory law
  • a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia or the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants
  • not be an officer, employee or member of your organisation.

Your organisation should keep grant records for seven years. They must be available for audit at any time.

You are not required to return any unspent funds less than $100.

If you have more than $100 of unspent funds left, you must refund the CBF.

You can refund the money by either:

  • cheque payable to the Receiver of Territory Monies
  • or contact the CBF secretariat and request an invoice to be created that will allow for electronic payment.

Grant acquittals are incomplete until all money subject to the refund policy is received.


How to dispose of assets

If you used grant funding to buy all or part of an asset worth more than $10,000 when you bought it, you must get permission from the Northern Territory Government to dispose of it.

This only applies to assets purchased within five years from date of purchase, unless you have stated in your application how it is to be disposed of.

To get permission to dispose of an asset you need to send a request to community benefit fund (CBF) secretariat.

You should include in your request:

  • why you need to dispose of it
  • explain the benefit to your organisation and the community to dispose of this asset.

For further information call 1300 650 153.

You can email your request to dispose of assets to cbf.ntg@nt.gov.au.


Contact

This page provides information on contact details for submitting community benefit fund grants.

Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Community benefit fund secretariat
Level 3 NAB House
71 Smith Street 
Darwin NT 0800

GPO Box 1154
Darwin NT 0801

Freecall: 1300 650 153
cbf.ntg@nt.gov.au