The Annual BGA Seminar has been replaced with a recorded PowerPoint presentation which is available below for you to view until the end of January 2024.

The next round of funding for Capital Grants in 2025 is outlined in this presentation which will assist you to complete the Stage 1 Notice of Intent.  The Stage 1 Notice of Intent Application Workbook will be available for completion from the 1 September with the closure date of 30 November.

We encourage all Principals and Business Managers to view the presentation to ensure that they are aware of the process prior to applying for a grant.

Click on the links below for the:

Presentation – CGP Application Information for 2025 Funding Round (in MP4 format).  The video runs for about 25 minutes.  Please ensure you have your volume turned up.

Download – copy of slides from the presentation.

Make an Application – download a copy of Stage 1 Notice of Intent.  AVAILABLE FROM 1 SEPTEMBER.  You must be logged into the website to reach this page.  Please request access via the Registration area on the home page if you require access.  All access registrations are reviewed prior to approval.

Application

Go to MAKE AN APPLICATION to download the CGP Application Form.

Application Help Notes

Area and Cost Guidelines These are updated annually.

Accountability Forms

Results of Tender

Project Management Checklist

Notification of Contract Signing or Project Management

Progressive Expenditure Statement (PES)

Architect Statement of Completion

Accountants Certificate

Australian Government Recognition Requirements and Opening Ceremony Information

Information Sheets

Designated Use Period This guideline details the formula that calculates the Right of Repayment Amount to the Commonwealth if a funded facility is demolished and/or unused and/or sold. Schools should use this to calculate approximate Contingent Liability amounts.

Project Management Checklist

Successful Grant Checklist

Application

Master Plan Application

Application Information

Accountability Forms

Master Plan Expenditure Statement

Accountants Certificate

Information Sheets

Master Plan Grants Guidelines

Mandatory Master Plan Guidelines

The following dates reflect the annual milestones for schools.

2024 Dates

Thursday, 5 December 2024 

Applications Open for Stage 2 Initial Application for Round 2026 Capital Grants

18 December 2024 – 1 January 2025 inclusive 

BGA & AISSA Office closed

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2025 Dates

Thursday, 30 January 2025

Closing date for Stage 2 Initial Application for Round 2026 Capital Grants.
1^st Round Closing date for Master Plan Grant applications to be considered at the Committee’s February Meeting.

Tuesday 18 February – Thursday 20 March 2025

School Visits by a panel from the BGA Committee to those schools that have lodged a Stage 2 Initial Application for Round 2026

Thursday, 27 March 2025

Applications Open for Stage 3 Financial Documentation for Round 2026 Capital Grants.

Thursday 10 April 2025 (End of Term 1)

Closing date for Stage 3 Financial Documentation for Round 2026 Capital Grants.

Thursday 22 May to 28 May 2025

Schools advised of indicative grants for Stage 4 Final Documentation for Round 2026 Capital Grants.

Thursday 29 May 2025

Applications Open for Stage 4 Final Documentation for Round 2026 Capital Grants.

Thursday, 10 July 2025 (Mid School Holidays)

Closing date for Stage 4 Final Documentation Round 2026 Capital Grants

Thursday 31 July 2025

2^nd Round Closing date for Master Plan Grant applications to be considered at the Committee’s August meeting.

Tuesday 2 September 2025

Applications Open for Stage 1 Notice of Intent for Round 2027 Capital Grants.

Thursday 18 September 2025

BGA Grant Application Walk through for schools considering applying for Round 2027 Capital Grant Applications.

Thursday 30 September 2025

BGA submits recommended 2026 Round Grants to DESE for approval. The Minister advises schools in November/December 2023. Contracts MUST NOT be signed for projects until the Minister’s approval is received, and the BGA has approved the tendering process.

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Closing date for Stage 1 Notice of Intent for Round 2027 Capital Grants.

Thursday, 4 December 2025

Applications Open for Stage 2 Initial Application for Round 2027 Capital Grants.

22 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 inclusive (TBC)

BGA & AISSA Office closed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2026 Dates

Thursday, 29 January 2026

Closing date for Stage 2 Initial Application for Round 2027 Capital Grants.
1^st Round Closing date for Master Plan Grant applications to be considered at the Committee’s February Meeting.

It has been the BGA practice not to allow the recovery of Application Cost’s relating to projects, however rising costs and the requirements put in place by the BGA to obtain up to date QS reports, etc, during the process has put additional financial pressure on schools.

The process for Capital Grant funding takes place over a period of 11-15 months. During this time schools incur costs when preparing formal Applications for Capital Grant Program Grants.

