Climate Action Living Lab

Climate change is increasingly threatening communities, infrastructure and biodiversity across the City of Casey. Rising global temperatures are resulting in more intense and frequent heatwaves, storms and bushfires, as well as long-term impacts like reduced rainfall and sea level rises.

The City of Casey is committed to addressing climate change, as detailed in our Council Plan 2021-25, Environment Strategy 2021-25, and Climate Action Plan 2022-30.

Through the Climate Action Living Lab, Council aims to support projects that successfully deliver and validate innovative solutions for climate action; producing measurable environmental, social and economic benefits to enable a climate-ready city.

Grants available

• Between $20,001 and $50,000 of financial contributions for big projects; 1:1 contribution (minimum 50% financial).
• Up to $20,000 of financial contributions for small projects; 1:1 contribution (in-kind only).
• In-kind support for any applicant.

What is a Living Lab?

A Living Lab is a place-based approach to driving innovation through co-design with partners, community, and Council. It enables businesses, not-for-profit organisations, research institutions, and the community to collaborate on local challenges and test solutions that will address them. A Living Lab requires three components:

1. Problem: A complex problem that our community faces and is only likely to increase with our growth.
2. People: A range of people from businesses, not-for-profit organisations, research institutions, and the community, who could address the problem.
3. Place: A physical location to trial and evaluate the solutions.

The objective of the City of Casey Living Lab is to efficiently trial, evaluate and potentially scale up innovative solutions that support Council strategies to stimulate the local economy, address environmental challenges, and improve community outcomes through private-public partnerships and innovation processes. 

Responding to complex challenges requires new approaches and innovative concepts. The Living Lab aims to identify solutions that can meet the community's needs in new ways and evolve with community feedback and insights. 

There are a range of funding pathways for Living Labs. For the Climate Action Living Lab, a grant pathway is the most appropriate. 

Challenges

Solutions should address one or more of the following challenges:

• Sustainability & Biodiversity: How might we protect and increase native vegetation and animal habitat?
• Safety & Climate Resilience: How might we ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community during and after extreme weather events?
• Renewable Energy: How might we increase the uptake of renewable energy for the community?

Benefits are expected for the broad community, but projects may address a specific target group or area in the City of Casey. The types of organisations we are looking to partner with include established businesses, start-ups with more than two years of activity, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, co-operatives, research institutions, universities, and community groups.

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

To apply for this grant, you must: 

• Be a business, not-for-profit organisation, or research institute.
• Be registered for at least two years (for start-ups).
• Be a legal entity (e.g. An incorporated association, a co-operative, a company, or a trust).
• Have a level of public liability insurance up to $20 million.
• Have a level of professional indemnity up to $5 million (where the organisation provides professional advice).
• Have Workcover insurance (where your organisation employs people).
• Obtain a working with children check if required.
• Submit a project plan with milestones, community benefits, trial methods, desired impact, and an itemised budget detailing how you will spend the funds.
• Submit your application and documentation online through our Smarty Grants system.

Who is not eligible?

You cannot apply for the grant if you are: 

• An individual not submitting as part of a registered organisation.
• A start-up with less than two years of activity.
• Aligned with a political party or group.
• A state or federal government agency, department, or public entity.
• Representing another council.
• A catchment management authority.
• A non-registered business.
• Under an auspice arrangement.

What will be funded or not funded?

We can accept applications for the following:

• Pilot projects.
• Events and community activations.
• Project-related costs (including staffing costs directly related to the project).
• Digital and physical infrastructure and materials required for the trial.
• Joint applications and partnerships.
• Applied research projects .

The applications must adhere to the following:

• Projects must be able to start within one month after the grant agreement sign-off.
• Trial outcomes must be achieved within 12 to 14 months.
• Projects must have tangible and measurable outcomes.

What will not be funded?

We cannot accept applications for the following: 

• Projects that are unable to commence within one month from the formal approval by the City of Casey and contracts sign-off.
• Projects that cannot be completed in a timeframe of 12 to 14 months, at agreed upon start date in late 2024/ early 2025.
• Feasibility study.
• Cost to build.
• Development of a new concept with low feasibility.
• Multiple applications for different projects.
• Projects already funded by Council.
• Projects that take place outside of the City of Casey.
• Ongoing operational costs such as utilities (electricity, gas and water), rent, insurance, or staff wages/ salaries not directly related to the trial.
• Administrative costs.
• Grants programs, prizes, awards, or donations.
• Funding towards reimbursing retrospective projects or existing work unrelated to the application

Assessment criteria and process

We are looking for projects that are:

• Innovative: solutions should deliver outcomes by testing cutting-edge products and services.
• Data-led: data insights should be integrated into the solution to ensure measurable outcomes.
• Local: local providers will be favoured to maximise benefits for the local economy, although any Australian organisation is eligible to apply.
• Technology-enabled: when a particular technology is central to the delivery of a solution, the provider needs to ensure reliability, data privacy/ management, and share prior testing results.

