Independent Schools New South Wales (ISNSW) is the peak body representing the independent school sector across New South Wales (NSW), serving as the primary advocate and support organisation for more than 500 non‑government schools. ISNSW plays a critical role in the education sector, administering the Capital Grants Program (CGP), a government‑funded initiative that provides financial assistance to independent schools for building and infrastructure projects.
The CGP is a complex, end‑to‑end grants program spanning the full project lifecycle, starting from the expression of interest (EOI) stage through to application, assessment, funding award, contract execution, progress reporting, payment processing, and final acquittal. ISNSW manages the program on behalf of both the NSW State Government and the Federal Government, supporting hundreds of schools at any given time.
The challenge
ISNSW managed the CGP using a combination of legacy systems, spreadsheets and manual workflows that created inefficiencies as the program expanded. Assessment activities were spread across OneDrive and SharePoint, making it difficult for the Grants Office to track progress or maintain consistent oversight. Staff were also re‑entering information from emailed forms, leading to double handling, errors and wasted effort.
Communication added further pressure, with routine reminders and updates sent manually and a growing number of enquiries from schools seeking clarity on their applications. Limited real‑time visibility of workloads, assessment timelines and financial commitments made it increasingly challenging to manage governance and reporting obligations. To continue scaling the program effectively, ISNSW needed a centralised, purpose‑built system that could streamline processes, strengthen oversight and reduce operational risk.
OmniStar has significantly improved how we manage the Capital Grants Program in a single, centralised platform with end-to-end capabilities that integrate with our accounting and banking platforms. We have greater control over the application and assessment functions, and enhanced governance and reporting. Our schools have better visibility of their projects than ever before.
David Buley CFO, Independent Schools NSWThe solution
OmniStar partnered with ISNSW through an intensive discovery and requirements‑gathering program involving key stakeholders across the Grants Office and IT teams. Together, we mapped business processes and designed a tailored implementation of OmniStar Grants that supports the complete CGP lifecycle within a single integrated platform.
End‑to‑end grant lifecycle management
OmniStar was configured to manage every stage of the CGP lifecycle: EOI submission, full application, tripartite assessment, funding review, award decision, contract execution, tender outcomes, progress reporting, payment processing and final acquittal. Internal staff and external school representatives access dedicated portals designed for their specific roles.
Digital SmartForms
All forms, including the EOI, full application, assessment forms, Results of Tender form, Confirmation of Commitment form and a range of reporting templates, were digitised within OmniStar. Application data now flows automatically into project records, removing the need for double entry and eliminating email‑based submissions.
Automated workflows and communications
OmniStar’s workflow engine automates key lifecycle activities to reduce manual effort and improve consistency. Progress reports generate automatically after milestone approvals, and Confirmation of Commitment milestones and letters are created in‑system. During payment processing, the system produces Recipient Created Tax Invoices (RCTIs) and updates project records in real time.
Centralised assessment and approval tracking
The entire assessment process now operates within the system. Assessors access a dedicated portal to declare conflicts of interest, review documents and submit assessments. All approvals are recorded with full audit trails, supported by dashboards that provide real‑time visibility of workloads, deadlines and assessment progress.
Payment processing and FMIS integration
A semi‑automated import/export interface supports payment reconciliation with ISNSW’s Financial Management Information System (FMIS). The solution provides payment batching, creditor transaction handling and automated RCTI generation, with payment milestones visible to schools once processed.
Project variations
A structured variation workflow supports both internal and external changes, incorporating a two‑step approval process involving the Grants Officer and Financial Delegate, with escalation paths for funder approval when required.
Branding and user experience
The external portal, automated communications and generated documents were aligned to AISNSW branding, delivering a seamless and professional user experience for schools.
The outcome
OmniStar has fundamentally improved how ISNSW manages the Capital Grants Program, replacing manual, disconnected workflows with a centralised and reliable system. Routine tasks such as generating progress reports, issuing reminders and producing financial documentation now occur automatically, significantly reducing administrative workload and improving turnaround times.
Governance and compliance have strengthened through full audit trails, structured approval workflows and real‑time financial tracking. This has reduced the effort required for oversight and improved confidence in meeting state and federal reporting obligations.
Schools now benefit from clearer communication and greater visibility. The external portal gives them immediate access to project status, milestones and payment information, reducing uncertainty and lowering the volume of enquiries received by the Grants Office.
By systemising core processes and providing consistent, end‑to‑end visibility, OmniStar has lowered operational risk and positioned ISNSW to manage future program growth with greater efficiency and control.
Why you should try OmniStar
Unified platform
OmniStar brings every stage of the grants or program lifecycle into one platform, reducing system fragmentation and providing a single source of truth for all stakeholders.
Operational efficiency
Automated workflows, reminders and form submissions streamline routine tasks, freeing teams from manual administration and reducing bottlenecks across the entire process.
Real‑time visibility
Dashboards, audit trails and live status updates give staff and external users immediate insight into progress, deadlines and financials, strengthening governance and oversight.
Seamless user experience
Modern interfaces and intuitive portals make it easy for staff, assessors and applicants to complete tasks, driving higher engagement and fewer support queries.
Configurable to your needs
Purpose-built features can be tailored to unique organisational requirements, ensuring the platform adapts to different program structures, approval pathways and reporting needs.
Scalable and reliable
With enterprise‑grade architecture and automation capabilities, OmniStar supports growth, increased program volume and evolving operational demands without performance impact.
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