AISV: 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.

Downloads

The Victorian Independent Schools BGA Ltd

Established in 1989, VIS BGA's primary objective is to carry out of the functions of a block grant authority, as described in the Schools Assistance Act 2004.

The Australian Government programs include the Capital Grants Program, Investing in Our Schools Program (that is no longer available for application) Trade Training Centres in Schools Program, the National Secondary School Computer Fund and the Local Schools Working Together pilot program

The funding assistance offered through the Victorian Government include the Needs-Based Capital Assistance Program and the Interest Subsidy Scheme.

Capital Grants Program

The VIS BGA administers the Federal Government Capital Grants Program and the Victorian Government State Needs Based Capital Assistance Funding concurrently. The programs provide supplementary funds to non-government school authorities, which are primarily responsible for establishing, maintaining and upgrading these school facilities. Both tiers of government seek to assist needy non-government schools to upgrade and to improve facilities for all children and work towards the reforms and improvements that will deliver world class schooling across the whole of Australia.

For more information on the Federal Government Capital Grants Program, please visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Capital Grants Program website.

Grants for capital expenditure can be used to:

investigate the needs of schools, rural student hostels, buildings, parts of buildings other facilities or equipment
purchase land, with buildings or parts of buildings, or in special circumstances, without buildings
plan, erect, alter, extend refurbish or demolish (including asbestos removal) a building including student residential accommodation and attached supervisors’ quarters
develop or prepare land for building or other purposes
install or upgrade water, electricity or other services
provide furniture or equipment, including information technology equipment that should be part of a broader capital project unless special circumstances exist
provide library materials and the goods for cataloguing a library.

Under the 2010 round of funding for the Capital Grants Program and State Needs-Based Capital Assistance Funding, the VIS BGA recommended 32 projects for Federal and State Government funding of just under $16 million.

To make a 2011 CGP application, you need to do two things:

You need to obtain your user name and password by contacting Rosslyn Culpitt at rosslyn.culpitt@ais.vic.edu.au or on 9825 7213.
To make an online application, click here.

Applications must be accompanied (in hard copy) by:

a copy of the Online Application
the Declaration signed by the School's approved authority
the Feasibility Report prepared by an independent Principal Consultant

Relevant downloads required to assist with the completion of the application process are as follows:

Downloads of documents required as hardcopy for submission are as follows:

Building the Education Revolution

The Commonwealth Government has 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.

The three elements of the BER are:

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. For information on the payment process for Primary Schools for the 21st Century, please see the following documents:
- Guidelines for the Reporting and Payment Process
- Progressive Expenditure Statement
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 to download the key dates for each of the BER elements (PDF).

Schools are advised to read the BER guidelines and frequently asked questions produced by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Go to: www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au to access the documents.

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@ais.vic.edu.au or on (03) 9825 7200.

Investing in Our Schools Program

The Investing in Our Schools Program (IOSP) was a $300 million Australian Government infrastructure initiative and will lapse on the 31 December 2008. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is now working towards finalising the program.

Schools that were successful in obtaining funding for projects under the IOSP are reminded of their obligations to acknowledge this funding assistance from the Australian Government. For information on these obligations please visit the IOSP website.

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.

Independent Schools considering making an application to this program, should contact Mr Peter Roberts Company Secretary for the VIS BGA email: peter.roberts@ais.vic.edu.au or telephone 9825 7200.

National Secondary School Computer Fund

The National Secondary School Computer Fund (the Fund) is investing $1.1 billion over five years to provide for new information and communications technology (ICT) for secondary schools with students in Years 9 to 12. Round Two will closed on 9 October 2008. For more information please follow this link: http://www.digitaleducationrevolution.gov.au/

The BGA is administering this program in partnership with AISV. For information and guidance on the Application and Recommendation process and the development of the ICT plans, please contact Peter Roberts, Assistant Director - Management Services, at peter.roberts@ais.vic.edu.au or on (03) 9825 7200.

For information on projects that are in receipt of grants through the NSSCF, please contact Lindy McArdle, Program Assistant, at lindy.mcardle@ais.vic.edu.au or telephone 9828 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

The VIS BGA is administering the Victorian Government Interest Subsidy Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education & Early Childhood Development for independent schools in Victoria. 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.

Documentation

The following documents are project specific and are not able to be downloaded. Please contact the VIS BGA office for a copy.

Schematic Design Process