Community Education and Support Program Guidelines
Melbourne Water's Community Education Support Program focuses on Melbourne Water's core priorities of community education and building community relationships. A range of education and community initiatives is undertaken in collaboration with key stakeholder groups - schools, community, industry, and environmental organisations - in support of Melbourne Water’s strategic goals and our vision of working together to ensure a sustainable water future.
Expectations of Melbourne Water
Melbourne Water will provide support for approved activities, in terms of funding for long-term community education programs and/or in kind support - for example, provision of expert assistance, advice, resources including the Active Catchment Education (ACE) stormwater trailer and education materials.
Melbourne Water will assess all applications within one month of receipt and provide feedback as appropriate to all applicants. Letters of agreement / formal contracts are required for agreed partnerships.
Understanding of Melbourne Water’s values, sustainability principles and code of conduct
Recipients of support under the program are expected to be familiar with Melbourne Water’s sustainability principles and values as set out in the Strategic Framework, and to behave in a manner consistent with these and Melbourne Water’s Code of Conduct.
Evaluation
An evaluation of all events, projects or publications supported by Melbourne Water must be undertaken. This could involve independent assessment. Long-term partnerships will be evaluated quarterly and annually in accordance with objectives and milestones set at the beginning of the agreement, and at the close of the grant period prior to consideration of continuing the partnership. Where quarterly / annual reports indicate that the funded projects have not met objectives, strategies to address this will be agreed and recorded in writing on the official project file.
Making an application
An Application Form must be completed as part of the application process and requires the following information:
- A concise outline and description of the event, project or publication for which support is sought
- A description of project outcomes and objectives, aims, activities, who is involved
- A description of how the proposal relates to Melbourne Water’s core business, and supports our stakeholder relations and/or community education objectives
- A description of alignment to Melbourne Water’s sustainability principles
- The benefits for Melbourne Water in providing support
- Estimated project budget
- The timeframe and geographical area for the event, project or publication, and any proposed venues for events
- Plans for promotion
- A description of evaluation of the project against the objectives
- A description of how progress will be reported to Melbourne Water
- Details of previous Melbourne Water funding, if any
- Details of funding sought or agreed by other partners or sources, including government funding, and at what level
- The date a response is required (applicants are asked to allow one month for the proposal to be assessed)
- Contact details for the applicant/s
- Accountabilities
The Application Form is available for download - Community Education Support Program Application (PDF 21kb).
Assessment and approval
Melbourne Water will assess all applications received according against the following criteria:
- How does the proposal relate to Melbourne Water's strategic priorities and vision? In particular how does it address current strategic issues?
- How does the proposal assist with building key stakeholder and community relationships?
- How does the project assist Melbourne Water to educate and inform the community?
- Does the project provide the opportunity for ongoing / long-term community education / engagement?
- How does the proposal contribute to the community as a whole?
- Does the proposal fit within a broader communications strategy? Is it consistent with Melbourne Water's other communications on the topic?
- Does the proposal provide potential for local and/or metropolitan media coverage to extend the opportunity to provide key water education messages to the community?
- Will Melbourne Water be the major/only sponsor?
- Does the event and/or organising body enjoy a good reputation in the public domain?
- Is the proposal a better alternative to advertising and/or other forms of promotion?
- Is the evaluation/reporting satisfactory
- How does the proposal fit with other projects already supported by Melbourne Water?
- Is additional support/resources required from Melbourne Water for the proposal to be successful? If so, estimate costs.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome in writing within one month of submission.
Applications should be directed to:
Communications Coordinator
Communications and Community Relations
Melbourne Water
PO Box 4342
Melbourne VIC 3001
Enquire online
Fax: 9235 7177