Gift of the GAB - January 2025

Modified on Mon, 3 Feb at 12:45 PM

 

Gift of the G.A.B – January 2025 

 

(Grants Admin Bulletin) 

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FUSION - WHAT’S NEW 

We’re currently looking at our Site Visit Task Cards and making updates – If you have any feedback, email Katrina.Gillogly@niaa.gov.au 

Reminder – All FUSION Resources are available on the Grants Front Door. 
FUSION – Frequently Asked Questions 
FUSION – Module Task Cards 
FUSION – Decision to Execution Resources and Task Cards 
FUSION – Release Notes 

Our next FUSION Super User Group catchup 5 March – staff keen to join the group, express your interest by sending an email to systemsupportreporting@niaa.gov.au 

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Will you be leading the delivery of a grant opportunity this year?  

 

Before starting the Grant Design Phase, you need to undertake the following: 

 

  • - Ensure you have Policy Authority from the Government for the grant opportunity. 

  • - Ensure this opportunity should be delivered as a grant not a procurement. 

  • - Document the overarching policy intent, including the identified need/gap, intended outcome/s and strategy for meeting this. This may be broader than this individual grant opportunity and should be linked to Closing the Gap and the NIAA Policy Setting Framework. 

  • - Identify how the NIAA will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other stakeholders on the grant opportunity. Any co-design or consultation to inform the design of the grant will need to be completed prior to commencing the Grant Design Phase. 


Once you have all of the above in place, put in a request through the Grants Front Door Portal to discuss your grant needs and timeframes. 

 

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GRANTS ADMINISTRATION PEAK PERIOD APPROACHING: FEB –APRIL 2025 

A period of peak activity in grants administration will occur between February – April 2025Grants include:  

RJED (Rounds 1 and 2), NAIDOC 2025; National Remote Employment Service (NRES), Indigenous Rangers Round 2, Junior Rangers Round 2 and Central Australia Plan Youth Leadership Services. 

During this Peak Period there may be impacts to grants administration services including responses from the Grants Front Door.  Advice on any impacts on services will be communicated via the Grant Front Door Home page and future versions of this Bulletin. 

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Grants Administration Manual (GAM) Update Project News 

What is the GAM? 

The Grants Administration Manual (GAM) is an integral part of NIAA’s online resources supporting grants administration. It encompasses various webpages, guidance documents, and templates accessible through the Grants tab on the NIAA intranet. 

It’s not a book! Explore the Grants page for more information (Grants Page). 

Exciting Updates to Enhance the Grants Administration Manual in 2025 

As part of the Galambany initiative to optimise grants administration, the GAM Update Project is making significant progress with exciting changes planned for 2025. The project working group is tackling several key areas: 

Ensuring AccuracyUpdating existing information in the GAM to ensure it is accurate and up to date. 

Centralising Guidance: Promoting the GAM as the primary "source of truth" for NIAA grants administration guidance. 

Maintaining the GAMEstablishing processes to ensure content remains current, including: A content registerDefined content ownersClear protocols for updates. 

Improving User ExperienceDesigning a more user-friendly GAM format to make relevant information easier to find. 

? A broad overview of the project schedule can be found here. GAM Document Update Protocol 

 

How You Can Help 

Aligned with APS stewardship principles, everyone involved in NIAA grants has a role to play in ensuring the GAM is as useful as possible. Here's how you can contribute: 

Know the GAMFamiliarise yourself with the GAM and how it applies to your work. 

Pause and ReflectBefore sharing advice or templates related to grants, consider whether the information should also be added to the GAM. GAM WG Project Diagram

Avoid RedundanciesRefrain from creating personal libraries of grants administration checklists or templates that may become outdated—especially once GAM resources are updated. 

Report IssuesFlag any errors or gaps in the GAM via the Grants Front Door service request link. 

EngageComplete quick GAM-related questions when requesting support through the Grants Front Door. 

Want to Get More Involved? 

Fantastic! You can: 

Nominate to join a focus group to inform user needs. 

Volunteer for user acceptance testing. 

Email your interest to Maryanne at maryanne.fazekas@niaa.com.au 

Further Information 

For questions or further information about this project, please contact: 

Lauren Gray - Project Senior Executive OR Maryanne Fazekas – Project Manager; 

The email is gamfeedback@niaa.gov.au 

or contact your branch representative on the working group: see link here: GAM WG - Contacts.xlsx 

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Important Changes to the Acquittal Process 

In December 2024, there were changes made to the Underspend Carryover process.  For underspends up to and including $20,000 they may be automatically carried forward, provided the grant has not ceased and/or there is no Program Fraud and Compliance Branch flag applied to the grantee in FUSION.  Also, the underspend can only be carried forward on the same activity.   

 

The Acquittal outcomes SOP and Task card: Underspend carry-forward business case have been updated on the GAM. FUSION has had the new acquittal recommendation added.  If you have any questions, please go to Grants Front Door . 

 


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Upcoming Grant Opportunities with other agencies 

Attention Regional and Program staff: 

Each month we will promote any new GOGs released (including by other agencies) and published on Grant Connect that may be relevant to your stakeholders. 

Registering on Grant Connect is easy ?  

 

This month there are three new GOGs, details below: 

GO ID: GO6636 

Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program, Closed Non-Competitive Grant round 2024-25 

Agency: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts 

Close Date & Time: 30-Jun-2025 11:30 pm (ACT Local Time) 
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Publish Date: 4-Dec-2023 

Location: ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS 

Selection Process: Closed Non-Competitive 

Description: Funding will be provided to organisations for activities that best contribute to delivery of the following Program outcomes:    

(1) a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry that features strong participation and provides economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and 

(2) the continued production, exhibition, critique, purchase and collection of Indigenous visual art. 

Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Climate Resilience Grant Program 

GO ID: GO7284 

Agency: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

Close Date & Time: 3-Feb-2025 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time) 
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Publish Date: 26-Nov-2024 

Location: QLD 

Selection Process: Closed Non-Competitive 

Description: The program will provide funding to eligible organisations to employ First Nations Climate Resilience Officers and/or deliver a climate adaptation project in the Torres and Endeavour Straits and Northern Peninsula Area region. 

The program will run over four financial years from 2024-25 to 2027-28 with projects lasting up to 3 years. 

First Nations Heritage Grants - Round 2 

GO ID: GO7147 

Agency: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

Close Date & Time: 21-Feb-2025 5:00 pm (ACT Local Time) 
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Publish Date: 13-Jan-2025 

Location: ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS, Administered Territories 

Selection Process: Targeted or Restricted Competitive 

Description: Round 2 of the First Nations Heritage Grants program provides funding for projects that are aimed at: 

Identifying new Indigenous heritage values at existing World Heritage and National Heritage-listed places 

Preparing submissions for the addition of Indigenous heritage values to existing World Heritage and National Heritage listings 

Increasing protection of World Heritage and National Heritage-listed places with Indigenous heritage values that may or may not be recognised in the heritage listing for the place; and 

Improving management of World Heritage and National Heritage-listed places with Indigenous heritage values that may or may not be recognised in the heritage listing for the place. 

 

 

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