What is the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Initiative?

Through this grant process, Sustainability Victoria (SV) will engage Education for Sustainability providers to deliver the
expansion element of the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Initiative (the Initiative). The Initiative will:

• ensure that Education for Sustainability1 (EfS) is available to students at all education levels
• assist schools to reduce their environmental impacts by reducing energy consumption, water consumption and/or waste production, and increasing biodiversity in school areas
• more effectively integrate school sustainability infrastructure and behaviour change programs.

SV is working in partnership with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) to deliver the
Initiative. The Initiative is open to all Victorian government schools, independent schools and Catholic schools.

Why is the Victorian Government funding this?

The Victorian Government has committed $8.305 million over 4 years to build on the existing ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria framework (ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic).

This funding supports two components:

• To extend the current ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic program reach, embedding Education for Sustainability to an additional 400 schools and early childhood centres
• To provide Education Facility Energy Efficiency Grants –

Incentive grants of up to $10,000 for every new school and early childhood centre participating, to undertake energy audits and where able contribute to the purchase of energy efficient or sustainable infrastructure.

ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic brings together school culture, infrastructure, curriculum and school-community partnerships through the application of the established ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic framework.

The Victorian Government recognises the benefits of improving waste management, energy and water efficiency and biodiversity of schools, in reducing costs and providing a practical framework for schools to take sustainability action and engage with sustainability programs. Schools participating in ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic in 2008/9 and 2009/10 reduced their energy use by 22% and water consumption by 29%.

Initiative objectives

The long-term Initiative objectives include:

• demonstrated measurable improvements in energy, waste, water and biodiversity
• increased participation in, and progression through,
• increased capabilities of school staff and other stakeholders to progress sustainability education within schools (which includes operations, curriculum, culture and school‑community partnerships)
• enhanced capacity of local education networks to collaborate and achieve local environmental outcomes
• established proactive networks of support to progress the outcomes of the Initiative beyond 2015
• recognition and rewards for participating schools

More specifically, the Initiative will engage appropriate EfS service providers to support the implementation to:

• increase the number of metropolitan Melbourne ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic schools by 230 by June 2015 (new )
• continue to support the existing ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic schools (participating ) in metropolitan Melbourne.

Who can apply?

SV will consider Applications from organisations that meet the following Eligibility Criteria: Eligible Applicants must:

• be a not-for-profit incorporated entity (for example a company or incorporated association) or a Victorian Government  or Local Government Authority and
• have an ABN.

The Applicant may apply for funding in its own right or on behalf of a consortium.

Consortium applications

Consortium applications will be considered favorably.  A consortium must be led by the Applicant (Lead Organisation) who will be responsible for the Initiative delivery and will enter into a funding agreement with SV. Each consortium must also nominate a Deputy Lead Organisation.

Applicant and Deputy Lead Organisation

The Applicant (Lead Organisation) and Deputy Lead Organisation must meet the Eligibility Criteria.

Organisations that are primarily commercial or established for profit making purposes or a Victorian Government Departments will not be funded directly as a Lead Organisation (and cannot be the Deputy Lead Organisation) but may be a consortium member.  In a consortium application, the Deputy Lead Organisation must be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the Lead Organisation and agree to enter into a funding agreement with SV in the event of a termination of the agreement with the Lead Organisation.

Other Consortium Members

SV encourages Applications from consortia representing a range of EfS service providers supporting schools in ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic in each region.

Other consortium members must:

• be an incorporated entity (such as a company or incorporated association) or a Victorian Government department, Victorian Government Agency or Local Government Authority
• have an ABN
• demonstrate their support for the consortium including the Lead Organisation and Deputy Lead Organisation by a letter of support
• demonstrate the capacity to support schools in ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic in any or all of the core, water, waste, energy or biodiversity modules.

Any consortium member (including Lead and Deputy Lead Organisations) may be included in multiple Applications submitted for more than one metropolitan region of Melbourne.

What will be funded?

Applicants can apply for one or more metropolitan regions.  Each region will be assessed independently according to the assessment criteria.

