What is the ERE Fund?
The Employment Relations Education (ERE) Contestable Fund supports employment relations education and the training of health and safety representatives under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. In particular:
- The aim of employment relations education is to increase skills and knowledge of employment relations matters to enable employers, employees and unions to deal with each other in good faith and build productive relationships
- The aim of health and safety representative training is to promote co-operation among employers, employees and unions in health and safety management, especially by facilitating the constructive input of the persons doing the work.
Applications are assessed by the Employment Relations Education Ministerial Advisory Committee (EREMAC). EREMAC then makes recommendations to the Minister of Labour. For the 2010/11 funding round $866,887 plus GST is available for distribution.
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Priorities for Funding
Priorities for funding are health and safety representative training directed principally at the agriculture, forestry, construction, manufacturing and fishing industries, and employment relations education proposals providing a common programme to various sectors, aimed at reducing workplace disputes.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are:
- a registered union
- a union organisation
- an employer
- an employers' organisation
- any other provider recognised under the Education Act or by NZQA.
Funding is available only to these applicants. Other persons or groups can work jointly with an eligible organisation to develop a proposal but the eligible organisation must apply for the funding and take overall responsibility.
Eligible organisations without experience in delivering employment relations education or health and safety training may approach an organisation (for example, a union or employers' organisation) with expertise, to work with them on a joint application.
There is no limit to the number of proposals that an applicant may submit. Applications will be assessed on the basis of the criteria set out below. Funding decisions will also consider the type of organisation, geographic location and topic of the course/s to be run or developed.
What can ERE grants be used for?
A range of education activities have been funded to date from the ERE Fund. Most commonly the Fund has supported the development and delivery of short courses and relevant resources to support these, however the Committee will consider other methods that can effectively deliver education and meet the criteria for the fund.
Grants will not be provided to meet any costs that are or can be funded from other sources.
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Can we submit a funding proposal for a project that will be completed over more than one financial or calendar year?
Funding proposals applications can be made for projects that will be completed during financial year 2010/2011.
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What should we know about making an application relating to a new course?
There are some specific things you need to do if you intend to apply to the ERE Fund for funding for the development and delivery of courses under the Health and Safety in Employment Act or Employment Relations Act.
A significant number of ERE courses have already been developed and approved. Please check the list of existing ERE approved courses before considering whether to apply. The aim of the Fund is to ensure a range of programmes, courses and providers are available to meet a broad range of needs. Proposals that overlap with already funded projects may be less successful than those that add value in new areas or to reach new groups of participants. If you intend to use an existing course, please ensure you have permission from the existing provider. A list of all ERE approved courses and the guidelines for using existing courses is at www.ers.dol.govt.nz.
If you are applying for funding to develop and deliver a course under the Employment Relations Act or under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, the course either:
- must have already been approved under the Employment Relations Act or the Health and Safety in Employment Act, or
- be submitted for approval once it is developed. Successful applicants to the fund will be required to obtain course approval as part of their funding contracts.
What should we know about applications relating to courses under the Employment Relations Act?
For funding applications under the Employment Relations Act that relate to the development of courses, refer to the criteria for ERE course approval and the criteria for assessing funding applications for guidance on the 2010/11 funding round.
What should we know about applications relating to courses under the Health and Safety in Employment Act?
For funding applications relating to courses to train health and safety representatives under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, please refer to the criteria for H & S course approval.
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What are the criteria for assessing funding applications?
The following will be taken into consideration when applications are assessed:
- The target group is consistent with the objectives of the Employment Relations Act and/or the Health and Safety in Employment Act including education in skills and knowledge relating to collective bargaining and/or training for health and safety representatives
- The number and range of courses to be run under the application and the target number of participants, including whether these targets are realistic
- The geographic localities at which courses are to be delivered
- Industries to be covered by the courses
- The cost effectiveness of the programme based on the number of participants to be reached and the skills and knowledge to be achieved and assessed
- The appropriateness of the delivery mechanism for the groups targeted and the outcomes to be achieved
- The relevance of the programme to the legislative and policy goals of the government in any particular period
- The expectation of improved outcomes for those groups identified as likely to be disadvantaged in the labour market
- The contribution to the Government's commitment to social and economic policies to better meet the needs of Maori and Pacific Island communities
- Previous and existing funding from all sources available to the applicant.
