1. Introduction

1.1 About the West Gate Tunnel Project

The West Gate Tunnel Project (Project) will deliver a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge. It will provide a much needed second river crossing, quicker and safer journeys across Melbourne, and remove thousands of trucks from residential streets.

The project is managed by the West Gate Tunnel Project, Major Roads Project Victoria (MRPV), on behalf of the Victorian Government.

1.2 About the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund

The $10 million West Gate Neighbourhood Fund is a Victorian Government initiative to support community projects in the Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong city council areas, while the West Gate Tunnel is under construction.

The fund is managed by the West Gate Tunnel Project, Major Road Projects Victoria and seeks to support a wide range of projects are eligible including those that celebrate heritage, history or diversity, focus on arts and culture, emphasise learning and development, or enable greater participation of community members.

The West Gate Neighbourhood Fund has two components,  grants and partnerships.

Grants provide funding for one off activities or events, whereas partnership funding supports infrastructure projects that provide a significant and lasting outcome.

All projects should encourage community connectedness and cohesiveness through bringing people together and involving them in their community

1.3 Important dates

The West Gate Neighbourhood Fund grants  will run as outlined in the following table:

Program Stage Timing

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via email

2. Eligibility

2.1 Is my organisation eligible?

Incorporated not-for-profit organisations with proposals for projects located within the local government areas of Hobsons Bay City Council and Maribyrnong City Council can apply for West Gate Neighbourhood Fund grants.

Applications are invited from:

• Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations
• groups auspiced by not-for-profit community organisations (grant applications only).

Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations may include but are not limited to:

• charities
• organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) or Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) status
• cooperatives
• companies limited by guarantee and/or limited by shares (non-distribution of profits or dividends)
• trusts that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
• associations (under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009)
• Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• organisations established under an Act of Parliament.

Auspice arrangements for grants are designed to assist not-for-profit community groups who are small or may not yet be incorporated, they cannot be used by for-profit organisations to apply for grants that benefit a commercial business.

Where an auspice organisation participates in an application process:

• the auspice organisation is obligated to ensure that the funding is expended within the requirements of the application and funding agreement
• evidence of the agreement between the two parties to undertake this auspice arrangement must be included with the application, as should all the necessary paperwork to prove insurance incorporation and ABN status. The auspice organisation receives all the grant funds.

To be eligible to apply for a West Gate Neighbourhood Fund, applicants must:

• be based in the Maribyrnong City Council or Hobsons Bay City Council, or conduct activities that benefit members of these communities
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• have current public liability insurance (PLI) of $20 million or higher
• not derive income from gambling, or proposing to conduct activities that promote gambling
• not have a debt or outstanding acquittal owing to the State Government authority where the project will be undertaken.

2.2 What projects can I apply for?

Proposed projects must fit into one of the following West Gate Neighbourhood Fund categories:

• Participation equipment grants : up to $5,000 to support community participation in local sport, art or recreation activities
• Connecting neighbourhoods grants: up to $10,000 for a one-off project or activity that aims to improve community connectedness and participation
• Celebrating neighbourhoods grants: up to $20,000 for festivals, events, and installations that bring local
  people together
• Transforming neighbourhoods grants: $50,000 for a single improvement or up to $100,000 for multiple improvements to facilities that improve quality, usability and accessibility of local environments, community centre or sport and recreation facilities.

Projects must be able to be completed within 12 months of the funding announcement.

Projects are not eligible to receive funding if they:

• have the single purpose of promoting religion or political parties
• are currently fully funded by local, state or federal governments
• use the funding for the exclusive purpose of covering planning, design or preliminary construction costs
• are intended to fund operational or core business costs including salaries and administration costs
• are deemed as core curriculum activities of educational institutions
• have already commenced, or have not commenced but secured funding.

3. Assessment

3.1 Assessment process

Applications to the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund will be assessed by an independent senior panel convened by the Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV).

The panel may consult the following parties through the assessment process, as required:

• representatives of Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong councils
• the West Gate Tunnel Project Community Liasion Group
• relevant Victorian Government departments and agencies

An Independent Probity Advisor will oversee the assessment process. The Victorian Government will approve the successful applicants.

3.2 Assessment criteria

All eligible applications will be assessed on merit against the following program criteria

• Improve community connectedness and cohesiveness -the project will increase the number of connections that an individual has with others in their community and/or improve the sense of togetherness and bonding that exists between members of a community.
• Meet community need -the project addresses a community priority listed in Section 3.3.
• Organisation’s capacity -the organisation has the demonstrated capacity to deliver the project on time and within budget.

In order to increase benefits to the community, organisations that contribute funding to a partnership or grant will be considered favourably in the assessment process. Co-contributions are encouraged, both financial and in-kind.

Additionally, proposals from within the following suburbs, which are affected by the construction of the project, may be prioritised as part of the assessment process: Altona North, Brooklyn, Footscray, South Kingsville, Spotswood, and Yarraville.