Costs may include, for example:
• fees for architects,
• quantity surveyors (QS),
• consultants (eg soil, engineering, traffic) etc

Schools may recover these application costs by including them as project expenses on projects which are approved by the Commonwealth government. Costs incurred on unsuccessful projects relating to the application process are at the schools expense ……. Click here to learn more

In assessing a Project’s eligibility for a Grant, the Commonwealth requires the BGA to aim for a Minimum Viable Project that meets the objectives of the Capital Grants Program (CGP), is based on sound student enrolment projections for the period closely following the completion of the project and meets the educational needs of the school …. Click here to learn more

When recommending projects to the Commonwealth Government for approval, previous practice has been to include Construction Contingencies, Design Contingencies and Country Loading as part of the Approved Project Cost.
Contingency amounts provided in a QS may not be utilised during the construction of a project and if included as part of the Approved Project Cost it potentially inflates what the actual project cost may be………Click here to learn more

The objectives of the Management Sub-Committee are to provide advice to the BGA Committee of Management (the Committee) in all aspects of control, reporting and financial management and to provide assurance to the Committee that the Authority is meeting its contractual and agreement responsibilities with the Australian Government and other relevant authorities and agencies. 

The objectives of the Management Sub-Committee are to provide advice to the BGA Committee of Management (the Committee) in all aspects of control, reporting and financial management and to provide assurance to the Committee that the Authority is meeting its contractual and agreement responsibilities with the Australian Government and other relevant authorities and agencies………Click here to learn more

The Capital Grants Program Guidelines, Attachment 8 details the expectations regarding recognition of the Australian Government where funding has been made to support a Capital Project. ………Click here to learn more

Under the Education Act 2013 and the CGP Program Guidelines, the Commonwealth Government has a financial interest in any grant over $75,000 for up to 20 years, depending on the size of the grant. This situation applies to Capital Grants, BER grants and TTC/TSC grants……..Click here to learn more

Those involved in the BGA’s governance, management and operations have a duty at all times to act honestly and diligently in the best interests of the BGA and in accordance with the Constitution.

The BGA’s governance is best served by involving people with appropriate skills. This may include people who are actively employed in its schools or their systems, and people providing professional services to those schools or systems, and people who may have had these positions in the past………Click here to learn more

The Commonwealth Government right to repayment is documented in the Capital Grants Program Guidelines with references to the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (The Regulation).  Section 64 of The Regulation specifies the repayment periods and recoverable amounts on the calculated portion of the grant that will become repayable where, at any time during the Designated Use Period, the school ceases to provide primary/secondary education……….Click here to learn more

The BGA chooses to pay an annual honorarium to certain members of its Committee and sub committees as a partial offset to the costs incurred by those members in making the valuable contributions they do to the BGA’s governance and operations………Click here to learn more

Only schools with an acceptable and current Master Plan can apply for a CGP Grant for Round 2020 and onwards………Click here to learn more

A school’s Master Plan is a broad framework of anticipated future needs and developments for a defined period, at a point in time. A Master Plan flows from a school’s Education Plan, is fully integrated with the school’s Asset Management Plan, and is a living document………Click here to learn more

The CGP Program Guidelines (updated annually) indicate that “proposed new schools must be able to demonstrate some certainty of successful establishment, operation and governance in relation to Commonwealth, state or territory and local government requirements. New schools may apply for capital funding prior to receiving recurrent funding.”

‘Requirements’ in South Australia means the requirements set by the Education Standards Board………Click here to learn more

To access Commonwealth funding programs relating to Capital Projects, a school must become a member of the SAIS Block Grant Authority (BGA). This requires the school’s Approved Authority to sign a Participation Agreement with the BGA……….Click here to learn more

In general, there are three approved models for the procurement of contracts for projects that have been supported by the Commonwealth Government through the Capital Grants Program (CGP) and other capital programs as announced from time to time………Click here to learn more

Under the Education Act 2013 and the CGP Program Guidelines, the Commonwealth retains a financial interest in any grant over $75,000 for up to 20 years, depending on the size of the grant. This situation applies to Capital Grants, BER grants and TTC/TSC grants.  If a school ceases to operate, the SAIS BGA, on behalf of the Department of Education and Training, seeks to recover a portion of the grant or grants from the school………Click here to learn more

In assessing applications for capital grants, the SAIS BGA Committee is required to be satisfied that schools seeking grants are financially viable.  That is, schools must be likely to remain financially solvent and continue to be eligible, to receive recurrent Commonwealth funding at the site proposed for the facilities for the foreseeable future………Click here to learn more