- The past record (where appropriate) of contract relationships with the Department of Labour
The committee is also interested in encouraging the development of proposals which:
- Maintain and build on the quality of courses already developed and presented
- Increase the breadth and depth of reach for ERE courses, eg in terms of
- the participation of particular groups or industries across the country
- coverage of the eleven areas of skills and knowledge in the criteria specified in Section 72 of the ERA
- focus on co-operative, and partnership approaches
- develop a more strategic focus - taking into account demographic and industry trends, and education technology developments into consideration
In considering the above criteria and making recommendations to the Minister of Labour regarding the allocation of the Contestable Fund, the ERE Committee will prioritise applications taking into account the best overall use of available Government funding, proposals the committee is interested in encouraging, and proposals that meet Government priorities.
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What will happen should our application be successful or unsuccessful?
Should your application be successful, you will be invited to enter into negotiations with the Crown for a performance contract setting out the agreed outputs. The matters covered by the contract will include, but not be limited to:
- accountability for money granted – grantees are required to account in specific detail for all money granted
- other funding – grantees must disclose any other funding they receive for the project or similar work during the period of the contract.
- contract timeframes – any changes to the timeframes agreed in a contract must be negotiated with the Department of Labour.
- target audience/target numbers of participants reached - grantees must report on how successful they are in reaching their intended target audience. They must account for any significant gap between the target number of participants and actual numbers. Grantees will be required to explain what steps they took to reach their targets and to show that they used their best endeavours to do so.
- resources - if grantees indicate that the grant is to be shared with another person or group working on the project, the contract will include a requirement that grantees report how the sharing of the grant is being accomplished.
No legal relationship exists between an applicant and the Crown until a contract is executed between them.
Should your application be unsuccessful you will be advised of the reasons why your proposal was unsuccessful. You will be informed at the same time as successful applicants are advised.
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How will we demonstrate we are delivering our project?
Each successful grant will be monitored through to a project’s completion. Each grantee will be required to provide progress reports and a full report on completion. Funding will be staged based on the completion of satisfactory progress reports as set out in a contract between the Department of Labour on behalf of the Crown and the grantee.
The Department of Labour requires grantees to inform the Department of Labour at any stage during the course of the contract of any major activity or problem that may affect the project or contract or both. Satisfactory progress must be demonstrated in the progress report for funding to continue for the duration of the contract.
Please note that a full list, and an outline, of all courses approved under the Employment Relations Act or the Health and Safety in Employment Act, is held by the Department of Labour. This is publicly available to interested parties, including employers or potential providers at www.ers.dol.govt.nz. Having this available reduces the likelihood of duplication of resources and provides material to support best practice principles.
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How do we apply?
Your application should describe your proposal and how it meets the criteria for funding. There is an application form and a budget template which are to be downloaded for use and returned by the due date. The application form includes instructions.
You are encouraged to follow the Checklist for Funding Applications which sets out the information you should include in your application.
Please ensure your application identifies a contact person and their full contact details (including their address, phone number and email address).
You can email or post your application to the addresses listed below.
Please feel free to contact the Executive Officer ERE at the Department of Labour for further information, phone (04) 915 4552, or fax (04) 915 4710.
The address for applications is:
Employment Relations Education Contestable Fund
Workplace Policy
Department of Labour
P O Box 3705
WELLINGTON
Email: ere@ers.dol.govt.nz
Checklist for Funding Applications
An application should show how your proposal is consistent with the Employment Relations Act and/or the Health and Safety in Employment Act and how it meets the funding criteria in the guidelines for Applicants.
You will also find it helpful to refer to the applicant guidelines for course approval either under the Employment Relations Act See www.ers.dol.govt.nz or contact us to get a copy. To talk through your proposal contact the Executive Officer - ERE.
The application should contain the following details:
- Contact details
- The name of the contact person for your application and how to contact them (address, phone number and email)
- Overview of the course/project
- Title
- Description of the nature of the course or project
- If you are seeking funding for a new course, please indicate:
- that you have checked the list of approved courses to see whether an existing course might suit your purpose;
- whether you have already developed the course and are submitting it for approval (either with your funding application or separately) under the Employment Relations Act or the Health and Safety in Employment Act; or
- whether you are proposing to develop a new course and intend to submit it for approval under either the Employment Relations Act or the Health and Safety in Employment Act, once it is developed.
