Business Planning Assistance Fund GUIDELINES

Working together as a community to establish a solid foundation towards independence,
community wellbeing, cultural identity, and healthy Country now and for future generations.

These Guidelines assist with the administration of the Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation Business Planning Assistance Fund.
Please download a Business Planning Assistance Fund application form from the RRKAC website under Robe River Services.  If you have any issues or require assistance to do this, please contact the office on ph.08 9185 5005 or email info@rrkac.org.au.

INTRODUCTION

The Kuruma Marthudunera Charitable Trust was established on 19 November 2010. The Trust was created for the purposes of benefiting the Community, including the KM People in the manner set out in the Trust Deed and is established for charitable purposes only.

The Trust is managed by Kuruma Marthudunera Limited (KML) as trustee for the Trust under the advice of the Traditional Owner Council for the KM People.

Chapter 6 of the Trust Deed sets out the terms on which KML may distribute funds from the Trust in each financial year. KML must adhere to the first Distribution Policy set out at Schedule 3 of the Trust Deed. If KML wishes to amend or modify the Distribution Policy, KML must first obtain the written consents of the Traditional Owner Council and the Contributor.

Under the Distribution Policy, KML may allocate money to any of the programs set out in section 3.9 each financial year. To ensure that the Business Planning Assistance Fund is used in accordance with the law and the Trust Deed, KML and RRKAC have set up the formal procedures set out in this document.

Applications for this assistance are administered by RRKAC and applications to the Business Planning Assistance Fund will be accepted processed under delegation to specific KMAC staff and considered for approval by the Board of KMAC

KML, through RRKAC will make distributions only in accordance with this policy.

Only limited funds are available each year for this purpose.
All applications will be considered subject to the availability of funds.
 As such funding is neither an entitlement nor guaranteed.

  1. Program Budget: KML and RRKAC will determine:
    1. the budget available for the Business Planning Assistance Fund for each financial year; and
    2. the maximum support limit for each eligible person (or group of members) for that financial year (currently $15,000).
  2. RRKAC will invite applications for funding under this between February and November during the calendar year.
  3. RRKAC member services officers receive, process and will seek Robe River Services recommendations regarding applications.
  4. Approval of applications. Applications may only be approved by the RRKAC Board

  5. Business Planning Assistance Application Form: Applicants will complete a Business Planning Assistance Application Form available on the RRKAC webpage (via the Robe River Services page) and return it to the RRKAC office. RRKAC will then process the application in accordance with these guidelines as soon as possible.

  6. The application must be signed by the applicant/s.

  7. Database: The RRKAC member services staff will maintain a Business Planning Assistance Database of applicants and their applications approved or rejected in order to monitor the total a person has received perfinancial year, and must include the following:

    1. the applicant/s’ name;
    2. a copy of the client assessment form completed with Robe River Services as prequalification for eligibility;
    3. the relevant financial year;
    4. the maximum support limit for that financial year;
    5. Business Assistance application date;
    6. the outcome of the Business Planning Assistance application;
    7. value of services provided;
    8. nature of services provided and by whom;
    9. a copy of the applicant’s declaration on file; and
    10. any other information RRKAC wishes to record as relevant.
  8. Assessed on merit: Each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis having regard to the merits of their application and the priorities of other The RRKAC members’ services staff and Board will have regard to these Policy Guidelines, the Business Planning Assistance Application Form, the Database and the order of necessity of the applicants.
  9. Role of RRKAC Directors: All applications will be referred to the RRKAC Directors, the application will be considered at the next meeting of the RRKAC Board or (if urgent) may be distributed for consideration by circular resolution of Directors.
  10. Successful applications: Successful applicants will be notified as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days after the determination of the application. The RRKAC member services staff will arrange payment to the service providers.
  11. Unsuccessful applications: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing as soon as possible, but no later than 14 days after the determination of the application. The RRKAC CEO will send the unsuccessful applicant a letter advising the reason for declined and referred to Robe River Services for further assistance if required. While there is no formal appeal process, unsuccessful applicants are entitled to call RRKAC and seek information or provide more information about their application.
  12. Reporting: The RRKAC Member Services Manager will report to the RRKAC CEO and Directors in writing bi-monthly regarding the status of applications received in the previous month including:
    1. details of each application;
    2. number of applications approved;
    3. number of applications rejected and reasons for rejecting; and
    4. total funds committed for Business Planning Assistance during the month
  13. The RRKAC CEO and Directors will consider the KMAC Member Services Manager’s report with a view to ensuring that these guidelines are complied with.
  1. RRK People that are on the KML Beneficiary Register are eligible to apply for assistance.
  2. Assistance is available to those people wishing to start a business or to those people who are already own a smallbusiness but cannot afford specialist
  3. Businesses with Non-KM interests: Where a business is jointly owned or operated (Company with various shareholders, partnership with non KM partners or a Joint Venture between KM people and others) consideration will also be given to whether the other parties have or should contribute to meet costs.
  1. To qualify for assistance the recipient must provide written information about their business proposal (these guidelines are to be provided to applicants with the application form) but include;
  • Applicant/s name/s
  • Trading entity
  • Whether you have an ABN
  • Incorporation or partnership details and certificates/agreements if not a sole trader
  • Brief outline of proposed (or existing) business proposal
  • Purpose of funding
  • As part of the application, you must complete a client capacity assessment form with a representative of Robe River Services as a prequalification for eligibility. A score over 40 must be evident on this assessment before the application can proceed.
  • What you want to achieve from the assistance requested.
  • What eligible services you require
  • How much you think those services will cost
  • Who you propose to provide those services
  • How much you propose to contribute yourself
  • If you are not the sole owner of the business how much the other owners propose to contribute
  • Any supportive documents (quotes, consultant’s brief etc)
  • Applicant’s declaration that they have read and accept the guidelines and that the information provided is true and correct.
  1. To ensure that Robe River Kuruma people have access to professional business-related advice in order to establish and run their own businesses and participate successfully in the local and regional economy.
  1. Financial limits or caps: In order to simplify the operation of the Business Assistance Fund, KML and KMAC have established the following CAPS:
  1. The maximum amount available for ALL forms of assistance under this program is $15,000 per financial year per applicant (or group of applicants).
  2. Applications by more than one person in relation to the same or related business proposal/s will be considered together for the purpose of this limit on the amount of funds available.
    i.e.  Regardless of how many applications are made for more than one form of assistance and regardless of how many different applicants apply for assistance for the same business, this limit $15,000) applies as if there were only one applicant.
  3. Only actual costs will be paid, assistance below the category limits below does not entitle applicants to draw on or use the balance of that limit.
  4. The specific types and amounts of assistance available

