The Victorian Independent Schools BGA Ltd

The Victorian Independent Schools BGA Ltd

The Victorian Independent Schools BGA Ltd is a company limited by guarantee that administers a range of Australian and Victorian Government programs to improve educational outcomes for independent school students by providing funding assistance towards the development of school infrastructure.

Established in 1989, VIS BGA’s primary objective is to carry out the functions of a block grant authority, as described in the Schools Assistance Act 2008.

The Australian Government programs include the Capital Grants Program (CGP), Building the Education Revolution (BER), Trade Training Centres in Schools (TTC) and the Digital Education Revolution (DER).

The funding assistance offered through the Victorian Government covers the Interest Subsidy Scheme.

Capital Grants Program

VISBGA administers the Australian Government’s Capital Grants Program. Whilst non-government School Authorities are primarily responsible for establishing, maintaining and upgrading school facilities, the Capital Grants Program provides supplementary funds to eligible schools for planned capital development.

The objectives of the Program are to:

provide and improve school capital infrastructure, particularly for the most educationally disadvantaged students
ensure attention to the refurbishment of capital infrastructure for existing students, while making provision for needs arising from new demographic and enrolment needs
pursue and support the Australian Government’s other Priorities and Objectives for Schooling.

Grants for capital expenditure can be used for:

Investigation of the need for schools, buildings, parts of buildings, other facilities or equipment
Purchase of land, with buildings or parts of buildings, or in special circumstances, without buildings
Planning, erection, alteration, extension, demolition (including asbestos removal) or refurbishment of a building, part of a building or other facility including student residential accommodation, and attached supervisors’ quarters
Development or preparation of land for building or other purposes
Installation or upgrading or water, electricity or any other services
Provision of furniture or equipment, including information technology equipment, which should be part of a broader capital project unless special circumstances exist
Provision of library materials and the goods for cataloguing a library
Teacher accommodation in rural areas
Capital grants to assist students with disabilities
Supplement the construction of projects funded through other Commonwealth programs
Such other projects as the Minister may approve

The next round of funding will be the 2013 Schedule, for projects commencing works in the 2013 calendar year. Applications will open on Friday 11 November 2011 and close on 31 January 2012.

Interested schools that have not submitted an Expression of Interest should contact Rosslyn Culpitt on 9825 7213.

To apply for the Capital Grants Program, schools must submit an online application, along with a comprehensive Feasibility Report, the requirements of which are detailed below in the Feasibility Report Guide. Both the online application and the Feasibility Report are due no later than 5.00 pm Tuesday 31 January 2012.

To access the online application, please click here.

Schools will need the User Name and Password provided at the Capital Grants Program Briefing held on Tuesday 8 November 2011 to access the online application. If you have misplaced these details, or did not attend the briefing, please contact Aisling Allen at aisling.allen@independentschools.vic.edu.au

To download the CGP Feasibility Report Guide, please click here.

To download the Cost Plan A Summary, please click here.

To download the Declaration, please click here.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 5PM TUESDAY 31 JANUARY 2012.

If you have any queries, please contact Rosslyn Culpitt on (03) 9825 7213 or email at rosslyn.culpitt@independentschools.vic.edu.au

Building the Education Revolution

The Commonwealth Government committed funding of $14.7 billion over three years to provide new facilities and refurbishments in Australian schools to meet the needs of 21st century students and teachers through the Building the Education Revolution (BER) program.

Listed are the three elements of the BER Program:

Primary Schools for the 21st Century – $12.4 billion for all Australian primary schools, K-12 schools (primary school component) and special schools to build new iconic facilities such as libraries, multipurpose halls or classrooms, or to upgrade existing facilities.
Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools – $1 billion for the construction of new science laboratories or language learning centres.
National School Pride program – $1.288 billion for all schools in Australia, government and non-government, for funding for minor capital works and maintenance projects.

Click here for information on the key dates for each of the BER elements (PDF).

Round two applications for the Primary Schools for the 21st Century Program closed at 12.00 noon on Friday 1 May 2009.

Round three applications for the Primary Schools for the 21st Century Program, closed at 12 noon, Friday 3 July 2009.

Applications for the Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools Program closed on Monday 11 May 2009.

Applications for National School Pride Program closed on Monday 4 May 2009.

For assistance or further information, please contact the BER Support Team at: ber@independentschools.vic.edu.au or on (03) 9825 7200.

Trade Training Centres in Schools Program

The Trade Training Centres in Schools Program is part of the Commonwealth Government’s Education Revolution policy framework. The Federal Government is to provide $2.5 billion over 10 years to enable all secondary schools to apply for funding of between $500,000 and $1.5 million for Trade Training Centres. For more information please visit the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program website.

Round Five

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has indicated that applications for TTC Round Five will most likely open in the first half of 2012. As applications require extensive preparation, it is recommended that interested schools start preparing early to optimise their chances of a successful application. While information has not been released specifically for round Five, TTC application processes are not expected to change markedly in 2012 and the information pack linked to below (which includes the Round Four guidelines and application information) should serve as a good start for those interested in applying for a TTC this year.

Independent Schools considering making an application to this program, should contact Mr Michael Broadstock via email: michael.broadstock@independendentschools.vic.edu.au or telephone 9825 7288.

Digital Education Revolution: National Secondary School Computer Fund

To access the template for the DER December 2010 Report, please click here.

