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 Gift Fund must accord with the rules set by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

How these requirements are met

  1. Project proposals are approved and signed by the ANBG General Manager.
  2. The Projects Committee and Friends Council ensure consistency with the Friends purposes and objectives.
  3. The Projects Committee and Friends Council ensure consistency with the ATO rules relating to the Gift Fund.

Sources of funding

Projects may be funded by the Friends, by the Gift 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. Gift 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 Project Committee 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
    • committed and uncommitted funding levels
    • the ‘fit’ with the Friends' purposes and objectives and the ATO rules.
  4. Council decides whether to support and, if so, fund.
  5. The Convenor advises the ANBG of the outcome of Council 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 must be suitably acknowledged. This will vary according to the project.