Application guide

• Community groups e.g. residents’ groups, parents’ groups, environmental groups, sporting organisations, Scouts and Girl Guides, community centres, councils, schools (preschools, primary and secondary), tertiary institutions (universities, TAFEs and colleges), and other organisations 
• Community members/individuals (see requirements below) 
• Previous winners of the Active Australia Innovation Challenge will need to demonstrate an enhancement or expansion of the previously awarded project, or a new innovative idea, to be eligible to enter in 2025. 
• Those with a previously submitted project who were not awarded a grant, who have updated or enhanced their original idea

This grant is intended to provide funding to kick-start a project or to provide seed funding in support of a larger project. Should the project be for the latter, supporting documentation will need to be provided to confirm funding has already been sought to fulfil the project implementation. The Heart Foundation strongly encourages innovative projects that support people:  

• identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander  
• with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds  
• living with a disability  
• living in rural and remote regions. 

We may have to decline applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria, or where we are unable to see a clear alignment to the primary goals of the initiative. The following is a list of projects and applications that are ineligible. Please take the time to read through this list to ensure your project matches what we are looking for. 

	Projects that have been implemented or completed prior to the application being submitted.
	Projects that are deemed to be ‘business as usual’ for the organisation applying.
	Projects that don’t have the primary objective of ‘increasing physical activity’ for the chosen group or community.
	Projects that cannot be completed within 12 months of receiving the grant.
	Projects that are not low cost. Projects that charge a small fee will be eligible if they are: Accessible for the intended group or community; and Can demonstrate that a fee is required for the sustainability of the project.
	Projects that are outside of Australia.
	Projects seen to primarily benefit an applicant or business, for example increasing profits, increasing revenue sources, and/or covering existing employee salary costs for the duration of the funded project.
	Where the applicant is unable to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Heart Foundation. Community members/individuals will need to either hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN) or collaborate with an eligible entity (one that holds a current ABN) to enable a funding agreement to be executed. In a ‘collaboration scenario,’ the organisation holding the ABN must submit the application. They will be responsible for receiving and managing the grant and be accountable for the delivery of the project.

Community need 

• Is there an identified need in the target group or community for the project?  

• Have the barriers to being physically active in the chosen group or community been identified?  

• Will the community and other stakeholders be effectively utilised to help develop and implement the project?  

• Does the applicant describe a creative or new idea for a project, partnership, product and/or process to increase physical activity within the specific group or community? 

Capacity and Sustainability  

• Has planning for the future of the project occurred?  

• Is the project sustainable in similar groups or communities? 

Alignment to grant outcomes 

• Is the project reaching or meeting the needs of those not meeting the national physical activity guidelines, people at risk of chronic disease and people living in communities with high levels of physical inactivity?  

• Is a comprehensive process planned to develop and implement the project? 

Timeframe and budget 

• Have timeframes and budgets been identified? 

Consider:  

• time constraints  

• legislative or regulatory constraints  

• technical constraints  

• safety concerns (or similar) 

A creative or new idea for a project, collaboration, product and/or process to increase physical activity within a specific group or community. Innovation may be location specific, that is, what’s innovative in one area may not be in another area or setting across Australia. 

• Your target audience

• Why your project idea is innovative
• What you hope to achieve with this project
• What outcomes will you measure and how do you plan on measuring these
• An Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Budget breakdown and future goals.

The judging panel will be awarding up to 15 grants of varying amounts. Please consider exactly how much you require to effectively deliver your project, rather than selecting the highest amount automatically.

The judges will assess:

• If the target group or community has been clearly articulated. i.e. who, where, how many

• If there is an identified need (sufficient evidence/rationale) in the target group or community for the project

• If the barriers to being physically active in this group or community have been described

Consider including in your response  

• Levels of activity for this group or community, if known  

• Reasons why this group or community are not active enough

_{150 word maximum}

This summary may be used in media, case studies and for promotional purposes.  

_{200 words maximum} 

The judges will assess:

• How well the objectives of this project have been clearly articulated
• How this project will make a difference to the sustainable levels of physical activity in a chosen group or community

Importantly, include how your project will make a difference to the level of physical activity in your chosen group or community. 

_{200 words maximum} 

The judges will assess:

• How innovative/new/creative is this project in encouraging the target group or community to be more physically active.
• Note: The applications may describe an innovative project idea, collaboration, product and/or process.
• What’s innovative in one area may not be in another area or setting across Australia.

Make sure you describe how your project is different or new for your chosen group/community and/or region.  

_{150 words maximum} 

What evaluation methods will be used? e.g. participant feedback, pre and post survey, attendance rates.  

_{200 words maximum} 

The judges will assess:

• Has consideration been given to the continuation of this project post AAIC funding?

• Can the project idea be replicated in similar groups or communities?

• Does this project have potential to be implemented on a larger scale, i.e. nation-wide or sector-wide?

_{100 words maximum} 

The judges will assess:

• Are the timeframes for the project realistic?

• Is the budget for the project realistic and appropriate?

• If there are participant costs, are they reasonable/sustainable lease describe how they have been determined and what they will be used for.  

This submission will be in a table format, asking for the budgets items and costs associated.

Please describe how they have been determined and what they will be used for.  

_{50 words maximum}