Punjabi Association of South Australia

In reply to Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (20 October 2016).

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): I have been advised:

1. The Punjabi Association of South Australia's application for funding, through Grants SA Medium Round 1 for its Multicultural Diwali Festival (Mela), was unsuccessful because it did not rank as highly as others in merit, when assessed by the Grants SA Assessment Panel.

All Grant SA applications are assessed independently by Assessment Panel members. The Assessment Panel members have experience and expertise in financial management, charitable or social welfare organisation administration, multicultural affairs, young people and/or volunteering. For the medium and major rounds, the panel comprises seven independent members (including three representatives from the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission) and one Department for Communities and Social Inclusion member. The Assessment Panel does not provide individual commentary on applications but instead assesses them using merit-based scoring against five criteria. Scores for individual applications are then ranked in order of merit. Funding is allocated according to rank until each funding round (major/medium/minor) is fully expended.

2. Like the Punjabi Association of South Australia, the Hungarian Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Cultural Circle's application for funding, through Grants SA Medium Round 1 for its Paprikás Hungarian Food and Culture Festival, was unsuccessful because it did not rank as highly as others in merit, when assessed by the Grants SA Assessment Panel.

The Grants SA program is highly competitive, with grant rounds receiving many more applications than can be funded.

All unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to contact the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion's Grants SA team on 1300 650 985 to receive feedback on their applications and discuss ways to develop and strengthen future funding proposals they may wish to submit.