There are four areas of support from the BPAF, which can be combined but may not exceed $15,000 in total;

  • Up to $7,500 for Incubation support which can include purchase of minor equipment (under $2,000), business setup costs, accounting/administration support in first 12 months of operations, trademarks/patents, website or other IT setup.
  • Up to $7,500 for Business expert advice which can cover things like Business plans, tender documentations, administration, legal, marketing, and graphic designer.
  • Up to $5,000 for Contracting and workforce expert advice which can include expert skills to link with opportunity (e.g., negotiation support), registration on RRK Business Register, becoming a vendor with a Mining stakeholder, tender/grant writing support/engagement.
  • Up to $5,000 for Business support to undertake a business review if the business has been operating for minimum of 12 months, which can include review or update of strategic, business and/or marketing plans.

Note: the value paid is based on the Service Provider’s initial offer and RRKAC person acceptance. Variations to the
 original agreement will not be covered by this facility and must be borne by the individual applicant.

Applications will also be assessed having regard to;

  • Demonstration that the applicants have themselves contributed to the business planning and pre-commencement processes
  • Equitable assistance to eligible members. Members who have had no prior assistance will be given priority over those who have already received any of the above forms of assistance
  • Whether the assistance is otherwise available from other affordable sources
  1. Acceptable Uses: In order to simplify the operation of the Business Planning Assistance Fund and in accordance with KML governing documents, KML and RRKAC have established that support will be limited to the measures/items listed at 5.1 above. Ancillary costs such as applicant’s travel will not be met.
  2. No guarantee of further assistance Approval of any of these forms of assistance is in no way a guarantee of any further assistance.
  3. Accessing more than one of these; Applicants may access all 4 of the areas of assistance but each needs to be clearly different or can be submitted on separate applications, but the capped limit is $15,000 per financial year.
  4. Further assistance (5.3) dependent. Applications for more than one form of assistance must be complimentary, cannot be concurrent and will be assessed dependent on there being successful and documented completion of and favorable/supportive outcomes from the prior element of planning assistance e.g. where a feasibility study demonstrates unlikely success, funding may not be provided for business planning or tender documentation
  5. Qualifications and independence of advisors; Applications requiring the services of professional advisors will be assessed in accordance with RRKAC’s own corporate rules (schedule 2) for the appointment of service providers. Put simply this means that people/firms engaged must be appropriately qualified, have relevant experience and their charges be reasonable for the type and level of services anticipated. They must also be independent of the applicant.
  6. Unacceptable Uses: In order to simplify the operation of the Business Planning Assistance Fund and in accordance with KML governing documents, KML/ RRKAC have agreed on the following unacceptable uses:
    1. Equipment purchases (above $2,000);
    2. Seed funding (working capital, stock or cash flow needs)
    3. Capital goods (above $2,000); and
    4. Ongoing Business related
    5. Applicant’s ancillary costs such as travel, meetings, mileage, accommodation etc.

Assistance will only be provided for services proposed and yet to be undertaken. Funding will not be provided for costs already incurred.

  1. Requests should contain reasonable requests and amounts and should be supported with written copies of quotes from prospective service suppliers. Application forms include instructions and guidelines and will not be processed if incomplete.

Payment will be only made directly to service providers and will not be made in advance of any services provided. Requests for interim or progress payments should be supported with written invoices outlining services actually provided.
No cash payments; a person will not receive any assistance by way of cash payment. All applications must list the payment details of the service provider and RRKAC will facilitate the payments.

RRKAC is administering this form of member assistance on behalf of KML not itself and as such the funds accessed are Trust funds. Nonetheless where any apparent conflict of interest or related party interest arises within the approval process, applications will be processed having regard to RRKAC rules and its own policy on related party benefits.

Completion of the application is the responsibility of applicants themselves. Applications which are incomplete will not be submitted for approval until completed.

Applications that contain untrue information or are misleading by virtue of not declaring matters relevant to the conditions of approval will not be approved.

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