Projects Committee guidelines

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Guidelines for the Projects Committee

Purpose

To consider funding for ANBG project proposals and make recommendations to Council.

Composition of committee

Convenor endorsed by Council and generally four or five members. (see the 'About Us' page on the Friends website for current membership).

Requirement

  1. All projects must align with the ANBG’s Management Plan.
  2. All projects funded by Friends must be consistent with the purposes and objectives of the Friends as set out in the Constitution and the Friends Strategic Plan.
  3. All projects funded through the Public Fund must comply with the requirements of the Registered Environmental Organisations (REO) Guidelines.

How these requirements are met

  1. Project proposals are approved and signed by the Executive Director.
  2. The Projects Committee and Friends Council ensure consistency with the Friends purposes and objectives.
  3. The Management Committee of the Friends Public Fund is responsible for approving Public Fund projects.

Sources of funding

Projects may be funded by the Friends, by the Public Fund or jointly.

  1. Friends projects: mainly membership fees, and proceeds from activities including Growing Friends plant sales as well as commissions from Botanic Art and Photographic exhibitions. Less than 50% of membership fee revenue is required to cover recurrent administrative costs.
  2. Public Fund: tax deductible donations.

Source of proposals

Most are suggested by ANBG staff but suggestions are invited from Councillors, Friends Groups and individual Friends.

Procedure

  1. While important or urgent proposals will be accepted at any time, the usual timeline is as follows:
    • in June the PC invites suggestions from Friends through the e-bulletin (suggestions sought by 31 July).
    • at the August planning meeting, the Projects Committee considers suggestions from the ANBG and assesses any Friends proposals.
  2. If both the ANBG and Committee agree the merits of any Friends’ proposals then it is developed further.
  3. Recommendations are then presented by the Convenor to Council which has regard to:
    • the importance, urgency, and scale of the project
    • the level of Friends and Public Fund uncommitted funds
    • the ‘fit’ with the REO Guidelines.
  4. Council decides whether to support and, if so, fund or refer to the Public Fund Management Committee for consideration.
  5. The Convenor advises the ANBG of the outcome of Council and Public Fund Committee deliberations.
  6. Quarterly reports on the status of all projects underway are also provided to Council by the Convenor after consultation with the ANBG.
  7. At the end of the financial year Council is given an assessment of progress during the year.
  8. The chronological list of projects on the Friends website, and associated expenditure, is also updated at the end of the financial year.

Implementation arrangements

One or more Friends may participate in the development of a project if appropriate and, in that case, report as necessary to the Projects Committee.

Acknowledgement

Every project supported by the Friends or through the Public Fund must be suitably acknowledged. This will vary according to the project.