The National Secondary School Computer Fund (the Fund) is a key component of the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution, investing $2.3billion in new or upgraded information and communications technology (ICT) for secondary schools with students in years9 to12. The aim of the Fund is to achieve a 1 to 1 computer to student ratio by 31 December 2011.

The objective of the first three application based rounds of the Fund was to assist eligible secondary schools with students in years 9 to 12 to move to a computer to student ratio of 1:2, with funding provided to purchase computers and address on-costs associated with the deployment of additional computers. On-cost funding has been provided to cover costs incurred for computers purchased to move schools to the 1:2 ratio, together with a contribution toward the deployment costs of computers purchased to move schools to the target ratio of 1:1 by the end of 2011. Funding also includes a contribution for the replacement of those computers in the last years of the program.

VIS BGA is administering this program in partnership with Independent Schools Victoria, with eligible schools having received notification of the funding allocated to them by DEEWR to move to the target ratio of 1:1 by 31 December 2011. Schools participating in the program are required to submit installation reports via School Entry Point (SEP), as well as progress reports on the activities being undertaken in your school in relation to the four stands of change as outlined in the Digital Education Revolution Strategic Plan:

Leadership – that ensures schools have a coordinated plan for the provision of infrastructure, learning resources and teacher capability to address the educational challenges of the 21st Century
Infrastructure – access to digital teaching and learning resources and tools for processing information, building knowledge and for communication and collaboration
Learning Resources – that stimulate, challenge and assist students in achieving desired learning outcomes. These include collaborative and interactive activities as well as instructional and reference materials
Teacher Capability – teachers have the skills and tools to design and deliver programs that meet students’ needs and harness the benefits and resources of the digital revolution.

The Better Practice Guide has been developed by DEEWR to help schools with their decisions about the deployment of ICT under the National Secondary School Computer Fund (NSSCF).

Documentation and templates to facilitate the administrative, reporting and payment process can be found by clicking on the links below:

DER ICT Plan – see The Better Practice Guide
DER Payment Policy – coming soon
Declaration to claim On-Cost Funding (Items G.1 & G.2 of DER Agreement Schedule)
ICT Expenditure Plan/Budget (Item G.2) – coming soon
Computer Purchasing Plan (Item G.3)
Statement of Final Costs (Item G.3)
Progress Report Template for Schools (Item H.2) – coming soon

For assistance or further information, please contact:

Lindy McArdle, VIS BGA Program Officer
lindy.mcardle@independentschools.vic.edu.au or (03) 9825 7218

Local Schools Working Together Pilot Program

The Australian Government is investing $62.5 million over three years in the Local Schools Working Together (LSWT) pilot program (the Program). The aim of the LSTW is to fund approximately 25 projects displaying innovative collaborations between schools and other partners to address shared infrastructure needs that are not met by existing facilities.

It is envisaged that both government and non-government schools working in partnership could be the recipients of funding under this Program. Other partners with which schools could engage include local government authorities, businesses and community organisations. Projects may include, but need not be limited to, infrastructure facilities such as gymnasiums, performing arts centres, libraries, and facilities for teaching language, science or music.

Applications for the first funding round will open on 1 September and close on 21 October 2008.

For further information, please visit the Local Schools Working Together Website. Independent Schools thinking of making application to this program, in the first instance should contact Mr Peter Roberts Company Secretary for the VIS BGA by email: peter.roberts@ais.vic.edu.au or telephone 9825 7200.

Interest Subsidy Scheme Program

VIS BGA will be administering the Victorian Government Interest Subsidy Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for Independent schools in Victoria in 2011. The Scheme provides funding to non-government schools to assist in the repayment of borrowings undertaken to finance capital expenditure on buildings and curriculum related equipment.

Eligibility Criteria

Projects eligible for consideration include:

construction of school buildings
upgrade of buildings including fixtures and permanently installed fittings
school ground improvements
specific curriculum related equipment, including: information technology, computers, library, music, home economics, outdoor education and other specialised equipment.

Eligible loans are commercial loans and commercial bills that are raised by a school to finance the cost of capital works. The loans and bills must be in operation during the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. Bridging loans or hire purchase agreements are not eligible.

Loans taken out for the purpose of a building project can be eligible for a subsidy for up to ten years. Loans for curriculum related equipment can be eligible for a grant for up to four years. Priority in grant allocation will be given to those with shorter periods or in the first three years of any loan period.

One subsidy shall apply to each project with a maximum of two subsidised projects at any one time per school. If applying for more than one subsidy, separate applications are required.

Maximum interest subsidies payable are up to 66% of interest repayments. However, as funding is limited, a sliding scale of subsidy has normally applied.

If your school is interested in applying for an Interest Subsidy Grant and fits the eligibility criteria noted above, please download and complete the application form below and submit to VISBGA along with copies of relevant documentation verifying the loan details and interest paid for the period eg. copy of bank statement.

Completed forms and verification documentation should be submitted no later than Friday 22 July 2011. Please send to:

VISBGA
Attn. Angela Dynan
PO Box 119
North Melbourne VIC 3051

or via email angela.dynan@independentschools.vic.edu.au

Successful applicants will be advised by 25 August 2011.

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Angela Dynan at angela.dynan@independentschools.vic.edu.au or on 9825 7287.

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