Detailed criteria - expand for more information:

Community Desirability 30%

• Applicants can operate within the City of Casey
• Strong alignment to City of Casey Council Plan and strategies
• Demonstration that the solution will meet community needs
• Clear explanation of how the solution will solve a problem, including outcomes and benefits
• Evidence that the solution will produce the expected result
• Project success metrics identified

Project Viability 25%

• Detailed and realistic budget within the bounds of the grant funding amount available
• Expenditure items listed are necessary and meet eligibility

Project Feasibility 30%

• Feasible and comprehensive project plan
• Ability to manage data, technology, and privacy in a secure way (if applicable)
• Risks identified and mitigation plan provided
• Evidence of experience in delivering the proposed project

Innovation Potential & Local Business Enhancement 15%

• Demonstration of an innovative solution
• Utilisation of data and insights
• Applicant is based in Casey (local providers will be favoured to maximise benefits for the local economy, although any Australian organisation is eligible to apply)

 

Assessment Process

1. Funding applications will be checked for eligibility by Council officers.
2. Eligible applications will be assessed by the internal Living Lab judging panel of subject matter experts from a range of departments. 
   Note: The full amount requested may not be approved; the assessment panel may recommend partial funding. Consideration will also be given to the total funding available and the distribution of funding across the priority areas.
3. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in November 2024.

How to apply

• All applications must be submitted online using the Climate Action Living Lab Application Form. Access the form at SmartyGramts from 1 August 2024.
• Applications must include additional information as specified. Supporting documents and attachments must be in an electronic format and submitted as part of the online application process. The application must be submitted by the due date. No paper applications will be accepted, and applications outside of Smarty Grants will not be considered. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

 

APPLICATION TIMELINE
Thursday 1 August 2024	Applications open. Applications completed on SmartyGrants.  An automated acknowledgement email is sent to the applicant as soon as the application is submitted.
Friday 2 August 2024	Information session Online, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm View recording
Sunday 22 September 2024	Applications close There is no access to the online applications after 5:00 pm.
23 September – 31 October 2024	Applications are processed to determine eligibility Applications are assessed against the assessment criteria by Casey officers and shortlist confirmed.
November 2024	Applicants notified of outcome
November – December 2024	Funding and Service Agreements signed Funding is distributed.
January 2025 – February 2026	Delivery of Climate Action Living Lab activities with successful partners
April 2026	Closing event

If your application is successful

We will notify you by email or phone to organise a project kick-off meeting.

• You will need to read Council’s Grants Policy.
• If you have any outstanding payments to Council, you must clear these before we can pay the grant.  
• Please note that some events and installations may require Council permits and approval. In this case, approval must be obtained before grant funds can be paid.

Conditions of funding, reporting and acquital

What are the conditions of the funding?

All successful applicants must adhere to the conditions outlined in the City of Casey’s Grants Policy. The following conditions also apply:

• Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding and service agreement with the City of Casey, which lists funding conditions. This must be signed, and appropriate documentation provided before funds are issued.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide a statement of expenditure or an audited statement at the completion funding period. If Council’s grant funds are not spent, all remaining funds must be returned to Council.
• Please note that a Living Lab funding application will not necessarily result in funding or may result in only a portion of the amount requested being allocated.
• Groups will need to satisfy acquittal requirements for previous Council grants and funding before funds will be released.
• Depending on outcomes and benefits for Casey, some successful applicants may be invited to scale up their project with additional funding provided at the discretion of the Council.
• Council may also choose to take the learnings from the trial to inform future market activities at the discretion of the Council.

Reporting and Acquittal 

After completing your project, you must tell us how you spent the grant money, and share the outcomes of the project. This is known as an acquittal process. You must complete the acquittal process online within 60 days of completing the project. The reporting format and agreed outputs will be provided upon the successful appointment of the grant.

Useful information

The following links contain information that may be useful in preparing a Living Lab funding application: 

• View information session 2 August recording
• Climate Action Living Lab Challenge Brief
• Climate Action Living Lab Grant Guidelines
• Climate Action Living Lab - Desired Outcomes for Council
• City of Casey Climate Action Plan 2022-30
• City of Casey Environment Strategy 2021-25
• City of Casey Council Plan 2021-25
• Climate Action Living Lab website