Schools Security Programme
PROGRAMME GUIDELINES
2015-16 to 2017-18
ROUND ONE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
2.
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3
WHO CAN APPLY .............................................................................................. 3
2.1
SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY .................................................................... 3
2.2
ENDORSEMENT ....................................................................................... 4
2.3
SCHOOLS WITH MULTIPLE CAMPUSES ................................................... 4
2.4
FINANCIAL VIABILITY ............................................................................... 4
2.5
GRANT LIMITS AND FUNDING PERIOD ................................................... 4
3.
PROJECT ELIGIBILITY ......................................................................................... 4
3.1
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS .................................................................................. 4
3.2
INELIGIBLE PROJECTS .............................................................................. 5
4.
APPLICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................... 6
4.1
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION ............................................................... 6
4.2
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ........................................................................... 7
4.3
NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION OUTCOMES ......................................... 8
5.
MANAGING THE PROJECT ................................................................................ 8
5.1
FUNDING AGREEMENTS ......................................................................... 8
5.2
PAYMENTS AND ACQUITTALS ................................................................. 9
5.3
COMPLIANCE ........................................................................................... 10
5.4
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR ................................................................... 10
5.5
CONTINUED ORGANISATIONAL ELIGIBILITY ........................................... 10
5.6
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RIGHT TO REPAYMENTS ........................... 10
6.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION............................................................................. 11
6.1
PUBLIC REPORTING ................................................................................. 11
6.2
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION .................................................................. 11
6.3
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ........................................................................... 11
6.4
PRIVACY ................................................................................................... 11
6.5
CONFIDENTIALITY.................................................................................... 12
6.6
AMENDMENTS, SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION................................. 12
6.7
COMPLAINTS MECHANISM ..................................................................... 13
7.
FURTHER INFORMATION .................................................................................. 14
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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1.
INTRODUCTION
The Schools Security Programme aims to protect schools and preschools facing a risk of
attack, harassment or violence stemming from racial or religious intolerance through the
provision of funding for security installations, such as lighting, fencing and closed-circuit
television (CCTV) cameras, and for the cost of employing security guards.
The Government will provide $18 million over three financial years from 2015-16 to
2017-18 for at-risk schools. Since 2007 the Programme has provided $35 million for
security measures in 126 projects at 76 government and non-government schools and
preschools.
All funding under the Programme is non-recurrent.
The Programme will adopt a targeted application process, with individual schools to be
nominated by their State or Territory education authority. The nominated schools will
then be invited to apply for funding. Both government and non-government schools will
be considered for funding.
Funding will be awarded on the basis of the security needs of schools as demonstrated in
their applications.
The Programme will not provide funding for security measures to address issues
surrounding student bullying, student violence, child protection, or opportunistic acts of
vandalism or other property crime, which are more appropriately handled by education
authorities or the police.
2.
WHO CAN APPLY
2.1
SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY
The Programme uses a targeted application process where schools must first be
nominated for inclusion in the Programme by their relevant State or Territory education
authority or independent schools association. Once all nominations are received, the
Attorney-General’s Department will then invite those schools to apply.
Only those schools invited to apply may be eligible to receive funding under the Schools
Security Programme.
The following educational institutions are eligible to be nominated:

Schools
For the purposes of this Programme, a school is defined as a registered educational
establishment which satisfies the following criteria:
o The entity’s major activity is the provision of full-time day primary or secondary or
special school education, and
o The entity is headed by a principal or equivalent responsible for its internal
operation.
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
Preschools
For the purposes of this Programme, a preschool is an institution delivering early
childhood education programmes (prior to Year One minus one), which is compliant with
early childhood education regulations in each State/Territory.
A preschool programme is a structured, play-based learning programme, delivered by a
qualified teacher provided to children prior to their commencement of full-time schooling.
NOTE: May be referred to as ‘Preschool’ in New South Wales, South Australia, the
Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, and as ‘Kindergarten’ in Victoria,
Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania.
2.2
ENDORSEMENT
Government schools are required to have their proposed project endorsed by their State
or Territory Education Department before lodging their application.
2.3
SCHOOLS WITH MULTIPLE CAMPUSES
Schools can only submit one application for funding. Schools wishing to apply for funding
for multiple campuses must include all those campuses in their application and will be
treated as a single body for the purpose of the Programme.
2.4
FINANCIAL VIABILITY
The Department will consult with the Commonwealth Department of Education to
determine the overall financial viability and management capability of all schools when
assessing applications for funding.
2.5
GRANT LIMITS AND FUNDING PERIOD
All funding under the Programme is non-recurrent.
The notional grant limit is $250,000 per school. However, in exceptional circumstances,
this amount may be increased if additional funds are required to implement a project
successfully.
Funding is available for projects of up to 36 months’ duration over the 2015-16 to 2017-18
financial years. All projects must be completed by 30 June 2018.
3.
PROJECT ELIGIBILITY
3.1
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
Funding is available for the construction and/or installation of security infrastructure, for
example, CCTV, fencing and lighting, and for the cost of employing security guards.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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Applicants must:

establish that they are at risk of attack, harassment or violence stemming from racial
or religious intolerance

demonstrate how the proposed project would address the identified risks and
security needs

demonstrate that the project is cost-effective and represents value for money

demonstrate capacity to deliver the project and administer grant funds

demonstrate the ability to manage any risks associated with the project, and

demonstrate that they possess the capacity to cover any ongoing costs associated
with the project, as funding under this programme is non-recurrent.
As funding is non-recurrent, the application should include a clear completion strategy for
the proposed project. The strategy should set out what will happen to the project activity
at the end of the funding period. Organisations will need to secure alternative sources of
funding if they wish projects to continue beyond the duration of the grant.
3.2
INELIGIBLE PROJECTS
Funding will not be provided for:

applications that do not meet all of the selection criteria outlined above

retrospective or deficit funding; for example, reimbursement of expenses incurred
prior to grant funding being approved, except in exceptional circumstances

projects that have already commenced under other funding arrangements or
programmes

any costs associated with preparing or submitting an application

ongoing operational expenses or maintenance costs, with the exception of
employment of private security personnel for a specified term during the grant
period

staff training

project management

travel to conferences

fundraising or sponsorship

individual scholarships

projects that provide personal protection for specific individuals

projects that duplicate existing projects where the existing projects are accessible to
the school and adequate for the applicant’s needs

schools that have not fulfilled previous grant requirements, including acquittal
reports and evaluations

schools or projects previously defunded by State or Territory or Australian
Government agencies for performance and/or integrity reasons, or

schools that have gone into administration or receivership.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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4.
APPLICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Applicants have four weeks after the initial invitation in which to complete and submit
their applications for funding. The closing date for applications is 2pm (Australian Eastern
Standard Time) on Thursday 25 September 2014. Early submission of applications is
encouraged.
Funding decisions are expected to be made in October 2014.
The application will be used to determine a school’s eligibility under the Programme and
to assess the school’s current security needs and the proposed risk mitigation strategies
that it plans to implement.
Applicants are encouraged to provide as much relevant information as possible regarding
specific security risks or incidents affecting their school. Schools may include a security
risk assessment to demonstrate the potential impact and the likelihood of existing or
emerging threats on the school.
Schools should provide a prioritised list of infrastructure and/or security guards required
for their security project.
4.1
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
All completed applications for grants must be lodged through the Department’s online
application process. Applicants will be provided with a receipt number which should be
used in any future correspondence with the Department about the application.
It is the responsibility of the applicant school to prepare a clear and complete application
and to lodge it on or before the closing date. Late or incomplete applications may not be
considered.
The Department cannot assist schools with the cost of applying for grants. Applicants are
responsible for all the costs of preparing and lodging their application and the costs of
answering the Department’s requests for more information or clarification.
The Department can provide limited telephone or email assistance to applicants with
queries about completing the application form. For probity reasons, the Department will
not provide specific advice on how to write your proposal.
Application kits and other information on the Programme can be downloaded from
www.ag.gov.au/CrimeAndCorruption/CrimePrevention/Pages/SchoolsSecurityProgramme.aspx.
Alternatively, call (02) 6141 2711 or email secureschools@ag.gov.au to request the kit.
Applications must:

be submitted on the official forms provided on the website at www.ag.gov.au/
CrimeAndCorruption/CrimePrevention/Pages/SchoolsSecurityProgramme.aspx