- Relevance to the legislative and policy goals of the Government (particularly the Employment Relations Act and/or the Health and Safety in Employment Act)
- Expectation of improved outcomes for groups identified as likely to be disadvantaged in the labour market (for example, low paid workers or people working in jobs with particular health and safety risks)
- Contribution to the Government's commitment to social and economic policies that improve outcomes for Maori and Pacific Island communities
Project details
Please provide the following as well as any other information relevant to your application:
- Learning outcomes. These should be measurable and include references to skills and knowledge gained by participants
- A time line, specifying the different stages of the project. Applicants for funding of new ERE and health and safety courses that need to gain approval should allow sufficient time for the approval process in their project timetable. For example, a well developed health and safety course may take around 6 weeks to gain approval. This time should be included in the project timetable.
- Target group – please describe your target audience and provide a realistic estimate of the number of participants you expect to reach. Information or evidence to support expected participant numbers is required.
- Length of course (or equivalent information for other projects)
- How often will the course be delivered and in which locations? (or equivalent information for other projects)
- Who will develop/deliver the project? Please briefly outline their relevant skills and experience. Also list here any other organisations or persons from outside your organisation who will be involved in the development/delivery of the project, their contribution to the course, relevant skills and experience.
Programme for courses
- Outline the plan for the day(s)
- Outline how you intend to deliver the programme (such as by presentation, workshop or group exercise)
- Resources: Outline what written, video, computer or other resources are required for the course and distinguish what you will provide from what the participants will provide, if any.
Evaluation and Assessment
Please refer to the Guidelines for Course Approval under the Employment Relations Act for guidance on expected outcomes.
- Evaluation – how will you evaluate whether the course/project has achieved its stated outcome? What type of evaluation form will you use and what questions will you ask? What is the impact of the outcome?
- Assessment – how do you propose to assess the project? For example, when assessing participants' understanding of a course, what procedure will you use (for example role play, phone questionnaire or postal questionnaire); and when will you carry this out (for example will you assess the participants understanding during the course; after two weeks or after one month?)
Funding Sought
Each separate item in your budget should be exclusive of GST. Grants from the Employment Relations Education Contestable Fund are expressed as exclusive of GST.
- The overall total amount of funding sought.
- Budgets should be provided for each half year period, January to June and/or July to December.
- A detailed budget setting out all individual items for which funding is being applied for including where there are separate components to a project, the costs should be clearly identified.
- Please indicate if your proposal includes any fees or other charges to participants.
- Please advise if you are receiving funding from any other source for all or any part of the course or project.
- Any past contractual/funding relationship with the Department of Labour (where relevant) and the objectives and outcomes of that work.
Statement of cost-effectiveness
All projects should demonstrate good value for money. Please explain how your project aims to be cost effective, taking into account relevant factors such as the number of participants you expect to reach and the skills and knowledge to be achieved and assessed.
Referee contact details
All applicants to the Fund, who have not previously received ERE Funding from the Department of Labour in the previous three funding rounds, are required to submit contact details of two referees who would be able to give independent advice as to the capability of your organisation to provide training services or resources appropriate to ERE objectives. References should enable the ERE Advisory Committee to assess the quality of applicants’ adult education capacity. By supplying referee contact details, you are providing Department of Labour officials with permission to contact referees. Please provide the following
- Referee name
- Their relevant organisation (if applicable)
- Their position/occupation
- Phone number
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Examples of costs to be funded
As a general principle, funding will cover programme development and running costs incurred by the provider. Incidental costs such as the transport and accommodation of people taking part in the training are generally excluded. Projects involving general research into union education would not usually be considered. The list below gives examples of some of the costs that may be funded.
Development of programme
- Needs analysis of the target audience and subject
- Course design
- Specific resource production
- Costs of internal approval and quality assurance processes; and
- Research into components of course content.
Costs of delivery
- Training and preparation of trainers
- Trainers' travel to/from venue
- Venue hire
- Equipment hire such as overhead projectors or white board
- Cost of resources made available to participants; and
- Refreshments during the programme.
Costs of assessment, evaluation and reporting
- Trainers' time in assessment and evaluation of participants' training outcomes
- Purchase of independent assessment and moderation; and
- Organisational assessment of group outcomes.
- Records of participants attending.
Other possible costs
- Additional meeting costs to develop joint proposals between organisations, for example, planning meetings involving employer, unions and a provider, which require travel for some participants.
Please note:
Given the competition for funding, priority will be given to costs that directly relate to developing and delivering courses/projects, rather than associated costs such as refreshments, equipment or overheads.
Funding will not be provided for promotion or advertising nor for the travel of attendees to courses or seminars.
All funding amounts sought should be expressed as exclusive of GST. GST will be added to payments. |