3.3 West Gate Neighbourhood Fund priorities

Projects submitted to the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund should support the strengthening of community connectedness and cohesiveness, as well as align with at least one of the following priorities:

• Health and Wellbeing - supporting programs and opportunities which promote healthy living and wellbeing.
• Innovation - supporting projects and events which help the community to solve future challenges.
• Environment and Sustainability - enhancing and conserving green spaces and the environment.
• Mobility - making it easier for communities to travel and explore their local area.
• Leadership - supporting and training future leaders to advocate for their community.
• Education and Skills - providing information, skills and new opportunities to members of the community.
• Diversity - supporting social inclusion for diverse populations.
• Arts & Culture - celebrating culture and building positive community perceptions.
• Heritage - celebrating history and creating links between the past and present within the community.
• Beautification - supporting opportunities to improve the aesthetics and facilities of the community.

4. How do I apply?

4.1 Online application form

Applications must be submitted online via the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund web page at westgatetunnelproject.vic.gov.au/neighbourhoodfund by the closing date.

Please note:

• Applications must be submitted by an individual with authority to do so on behalf of their group/organisation
• Applications must be submitted using the form for the relevant West Gate Neighbourhood Fund category, powered by SmartyGrants
• Applicants must only submit one grant or partnership application per proposed project
• Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.

MRPV reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to accept or reject any project proposal that is submitted after the closing date or otherwise not lodged in accordance with the requirements of the Grants  Guidelines (this document).

4.2 Supporting information and documentation

All grant applications will require the following information to be submitted with the application form.

Information on the applying organisation including:

• name, address, contact details
• Incorporation Registration Certificate
• ABN
• Public Liability Insurance certificate of $20 million or higher
• auspice organisation information where relevant.

Information about the proposed project including:

• project title
• type of project (equipment, participation activity, capital works, other)
• project timeline
• detailed project budget.

Details about the project including:

• location of the project (Hobsons Bay or Maribyrnong city council area)
• information about land ownership and/or council approvals (if relevant)
• which priority area/s the project represents
• the number of community members that will benefit from the project.

Responses will be required to satisfy the following points:

• Describe how your project will improve community connectedness and cohesiveness.
• Describe how your project will fulfil a community need.
• What evidence do you have that this project/program has community support, and that the project will improve community connectedness and cohesiveness?
• Please provide some information about your organisation that will give us confidence that you can complete the work you’ve described in this application.
• How will you measure success?

In relation to project costs, you will be asked for:

• the total cost of the project
• your organisation’s contribution
• how much funding you are seeking
• how the funds will be used
• quotes to support any individual budget item that exceeds $1,000
• any other funding sources you have already secured
• where co-funding is identified, evidence is requested for secured funding. For non-secured co-funding, you will be asked how the project can be re-scoped if this is not received.

For infrastructure projects it is strongly recommended that supporting documents such as project designs, evidence of preliminary investigation and/or any technical material is uploaded at the time of application.

Project specific expenses, such as wages or other project or administration costs can be included up to 10% of the total project cost.

Please note applicants may be asked to demonstrate how these costs relate specifically to your project and provide supporting evidence on how the costs were calculated.

MRPV reserves the right to reach out to applicants to obtain additional information relating to their submitted grant or partnership during the assessment period

4.3 Getting assistance

If you have questions about the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund - Grants or require assistance in submitting an application, please contact 1800 105 105 or email info@wgta.vic.gov.au. If you require an interpreter, please call 03 9209 0147.

5. Terms and conditions

Grants which receive a funding offer from Major Road Projects Victoria will be required to enter into a funding agreement and accept terms and conditions in relation to the specific project which has been proposed.

6. Privacy Collection Notice

The Victorian Government and Transurban WGT Co Pty Limited have partnered to build the Project. The Project is managed by Major Road Projects Victoria (a division of the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, an administrative office of the Department of Transport and Planning) on behalf of the State of Victoria (MRPV).

MRPV is collecting your personal information in connection with the Project for the purposes of administering the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund grants program.

MRPV may disclose this information to the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) and relevant third parties for these purposes, including:

• Hobsons Bay City Council or Maribyrnong City Council, council representatives who will participate in the assessment of applications, comment on project proposals that intersect with council plans or property and report on council debts and/or
  acquittals relating to previous grants
• employees or contractors of VIDA and other parts of the Department of Transport and Planning, or other Victorian Government departments, for the purpose of assessing applications SmartyGrants (the company that hosts the application)
• the Project Community Liaison Group (CLG), which include members of the local community, for the purposes of assessing the applications. The CLG will only be provided with the name of the organisation applying for the grant and the details of the project that is the subject of the application.

MRPV will only send you communications about any applications you make and updates to keep you informed on the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund.

To request access or other changes to your information, or for more information about how MRPV manages your privacy, please refer to the VIDA-wide Privacy Policy and Privacy Collection Statement, which is published on Victoria’s Big Build website or here at bigbuild.vic.gov.au/privacy or contact MRPV for a copy.

To discuss any privacy concerns or request access or other changes to the personal information, The West Gate Tunnel Project (MRPV) holds about you, please contact 1800 105 105 or email info@wgta.vic.gov.au.

Learn more about the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund