Funds, Projects and Grants
This page describes
- ANZAB's Donation Funds;
- how donations to ANZAB are passed on as payments or grants to approved projects;
- initiating a new project;
- how to apply for funding.
ANZAB Donation Funds
What funds does ANZAB operate that accept donations?
ANZAB operates two funds to which donations of money can be made. ANZAB is not usually able to accept gifts of goods, though please contact the if you feel an exception should be made to this rule.
Most donations go to ANZAB's Public Fund, and this is the only fund to which tax-deductible donations can be made. Various legal restrictions apply to this fund. Notably it can only accept donations to which Australian tax-deductibility can apply (i.e. from Australian tax-payers), and grants paid from this fund must be used for Australian projects. Once a tax-deductible receipt is issued, the donation cannot be returned. Donors usually express a preference as to how their donation is to be used, and it is most unusual for such a preference not to be followed, but if for example the preference is for a project that is later cancelled for whatever reason, the donation will be applied elsewhere. All decisions about the use of these donations must by law rest with the Funds Committee.
ANZAB also operates a General Donations Fund. Donations to this fund are not tax-deductible (so include donations by people who are not Australian tax-payers, and also include all bequests). Money from this fund can be applied to projects outside Australia (and so support for New Zealand projects must come from this fund), and again the Funds Committee is responsible for the final decisions.
Follow this link to find out how to Donate to an ANZAB Fund.
Projects, Grants and Payments
What are projects and grants?
Typically major projects involve the installing of bells into a new tower, or adding bells to an existing tower, or a major refurbishment of an existing tower. Such projects usually involve large amounts of money, and generally the bulk of the funding comes from donations (tax-deductible in the case of Australian projects) where the donor expresses a preference that the donation goes to that project.
While there is no cut-and-dried distinction between major and minor projects, minor projects could involve the installation of a simulator to a tower, or might involve mini-rings; normally they involve less money, and do not require engineers' reports. As with major projects, donations (tax-deductible in the case of Australian projects) can be made expressing a preference for such projects.
Grants are also made from ANZAB's two funds, and are taken from donations or bequests where no preference has been expressed, or from income generated by invested funds. Grants may be given to approved projects (in which case they would be in addition to any preferenced donations that the project might expect to receive). They can also be made to specific undertakings or events such as a training weekend, which are not approved projects and for which there is no expectation of preferenced donations.
How payments are made
Money is disbursed from the Public Fund and the General Donations Fund following advice from ANZAB's Board of Directors, with the Funds Committee making the final approval.
Money is paid to approved projects usually only when some part of the work is complete and invoices are to hand. Those running the project (typically the church authorities for major projects) pay the invoice and request reimbursement, or in exceptional circumstances ask ANZAB to pay the invoice in advance; ANZAB makes the reimbursement or payment (subject to approval of the Funds Committee), usually from donations received that have been preferenced to that project, though the Funds Committee may also choose to make a grant from unpreferenced donations or from income generated by the funds.
Grants to anything other than approved projects are made typically as one-off payments, after an application has been received and approved by ANZAB's Board of Directors and Funds Committee.
What to do first with any new project
Are you planning a new tower, upgrade or major renovation?
If so, please contact the or in early stages of your planning. ANZAB operates an Advisory Panel which may well be able to offer assistance with your planning. In due course, once the planning is complete and the various engineering reports and plans are to hand, apply to have the project approved, as described below. Once it has gained approval, encourage the community to make tax-deductible donations (if the project is within Australia) preferenced to this project.
Are you planning a minor project (such as a mini-ring, sound control or simulator)?
Again it helps to contact the or in early stages of your planning. You may then wish to seek assistance from the Advisory Panel; you may wish to apply for a grant; and if the project is within Australia you may wish to have the project approved so that donors can make tax-deductible donations to the project.
Applying for funding
Applying to have a project approved
A major project is one for which the bulk of the funding is expected to come from donations made by members of the public. These typically are for new towers, or enhancements of existing towers, or major refurbishments. The major project application form must be completed by an authorised representative of the body undertaking the project (which, in the case of church bells, is the church or other organisation that owns or will own the bells, rather than the local ringers).
Approval ultimately depends on the vote of the Funds Committee, made in consultation with the Board of Directors and ANZAB's Advisory Panel, and will not normally be given until it is clear that the project is fully planned, budgeted and ready to proceed.
The process for a minor project is similar, though the total budget is smaller. Typically the project might involve fitting a simulator to existing bells, or might involve a mini-ring. In such cases the owner of the equipment in question might be a ringing society rather than a church authority, though projects will not normally be approved where the owner is an individual ringer. The minor project application form must be completed by a representative of the body that owns the project.
With both major and minor projects, the applicant may also request a grant from ANZAB (i.e. over and above donations that are expected, preferenced to the project), and if so this should be indicated on the application form. The approval of any such grant will depend on the availability of funds, and approval of the project does not imply that the grant will necessarily also be approved.
It is preferable that the church authority pays for any equipment in Australia, as they will normally be able to reclaim any GST (which ANZAB is not able to do).
In all cases it is recommended that you consult the or the well before you formally seek approval for a project.
Applying for a payment related to an approved project
Once a project is approved and donations have been received preferenced to the project, the owners of the project (i.e. the church or equivalent) may request payments to be made from these funds or from any grant that ANZAB may make. To do this, please contact the and include details of the work completed and a copy of the relevant invoice. Indicate whether the invoice has already been paid (and you are therefore seeking reimbursement), or you are asking ANZAB to pay the invoice directly (as may be the case for overseas payments). Note that any part of the invoice that the project owner can reclaim from another source (such as any GST that can be reclaimed) will be excluded from the amount ANZAB pays, and that each payment requires the approval of the Funds Committee.
Applying for a grant for an approved project
If you wish to request a grant from ANZAB in addition to funding you hope to receive via donations preferenced to your project, please indicate this when you seek approval for the project. Approval of the project does not imply that the grant will also be approved; grants depend on the availability of funds, and you are advised to consult the about what grant, if any, is likely to be approved, though the final decision rests with the Funds Committee.
Applying for other one-off grants
Grants are also available to undertakings or events that are not approved projects. Such grants are typically paid to assist with the funding of a training or recruitment event or to assist with a minor improvement to a tower or mini-ring, where tax-deductible donations are not expected as part of the funding (and project approval is therefore not relevant). Grants are normally made as one-off payments: documentation is required about how the money is to be used, plus proof where appropriate after the event that it has been spent as planned.
Please contact the if you wish to apply for a grant. Approval of the Board of Directors and Funds Committee is normally required, so please make your request in ample time.
One-off grants for individuals with special regard to peals
Reimbursements from ANZAB, outside of pre-approved programmes, have been limited to covering travel expenses for training. Covering expenses related to peal ringing should not normally be approved, although (from an individual member’s perspective) certain peals could represent clear development opportunities.
We do want, and can, support training and development for ANZAB members who wish to attend an event which they feel will aid progress. As such, the mechanism would be for individual members to seek reimbursement directly for attending this event, so long as a brief justification can be provided which addresses the following:
- The event (i.e. the peal attempts) will provide a learning or development opportunity not normally available in the participant’s (or other participants’) local region(s).
- Reimbursements for up to 50% of travel costs will be favourably considered.