The successful Applicant for each region will receive the funding allocation shown in Table 2 below. Funding will be provided to undertake activities to:

• increase the number of schools actively participating in ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic, in line with the targets for each region and
• support existing schools through the modules and 5Star Sustainability Certification process. Participating schools are required to undertake additional modules and attain additional stars under the 5Star Sustainability Certification process.  A range of activities will be required to achieve the objectives of the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Initiative. The Initiative activities included in your Application must achieve the following:
• support for new and existing schools building place-based peer learning networks
• successful engagement of target numbers of new schools outlined for each region
• progression of existing schools through 5Star Sustainability Certification (i.e. schools increasing their rating within the 5Star Sustainability Certification.)
• support for all modules of ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic including coordinated access to accredited facilitators and assessors
• engagement of primary and secondary schools and provision of flexible program methodologies that cater for their different needs
• demonstrated links to curriculum, both VELS and National Curriculum Cross-Curricular perspective of sustainability
• coordinated training and professional development programs
• effective and efficient administration and governance arrangements
• demonstrated methodologies that provide face to face and online support for schools.

Specific activities could include, but are not limited to:

• seminars and forums covering the modules or other aspects of the Initiative
• teacher time release program for professional development
• on-line support (e.g. Community of Practice, advice) for schools
• school mentoring program to enable experienced schools and staff to assist new schools
• one-to-one or one-to-many facilitation (using accredited facilitators) for new schools to complete modules addressing:
• whole of school engagement to action planning and data collection
• energy
• waste
• water
• biodiversity
• assessment of progress through ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic modules and support for schools to progress to 5Star
• linking schools with local stakeholders and service providers
• peer learning programs for schools
• establishment of new Teacher Educator Networks.

What won’t be funded?

Funding will not be provided for activities that:

• are clearly within the responsibility of another government grants program such as DEECD’s Strategic Partnerships
• duplicate services already in operation or planned for in the relevant region
• are not located within the relevant region
• are not specifically related to ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic or
• are inconsistent with government policy objectives.

Downloads

• Regional Victoria Guidelines (556.66KB)
• Metropolitan Melbourne Guidelines (550.82KB)
• Regional Network Pilot 2010-11 (713.81KB)
• Capability statements for service providers (487.30KB)
• Capability statements for schools (545.99KB)
• Budget template (21.50KB)
• General funding agreement (230.17KB)

Tackling climate change at a local level

The Climate Communities government grants program will help to link existing community networks centred around local councils, service clubs, schools and environment groups. It will also encourage and support the establishment of new groups who wish to take environmental action at a local level.

The key objectives are to support local communities to:

• reduce emissions
• build community resilience to adapt to climate change
• trial and/or promote new ideas to help tackle climate change.

The government grant, managed by Sustainability Victoria, supports communities by providing grants of up to $50,000 for community organisations. The Victorian Government has also appointed Climate Communities facilitators to work with local communities across the state. These facilitators will provide information, advice and assistance with grant applications.

Supporting community-based initiatives

There are many different projects that could be receive government grants under the Climate Communities grants program. For example:

• retrofitting a community hall to reduce energy use and using it as a demonstration to promote energy efficiency
• establishing a shared transport scheme such as a bicycle repair and hire cooperative
• offering community gardening workshops to promote drought-tolerant and edible gardening
• providing training for a community leader or volunteer to support the group to operate more sustainably and share knowledge with other members
• setting up a pilot project to reduce waste at a local sports club and encouraging other clubs to adopt the practice.

Government grants are open to community groups committed to tackling climate. Local councils and schools are also welcome to apply if they can demonstrate that they support the community in taking action on climate change. Usually this will be in partnership with a community group. Other organisations such as businesses can participate in Climate Communities by partnering in a project with an eligible organisation.

Application

The first thing to do is to arm yourself with all the available information.

• Download the Grants Kit .
• Have a look at the Grants FAQs.

Then, if you think your project meets all the guidelines, you’ll need to contact the Climate Communities team through Sustainability Victoria to discuss your proposal before submitting an application.

The Climate Communities team can help you develop the project, provide guidance with filling out the application (part of the Grants Kit) and ensure your project meets the grants assessment criteria. They can also help to link you with existing community networks you may wish to partner with for your project.

There are also some useful templates that might help you put together your government grant application:

• Budget template (download as a PDF or Excel document)
• Project plan template (download as a PDF or Word document)
• In-kind information statement (required if you are claiming in-kind contributions in your project budget).
  (download as a PDF or Excel document)