On 25 January 2023, Commissioner Vanstone announced an evaluation of the practices, policies and procedures of a number of public authorities in relation to grants administration.

This important function is performed by many public authorities in South Australia. It involves the distribution of public money to eligible recipients to support business and innovation, provide emergency relief, aid projects and enrich communities. Grants programs vary in their purpose, monetary value and intended recipients.

Grants administration is a function that is vulnerable to corruption by the public officers administering them and by grants recipients.

The evaluation will consider the way in which a number of public authorities administer grants and will involve an audit of specific grants programs. The Commission will assess whether the practices, policies and procedures employed by public authorities that administer grants appropriately guard against corruption.

The evaluation will involve requesting and reviewing information from public authorities, speaking with relevant parties and inviting submissions.

A staged approach

On 1 May 2023 Commissioner Vanstone announced her new approach to the evaluation following initial information gathering.

A number of public authorities provided large volumes of information about the grant programs administered in South Australia. The responses highlighted how differently grants programs are initiated, developed, implemented and managed.

The arrangements span open competitive and merit based programs to strategically targeted invitation only programs and ad hoc grants.

In view of the number and complexity of grants activity occurring within the public sector, the Commission will progress the evaluation in stages and produce a series of discrete reports to Parliament.

The staggered evaluation will consist of a number of theme-based stages, periodically selecting agencies for further review.

Wherever possible information relevant to the evaluation will be published here.

Administration of emergency grants

The second stage of the evaluation is analysing the grants which are administered in response to emergencies - including the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfire, flood and drought.

Corruption risks in emergency grant programs may arise due to the pressure and haste to expend funds to support communities and provide relief from social and economic hardship. Such pressures can lead to inadequate planning, budgeting, governance and review of such programs, leaving them exposed to potential corruption.

The Commission will specifically evaluate the practices, policies and procedures of the Chief Executives of the Department for Primary Industries and Regions and the Department for Treasury and Finance as they relate to the administration of emergency grants.

Submissions will also be sought from a range of agencies administering emergency grants and with regulatory functions in emergency management.

Administration of commercial, investment, research and entrepreneurial grant schemes

The Commission first turned its attention to the administration of commercial, investment, research and entrepreneurial grants schemes. These schemes, which are aimed at attracting investment and encouraging commercial opportunity in the state, are at risk of corruption because they involve significant financial incentives.

The Commission specifically evaluated the practices, policies and procedures of the Chief Executives of the Department for Trade and Investment and the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science as they relate to the administration of grants.

The Evaluation of grants administration phase one: Commercial grants report was tabled in Parliament on 28 November 2023.

Cover page integrity state

PDF, 66 pages, A4, 625KB

Invitation to participate

If you have applied for a government grant, received a grant or been involved in the administration of a grant, the Commission would like to hear from you by way of written submission.

What should I write about?

The Commission is evaluating corruption risks in the administration of grant funding by the public sector. The Commission would like to hear from applicants and recipients about:

  • how they learned of the grants program and their decision to apply
  • the time and money spent applying for grants
  • perceptions of the application process, eligibility criteria, and level of information provided to applicants
  • degree of interaction with and support from departmental grants officers
  • perceptions of any follow-up or review of an awarded grant
  • reasons for withdrawing from a grants process
  • the adequacy of information provided to unsuccessful applicants
  • any strengths or areas for improvement regarding applying for and receiving grants from the South Australian Government

The Commission would like to receive written submissions from public officers and public authorities involved with grants administration. Specifically, the Commission would like to learn of:

  • any experiences of impropriety in the provision of grants
  • whether the practices, policies and procedures underpinning to grants administration are adequate to guard against corruption
  • any improvements that could be made to the practices, policies and procedures to strengthen corruption prevention

How do I make a submission?

Submissions should be made in writing and sent to the Commission by either email or post.

Email:

Please send an email to evaluation@icac.sa.gov.au with the subject line:
‘Evaluation of grants administration submission’.

Post:

If you would like to send a hard copy submission, please post it to:

Grants Evaluation

Independent Commission Against Corruption

GPO Box 11066

ADELAIDE SA 5001

Submissions will remain open throughout the evaluation.