Master Plan Grants
QIS BGA strongly recommends Approved Authorities and/or their schools applying for grants for capital projects have a current master plan prepared by a qualified professional consultant, such as an architect. Funding for the preparation of a master plan is intended to enable the use of the plan in support of other capital applications, such as for the:
- Australian Government Capital Grants Program (CGP)
- State Capital Assistance Scheme (SCAS) and
- External Infrastructure Subsidy Scheme (EIS)
Sound Educational Planning
A comprehensive and up-to-date master plan represents the consultative process that has been undertaken by a school and it's community to guide the future delivery of educational facilities and related services across a school site. The master plan represents the sound educational planning that is required to ensure that requests for grants are focussed on the development of educational facilities at the right time, and in the right place for a school. To find specific information regarding the considerations that underpin sound educational planning for school sites click here.
School and Project Eligibility
To find out about your school's eligibility to apply for a master plan grant click here.
Funding Availability
The level of funding available to a school to develop a master plan has increased in response to QIS BGA’s expectation that each plan will now include the following characteristics:
- Community consultation is undertaken
- Design principles are established and guide the development of the plan
- Site potential and constraints are identified
- Spatial strategies are developed and guide the development of the plan
- A n implementation and staging plan is documented
- Each stage of development is costed and within the school’s budgetary framework
- A review and evaluative framework is documented
Consequently, funding applications will include fees from a project lead (often an architect) and secondary consultants to demonstrate that work related to the characteristics stated above will be undertaken.
Eligible independent schools may seek grants as a contribution to their master planning process according to the following categories of need:
| Need Indicator | *Level of Funding |
|---|---|
| DMI 96 and below | 75% of master planning costs, up to $75,000 |
| DMI 97-110 | 50% of master planning costs, up to $50,000 |
| Above 110 | Ineligible |
*Note that where the amount spent on the completion of the Master Plan is less than the approved total cost of the project, the BGA will be obliged to withhold from the grant payment the difference between the total projected project cost and the expended amount (ex GST).
Site Potentials and Constraints Assessment
It is very possible that schools who received a grant to develop a master plan before 2025 did not undertake a site potential and constraints assessment due to QIS BGA’s view that the development of such a plan cost $40,000. As noted above, this type of assessment is a characteristic of a good master plan. Consequently, schools that have received a QIS BGA master plan grant and can demonstrate that they did not undertaken a site potential and constraints assessment can apply for funding to have one undertaken.
At a broad level, a site potential and constraints assessment will include an examination and concept design response to site infrastructure (now and future); approval to develop planning overlays; and traffic management. Recognising that every site is unique, an assessment may also respond to other site potentials and constraints.
Eligible independent schools may seek grants as a contribution to their master planning process according to the following categories of need:
| Need Indicator | *Level of Funding |
| DMI 96 and below | 75% of master planning costs, up to $37,500 |
| DMI 97-110 | 50% of master planning costs, up to $25,000 |
| Above 110 | Ineligible |
Making an Application
To make an application for a master plan grant, Approved Authorities can make a request for funding via an application form which is separate to the application process used for CGP and SCAS.
Legislation and Guidelines
To encourage and support the sound educational planning of school sites, the master plan grants process has been established to enable schools to access funding through CGP, under the Australian Education Act 2013. The availability of funding for school-based master planning purposes extends from Sections 8, 9, 37 d) and g), and 53 a) of the CGP Guidelines.
Receiving Grant Payments
For information on eligible costs, documentation requirements for master plan grant claims and the payment timeframe click here.
Contact Us
Contact the QIS BGA office on (07) 3839 2142, or make direct phone contact with members of the Secretariat for further information.