FOUNDATION OF GRADUATES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES WARRAWONG PROFESSIONAL LEARNING GRANTS

The Warrawong fund supports not-for-profit early childhood services or organizations in Victoria to enable staff to undertake training or professional development in the field of early childhood, and projects and initiatives relating to the training and professional development of staff working in the field of early childhood.

The following questions appear in the on-line application for Warrawong grants. They must be answered to give you the best chance of gaining a grant.

These questions are provided so that you can get together the necessary information before you complete the on-line application.

To be eligible for a grant you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be a registered organization in Victoria.
• You must be a ‘not for profit’ organization.
• Your application must focus on learning opportunities for Victorian early childhood professionals in your organization and the learning will usually take place in Victoria, except in special circumstances.
• Your organization must be one that provides early childhood services to children aged 0 to 8.

Note: Grants cannot be given to individuals to pursue personal professional enhancement. The grant application must demonstrate that the professional development program will have wider benefits for an entire organization.

To enhance your organization’s chance of gaining a grant you should consider the following:

Priority will be given to applications which can demonstrate that their staff are disadvantaged in pursuit of professional development opportunities due to geographic location, physical, personal, economic or social circumstances.

Priority will be given to applications from organizations which provide services to children and families who are disadvantaged in some way.

Preview of questions contained in the on-line application form.

You will be asked questions related to your organization.

• Its name.
• The type of service (family day care, childcare centre, kindergarten, etc.).
• Your ABN (i.e. your organisation's Australian Business Number).
• The address of your organization, including phone and email contact.
• Key contact person in regard to this application. What position does that person hold in the organization?
• Name of any more senior person in the organisation who must authorise the application (if that is a requirement). Position of that person.

You will be asked for details of the organization’s bank account into which grant funds will be paid.

Note: The nominated bank account must be operated by the organisation. Funds cannot be paid into an individual’s bank account.

• Name of bank:
• Bank's BSB:
• Organization’s account name and number.

You will be asked for information about the professional development program/experience.

Limits have been placed on the number of words you can use in answering these questions.

• You will be asked to indicate the number of people who will be directly involved in the program/experience.
• A description of what the professional learning involves. (Limit 150 words)
• The aims and objectives of the professional learning and how they will be met (at least one): Limit 200 words.
• Benefits you expect the professional learning will bring to the participants (at least one): Limit 200 words.
• Benefits you expect the professional learning will bring to the service/organization (at least one): Limit 200 words.

If applying for an accredited training/professional development program, you will need to indicate the type of course and name of organisation/person delivering the program. Where the professional learning will take place? Date and duration of the professional learning. Note: Activities must be completed within 12 months of receiving the grant.

You will be asked to indicate an area of disadvantage related to your clients and/or to your staff.

You could outline the social/economic/physical challenges faced by the clients your organization serves.

And/or you could outline the social/economic/ geographic impediments to your staff accessing professional development opportunities. 200 words maximum.

You will be asked for a detailed breakdown of the program budget including any fees, staffing, travel costs, related equipment etc.

Many an application fails because the budget lacks rigour and/or sufficient detail. Please provide a carefully considered budget to maximize your chances of success.

Final things to consider

Applications must be lodged using the on-line application form by the exact time of the due date. The application form will be automatically disabled after that time.

The on-line form can be saved and revisited at a later time - simply click the 'Save and resume later' feature at the bottom of the page. Once submitted, further edits are not able to be made.

Before submission, please print and read over your application carefully, as applications cannot be retrieved and re-edited after submission.

For further information about the Warrawong Professional Learning Grant: go to Frequently Asked Questions and Grant Guidelines.