Priority Languages Support Project

First Languages Australia has been commissioned by the Federal Government, Indigenous Languages and Arts program (ILA), to undertake the Priority Languages Support Project.

First Languages Australia is calling for Expressions of Interest for the Priority Languages Support Project.

The Priority Languages Support Project (PLSP) aims to support communities in undertaking projects that have one or more of the following aims: 

1. Document speakers of the target language. 

2. Deliver community language lessons. 

3. Develop teaching and learning resources. 

Expressions of Interest are open and close on Friday 6th December 2024.

If you would like to nominate one or more languages, you can do so by completing this online expression of interest, C.O.B Friday 6th December 2024.

Please contact the PLSP team via email if you have any questions or need assistance: plsp@firstlanguages.org.au

Budget template can be found here.

Project examples can be found here.

An offline expression of interest can be found here. 

Project Guidelines

Aim

The Priority Languages Support Project (PLSP) aims to support communities in undertaking projects that have one or more of the following aims:

1. Document speakers of the target language.  

1. Deliver community language lessons.  

1. Develop teaching and learning resources. 

Eligible activities include but are not limited to:

1. Record speaker/s knowledge in various formats, including text, audio, and video.

2. Translating and transcribing recorded materials.

3. Research or analysis of the language.

4. Obtaining historical language records. 

5. Creating a database/wordlist.

6. Developing orthography or grammar.

7. Develop community lesson plans.

8. Run regular community lessons, in person or online.

9. Create teaching and learning resources.

10. On Country learning or recording activities

* If you identify that only part of your project is eligible, you can still apply for support the eligible part. You should briefly outline the entire project and then provide details about the part of the project that aligns with this funding. Please keep your responses to the questions concise and don’t include information about the aspects of the project that are irrelevant to this funding.

Community Language Team

This project aims to support community language teams. A community language team is people from the identified community who are directly involved in the planning and implementation of the project. If you are interested in applying but are not a community member, please seek permission from the community to apply on their behalf. The applicant should include a letter of support from the community with the application.

Existing support

Is this language receiving financial support through the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program, a language centre, or another organisation? As the Priority Languages Support Project is funded through the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program, we cannot support a project that targets a language already receiving financial support through the same program. Where there is a language centre, organisation or another community group in the region involved in language activities, we strongly encourage applicants to work together; this may be sharing resources, promoting the project to the broader community, and supporting the work identified in the project plan.   

Service agreement

If your project is successful, the organisation managing the project will be required to enter into a service agreement with First Languages Australia. The Service agreement will comprise of:

1. Cover letter

2. Terms of reference (provided complete)

3. Language plan

4. Project plan

5. Budget

The community language team must complete the documents listed above and return them to the project officer by the due date stated in the offer letter. Please return the documents by the due date to avoid the offer being withdrawn.

Incorporated organisation

First Languages Australia must engage an incorporated organisation through a service agreement to undertake this project. The organisation should be able to demonstrate good governance and good financial management. We must refrain from engaging an individual or an unincorporated association to undertake the project.

Funding

Please note that while no funding range is specified, this program's funding support averages between $10,000 and $25,000 per project. The funds must be spent as outlined in the Service Agreement. 

 Eligible items include, but are not limited to:

1. Payments to speakers/teachers.

2. Payments to community language team members.

3. Payments to consultant or specialist.

4. Equipment purchase (under $5000 per item).

5. Venue hire.

6. On Country activities.

7. Printing of language resources

8. Software purchases

Please note: The project officer will approve each item in the budget independently. 

Project duration

Prioritised projects will commence early to mid 2025 and continue for up to twelve months. 

Reporting 

You must complete and submit a mid-year and end-of-year report to First Languages Australia. The mid-year report will be due six months from your start date. The End-of-year report includes a written report and a financial report  that will be due upon completion of the project or at twelve months, whichever comes first.

If you have any questions, please contact the PLSP team via email at plsp@firstlanguages.org.au  

To date, the project has supported one hundred and twenty-three projects. 

“The emergency documentation gave Audrey a chance to record her language, work out what language there was, and how much was left and start promoting her language. As the last remaining speaker of Lower (Southern) Arrernte, Audrey wanted her knowledge documented while she is still able to.”
Paul Monaghan, Manager, SA Mobile Language Team