Funding Assessment FAQs

Who will assess my grant application?

Most grants are assessed by people from the Investment Pool.

Smaller grants, such as Quick Response Grants or Travel Assistance Grants, are usually assessed by Regional Arts WA staff.

Each relevant grant webpage provides details about the assessors.

How are grants assessed?

Grants are assessed individually by at least two people, from the Investment Pool members.

Smaller grants are assessed individually by at least two Regional Arts WA staff.

During this process, assessors do not discuss the application with anyone. They can contact the Regional Arts WA Project Officer if they need more information about the applications.

Once the individual assessments are complete, all grant assessors attend an Assessment Meeting with two Regional Arts WA staff members, and an independent person who will be the Chair. The Chair is responsible for leading the meeting and collecting feedback.

What is the Investment Pool?

The Investment Pool is made up of independent artists, arts workers, and community members from across Western Australia. They assess grant applications submitted to Regional Arts WA’s grants.

People, from the Investment Pool, must perform their duties in a professional and responsible manner that is clear, accountable, and free from conflict of interests. Everyone are required to read and accept the Investment Pool Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct [PDF] before assessing any grant.

Who are the Investment Pool members?

A full list of people in Investment Pool can be found on our website.

They provide a balanced and fair representation of arts practices, ages, genders, backgrounds, interests, and regions. The people in the Investment Pool:

  • have a broad knowledge in one or more areas of arts practice,
  • have a good knowledge of community needs, response and interest, and/or
  • represent their community or community of practice

Regional Arts WA’s Board of Directors are members of the Investment Pool. Regional Arts WA staff cannot be members of the Investment Pool. When required, individuals from outside Western Australia may be invited to be part of the Investment Pool.

What is a conflict of interest?

A conflict of interest arises where a grant assessor:

  • Has friends, personal relationships (beyond the level of a professional working relationship), or relatives connected to the application being assessed; and/or
  • Has Board association, employment or membership connected to the application being assessed; and/or
  • Will receive financial or other gain from the result of a grant application being approved or not approved

All grant assessors must declare any perceived, potential, or actual conflicts of interest prior to assessing any grant.

How do you identify and manage conflicts of interest?

Grant assessors are formally asked to declare any conflicts at each of the following stages:

  • When joining the Investment Pool
  • When appointed to assess grant applications
  • At the start of each assessment form
  • At the beginning of the Assessment Meeting

If a conflict of interest is identified, they will not assess the application and is removed from the Assessment Meeting while that application is being discussed. The conflict is recorded by Regional Arts WA for future reference.

How can I apply to be part of the Investment Pool?

Any regionally based artist, arts worker, or community member who is committed to the arts, can submit an expression of interest to join the Investment Pool.

By ‘regionally based’, we mean anyone living in the following Regional Development Commission Boundaries:

  • Gascoyne
  • Goldfields-Esperance
  • Great Southern
  • Kimberley
  • Mid West
  • Peel
  • Pilbara
  • South West
  • Wheatbelt

To join the Investment Pool, send the following two documents to Regional Arts WA Investment Coordinator (investment@regionalartswa.org.au):

  1. A brief cover letter
  2. CV or biography with details of your arts and/or regional experience

Afterwards, your expression of interest will be reviewed and sent to the Regional Arts WA’s Board of Directors for approval.

Download the Investment Pool EOI and FAQ document [PDF]. 

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