Community benefit fund: vehicle gifts

Introduction

A global shortage of vehicles has affected NT Fleet’s turnover. This means longer wait times for gifted vehicles to become available.

In some cases, applicants may have to wait up to a year from the date they're notified of being successful.

This section has information about the vehicle gift program.

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

Eligible organisations can apply to the program for the gifting of an ex-government vehicle.

This program aims to improve the capacity of not for profit organisations to provide services, leisure activities and opportunities to Territorians.

For details of successful grant recipients from the latest round, go to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) website.

You can also check past recipients in the annual reports on the DITT website.


What you need to know to apply

Eligible organisations can apply for one vehicle to be gifted.

All applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered.

If your application meets the priorities below, it will be given preference when being considered.

The priorities are:

Priority 1

Organisations that require vehicles for their core business and impacts a large portion of the community.

Priority 2

Organisations that have limited ability to raise funding to purchase vehicles.

Priority 3

Organisations that can demonstrate a significant demand for a vehicle.

You can apply for funding twice each financial year.

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

Round 1

  • 1 July - round opens and you can apply
  • 31 August - round closes
  • 31 October - you will be notified.

Round 2

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

To apply for a vehicle gift follow these steps.

Step 1. Fill in the vehicle application.

Vehicle gift application PDF (476.5 KB)
Vehicle gift application DOCX (74.2 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.

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.


Who can apply

If you want to apply for the vehicle gift program in the Northern Territory (NT) you must be a NT based non-profit community organisation.

You must 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.

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

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 the vehicle gift program 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 or councils
  • 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 community benefit fund (CBF) grant
  • you have received a vehicle gift from the CBF in the past three years
  • an association that is not compliant with your reporting obligations under the Act under which you are incorporated, or to ACNC if applicable.

You can apply for passenger and light commercial vehicles.

Applications for four-wheel drive vehicles will only be considered if you can show that a two-wheel drive vehicle is not fit for purpose.

Coaster buses will only be considered on a case-by-case basis and only when stock is available.

You can only submit one application per funding round.

You can't apply within three years of receiving a prior vehicle gift.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can reapply for another round. The assessment of all applications is based on merit.


How your application is assessed

This page provides information on how your application for the vehicle gifts program is assessed.

Your application will be assessed by the community benefit fund (CBF) committee.

The committee is made up of representatives appointed by the responsible minister. It consists mainly of non-government community representatives from across the Northern Territory (NT).

The committee considers all funding applications and makes recommendations to the minister who will ultimately determine if a grant will or will not be funded.

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 the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission if applicable
  • your organisation does not have any outstanding acquittals with the CBF
  • your organisation has not received a vehicle gift in the last three years.

Step 2. Assessment

Your application will then be assessed by the CBF committee. The committee will take the following into consideration:

  • meets the current priorities of this grant category
  • the applicant’s client base
  • the intended use of the vehicle
  • the current method of delivering the services for which the requested vehicle is intended
  • availability of alternative modes of transportation for the activity or service
  • the extent of community benefit
  • level of current and in-kind support the applicant receives from government sources - federal, state and local
  • the eligibility of the applicant for special or ad-hoc grant funding from NT programs
  • the capacity of the applicant to meet the vehicles running, maintenance and insurance costs
  • gifts and loans of NT Government assets made to the applicant in the past.

Other factors that will be taken into consideration include:

  • how much funding your organisation has already received from the CBF
  • what other applications have been submitted in that round
  • evidence of sound financial management
  • how much funding your organisation already receives from other sources
  • how much funding is available in the round.

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 for the vehicle gift program.

Successful applications

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

You will be contacted by NT Fleet when a vehicle becomes available.

Delays on gifted vehicles

A global shortage of vehicles is affecting NT Fleet’s turnover. This means longer wait times for gifted vehicles to become available.

In some cases, applicants may have to wait up to a year from the date they're notified of being successful.

Once you get your vehicle

Organisations must transfer the registration and pay the stamp duty within 14 days from time of collection.

Unsuccessful applications

If your application is unsuccessful you will receive an email.

You can re-apply in the next funding round. Your application must have:

  • met the assessment criteria
  • and was unsuccessful because of a lack of priority or funding capacity for that round.

Re-applying does not improve your prospects. Each application is considered on merit and is assessed against the other applications for the round.


How to manage your grant

This page contains information on how to manage your vehicle gifts grant.

Survey

You may be contacted for feedback on your application experience.

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

Withdrawal of approval

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 dispose of gifted vehicle

Once a vehicle has been gifted, that vehicle becomes the property of the organisation receiving the gift.

In assessing future grants, it will be expected that a vehicle gifted in the past five years will still be available for use by that organisation.


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