include all requested information and address the selection criteria

be received in full

be lodged via the electronic lodgement facility on or before the closing date. Faxed,
posted or emailed applications will not be accepted, and

contain detailed costings and quotes for all proposed activities.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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Appropriate supporting documents should be attached to the application.
Applicants should advise the Department in writing if there are any changes to the
information provided in their application form or any other changes that will affect their
application, as soon as possible after they occur.
4.2
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
The use of public money may only occur in accordance with the financial framework that
governs the expenditure of funds by the Australian Government. The grants programme
will be administered in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines.
Before approving any grant expenditure, the Minister for Justice must be satisfied that a
spending proposal is an efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of public money
and that it is not inconsistent with government policies.
Information from applications will be objectively assessed by the Department against the
Programme assessment criteria.
Key criteria considered by the Department when assessing funding applications include:

the quality of available evidence to support the existence of a security risk (it is in
the interests of applicants to provide as much information as possible about specific
security risks/incidents in their applications)

the need for the project and its intended long-term crime prevention benefits

how the proposed project addresses the identified security risk

whether the project is cost-effective and represents good value for money, and

the applicant’s capacity to deliver the project and administer grant funds.
The assessment of projects will be based on the following selection criteria and weighting
of assessment scores:
Weighting
Eligibility Criteria
Pass/Fail
eligibility of the applicant school – nomination by the State/Territory
Education Minister or its independent schools association – see section 2.1
above
Pass/Fail
eligibility of the proposed project – its consistency with the Programme’s
key objectives and principles – see sections 3.1 and 3.2 above
Applications that do not pass the eligibility criteria will not be assessed further.
Weighting
Selection Criteria
25%
security risks faced by the school and the demonstrated need for, and the
potential impact of, the proposed project
25%
consistency with proven good practice in crime prevention, including
demonstrating the link between the project’s key interventions and the
likely school safety and crime prevention benefits of the project
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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Weighting
Selection Criteria
20%
financial information, including quotes, cost estimates and budgets which
establish the overall value for money of the project
10%
the school’s ability to collect data to measure the impact and success of the
project and the range of data to be collected
10%
project management capacity of the applicant school, including its financial
viability, demonstrated capacity to successfully manage the project and
demonstrated capacity to administer grant funds)
10%
the school’s ability to manage risks associated with the proposed activity
At the conclusion of the assessment process, the Department will make recommendations
to the Minister for Justice who will make the final decisions with regard to the allocation
of funding. The Minister’s decisions on funding are final.
4.3
NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION OUTCOMES
Where an application is successful, the school will receive a letter from the Minister
notifying it that its application has been successful.
If the application for funding is unsuccessful, the school will receive formal written
notification advising of the outcome of their application and brief reasons for the decision.
Feedback on unsuccessful applications will be available on request.
5.
MANAGING THE PROJECT
5.1
FUNDING AGREEMENTS
The Department will negotiate a Funding Agreement with each successful applicant. The
Funding Agreement forms a legal contract between the applicant and the Australian
Government. It will describe the purpose for which grant funding will be used and how,
when and where the project must be delivered. The Department will monitor the project
against the Funding Agreement through progress reports from the school.
The Funding Agreement must be signed by a person authorised to legally bind the school.
A contract does not exist until a Funding Agreement has been signed by both parties.
Schools should not make financial commitments in expectation of receiving funding until
the Funding Agreement has been executed.
For non-government schools, the Department will use either the whole-of-government
low-risk short-form Funding Agreement developed by the Department of Finance or the
Attorney-General’s Department’s long-form Funding Agreement. The choice of agreement
will be determined according to the Department’s grants management policy based on the
amount awarded and the project risk with the preference being for the low-risk Funding
Agreement wherever appropriate. The low-risk Funding Agreement template can be found
at www.finance.gov.au/financial-framework/financial-management-policyguidance/grants/grant-agreement-template-project.html and the long-form template at
www.ag.gov.au/CrimeAndCorruption/CrimePrevention/Pages/SchoolsSecurityProgramme.aspx.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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For government schools, States and Territories will be paid under a national partnership
agreement (NPA) negotiated with the Commonwealth. The NPA will be signed by the
Education Ministers of the relevant States and Territories and by the Minister for Justice
on behalf of the Commonwealth. The executed NPA will then be posted on the
Commonwealth Treasury’s website. When a school is to receive a grant instalment, the
Department will transfer money to Treasury which will release money to its
State/Territory counterpart for transfer to the State/Territory Education Department.
NPAs are governed by the Council of Australian Governments’ Intergovernmental
Agreement on Federal Financial Relations.
Applicants should be aware that if an application for funding under the Programme is
successful, the Australian Government will expect work to commence within a reasonable
period of time. Funding may be withdrawn if the project has not commenced within the
agreed timeframe.
The Minister, or his delegates, reserves the right not to enter into a Funding Agreement if
this would be considered to bring the Programme or the Commonwealth into disrepute.
5.2
PAYMENTS AND ACQUITTALS
Payments to funding recipients under the Programme will be split into separate
instalments and be paid during the life of the project.
Before any payment can be made, the Funding Agreement must be signed by all relevant
parties and a properly rendered tax invoice submitted to the Attorney-General’s
Department. Also, if funding has been approved subject to the recipient meeting certain
conditions, evidence must be provided to the Department that the conditions of funding
have been met.
Subsequent payments will not be made until the Department receives and accepts the
following items:

Progress Reports as identified in the Funding Agreement, including an acquittal
showing that previous payments have been fully expended or committed, and

a tax invoice for the amount payable.
At the conclusion of the project period, the funding recipient must also supply the
following:

a Final Report to demonstrate that the agreed project outcomes have been
achieved, and

a financial acquittal of Commonwealth funding and any other funding as set out in
the Schools Security Programme Funding Agreement.
Applicants should have sufficient resources for the final stages of the project as the final
payment will be withheld until the Department receives and assesses these documents
and is satisfied that the project has been completed in accordance with the Funding
Agreement.
All reporting is a mandatory requirement and is important for documenting what was
achieved with the funds provided.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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5.3
COMPLIANCE
Potential funding recipients must comply with certain requirements. Without declaration
from the funding recipient that it has complied with all of the following requirements, the
Department cannot enter into a Funding Agreement.
Funding recipients must maintain the following:

public liability insurance for an amount not less than $10 million per claim

workers compensation insurance to the level required by State or Territory law

professional indemnity or associations liability insurance to a minimum of $5 million,
and

insurance for all assets purchased with the grant sufficient to enable replacement of
the asset and claims arising from use of the asset.
Funding recipients will be required to provide satisfactory evidence of this cover to the
Department. They must also indicate their compliance with all relevant State and
Territory laws.
5.4
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR
The Department expects a certain standard of behaviour and conduct from funding
recipients. Those involved in managing or delivering services under the project should:

comply with all Australian laws

avoid activities that might jeopardise the grant, and

act honestly, ethically and professionally.
Where a funding recipient becomes aware that a person involved in managing the project
or delivering services under the project does not meet these standards, the recipient is
required to notify the Department and remove the person from any role in the project.
5.5
CONTINUED ORGANISATIONAL ELIGIBILITY
Each successful applicant is required to maintain its status as a registered government or
non-government school under relevant State or Territory legislation for the period of the
grant. Any changes to this status may result in funding being withdrawn.
5.6
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RIGHT TO REPAYMENT
The Australian Government will provide funding under the Funding Agreement for schools
to purchase security infrastructure but will not own the infrastructure/equipment
purchased. This will remain the property of the funding recipient. The Funding
Agreement may require funding recipients to repay the whole or a portion of the funding
should the security infrastructure/equipment be sold or cease to be used principally for
the purpose approved by the Government. The Government will calculate the amount of
funds repayable by the funding recipient by applying a five per cent (5%) reduction to the
funding paid for each year the equipment was used by the school for the approved
purpose.
Schools Security Programme Guidelines – 2015-16 to 2017-18
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If there is evidence that a school has used Programme funds for facilities outside the
scope of the approved project without Australian Government approval, the Australian
Government may seek repayment of those funds.
6.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
6.1
PUBLIC REPORTING
In accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines,
the Department is required to publish information on its website relating to all individual
grants no later than seven working days from the date of execution of the relevant
Funding Agreement.
6.2
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
All documents held or created by the Department with regard to the Schools Security
Programme are subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth)
(FOI Act). Unless a document falls under an exemption provision, it will be made available
to the general public if a request is lodged under the FOI Act.
Decisions regarding requests for access will be made by the authorised decision maker in
accordance with the requirements of the FOI Act.
6.3
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
In accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines, all Commonwealth
employees with responsibility for the administration of Commonwealth grants
programmes are required to declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest.
Applicants must indicate any potential or actual conflict of interest arising from proposed
projects. Where the Department establishes that a conflict of interest exists, it may
decide not to consider the application.
Any school that is successful in obtaining funding under the Schools Security Programme
will also be required to declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest prior to the
execution of a Funding Agreement with the Commonwealth.
6.4
PRIVACY
Schools awarded a grant under the Schools Security Programme are obliged under the
terms of the Funding Agreement to meet the requirements of the Australian Privacy
Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
These principles cover the collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information.
Under these principles, you should ensure that any personal information you may collect
and hold is accurate, relevant to the purpose for which it was collected, up to date and not
misleading. In most cases, personal information should not be used or disclosed to
another person, body or agency without the individual’s consent.
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Personal information, such as names and telephone numbers, collected in the application
form will be used to contact an applicant in relation to an application, for vendor creation,
and to populate the Funding Agreement should the applicant be awarded funding.
Individuals have the right to access their personal information and to complain if they
think their personal information has been mishandled.
Successful applicants must also comply with relevant State and Territory privacy
legislation. Applicants should pay close attention to privacy legislation when developing
project proposals.
Information about the Privacy Act can be found at www.aoic.gov.au.
6.5
CONFIDENTIALITY
Applicants should note that information regarding their application for the Programme
may be shared with relevant Australian Government and State/Territory agencies, and
other relevant organisations and individuals.
Once submitted, the application will be classified as ‘For Official Use Only’ and will be
stored appropriately by the Department. Its obligation to keep information confidential
will not be breached if the information is:

disclosed by the Australian Government to its advisers or employees solely in order
to consider the application

disclosed by the Australian Government to the responsible Minister

disclosed by the Australian Government in response to a request by the Parliament
of the Commonwealth of Australia

authorised or required by law to be disclosed, or

in the public domain.
6.6
AMENDMENTS, SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION
Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this document, the Department
reserves the right in its absolute discretion to:

amend these Guidelines at any time

terminate this application process

vary any information, requirement, terms, process, time period, time or date set out
in this document

seek additional information or clarification from any applicant(s) or from any other
party

negotiate, suspend negotiations or not negotiate with any applicant

evaluate some or all applications

provide additional information or clarification to applicants, or

accept any or none of the applications.
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Any clarifications or amendments to information about the Schools Security Programme
will appear on the Department’s website: www.ag.gov.au/CrimeAndCorruption/Crime
Prevention/Pages/SchoolsSecurityProgramme.aspx
It will be the responsibility of applicants to check this website regularly for any
amendments. The Department does not undertake to inform any party when additional
information is posted on this website.
6.7
COMPLAINTS MECHANISM
The Department regards complaints as a way of both assessing and improving our
performance. The Department will endeavour, where possible, to ensure that complaints
are resolved promptly, fairly, confidentially and satisfactorily and that our procedures are
improved as a result.
Complaints regarding an application under the Schools Security Programme should first be
made in writing to:
Assistant Secretary
Crime Prevention and Federal Offenders Branch
Attorney-General’s Department
Robert Garran Offices
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600
If you believe that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily, you can contact the
Department’s Compliments and Complaints Officer by either:
Email:
complaints@ag.gov.au
Telephone:
02 6141 2525
Mail:
Compliments and Complaints Officer
Attorney-General’s Department
Robert Garran Offices
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600
All complaints referred to the Department will be fully investigated and the complainant
should receive a written response within 28 calendar days.
Where a complainant is dissatisfied with the Department’s handling of the complaint they
can seek further review and investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman can be contacted on:
Telephone:
1300 362 072 (toll free)
Website:
www.ombudsman.gov.au
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7.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please contact:
Crime Prevention Section
Crime Prevention & Federal Offenders Branch
Criminal Justice Division
Attorney-General’s Department
Robert Garran Offices
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600
Telephone:
(02) 6141 2711
Email:
secureschools@ag.gov.au
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