Parent Initiatives in Education funding for school and preschool communities

Parent Initiatives in Education (PIE) funding is available each year to support schools, preschools and their communities to develop innovative projects or new initiatives that:

• encourage participation of parents and caregivers who are not well represented in their school and preschool decision making
• improve parent and caregiver understanding of what their children are learning
• help parents and caregivers support their child’s education, both at home, and through positive relationships with educators.

Key dates

Applications for the 2018 round are closed.

Key dates for 2019 will be released in 2018.

Eligibility for PIE funding

Applications for the 2018 round are closed.

Sites may submit more than 1 application form.

Applications must:

• not exceed $3,000
• be initiated by parent or caregiver groups, such as governing councils, parent clubs or individual parents or caregivers
• indicate the support to be provided for the initiative by the school or preschool
• include a detailed budget.

Application resources

When completing your application, you might find it useful to read about:

• helping children and young people learn
• the family-school partnerships framework
• strengthening family and community engagement in student learning
• working with families pre-birth to 8 years.

What can be funded

The following items are eligible for funding.

Printing and photocopying

For example, photocopies at 10c per copy. Cost includes paper and ink. This includes pamphlets to promote events and information packs for parents.

Refreshments

For example, morning or afternoon tea for parent and caregiver participants. You must include the number and cost per head (maximum $3.50 per head, per break).

Crèche/OSHC

Include the number and age of children, as well as the number of workers and the current hourly rate.

Transport for parents and caregivers

Bus or taxi. Include the name of the operator, cost of each journey, numbers of passengers, names of the passengers, and the distance

Facilitator’s fees

Include the name of the facilitator, their organisation, the session name, and cost per session. Education department employees cannot be paid.

Interpreter’s fees

List the languages, translator’s name, the organisation’s name, and the cost per hour.

Translation fees

List the languages, translator’s name, the organisation’s name, and the cost per word or page.

Website

Costs associated with placing resources for parents on site websites .

What will not be funded

The following will not be funded.

• Resources and materials for the school or preschool, such as sports, kitchen or catering or gardening or horticulture equipment, televisions, DVD players, computers, CD players, curriculum resources, furniture, books, toys, games.
• Expenses incurred for an award ceremony or school celebration.
• Wages or honorariums to any education department employees (excluding OSHC), payments to parents and caregivers.
• Advertising costs, such as in commercial newspapers.
• Flights, accommodation, and gifts for guest speakers.
• Encouragement awards.
• Cooking ingredients for parent or student cooking classes.
• Equipment for parents, such as pedometers, trailers for camping gear, and clothing.
• Governing council training.
• Commercially available parenting courses or parenting literature, books, magazines, DVDs, CDs for parent loan, or resource libraries.
• First aid training.
• Contingencies and shopping trips.
• Venue hire.
• Criminal history screening checks for volunteers.
• Production of items for future fundraising, such as a parent resource.

Past initiatives

Types of activities that have been funded in the past include:

• seminars, workshops and information sessions
• consultations, surveys and interview
• artwork, including murals and mosaics
• community gardens
• hands-on activities, including cooking, festivals, events
• skill development for parents
• new resources, such as websites, fact sheets, videos and mobile applications.

The PIE funding projects document has more information about past initiatives.

Assessment

The Parent Initiatives in Educations (PIE) advisory committee will assess applications from schools and preschools.

The parent engagement team will notify you of the outcome of the 2018 PIE funding before the end of term 4, 2017.

Related information

On this site

Family and community involvement in education

Contact

Department for Education
Parent Engagement unit
Phone 8226 3734
Email: DECD.ParentEngagement@sa.gov.au