Applications for 2024 Schools Plus Partnership opportunities open 9am AEST, Monday 5 August 2024 and close midnight AEST on Monday 9 September 2024. Submissions past this date cannot be accepted.
- Your school must have a value below 1000 on the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). Schools with no (zero) ICSEA value must contact Schools Plus to determine eligibility, except for special needs schools which are eligible. For current ICSEA values, see your school’s profile on MySchool at http://www.myschool.edu.au/.
- Your school must have direct student enrolments. A campus of a significant site does not qualify unless student enrolment is held directly at this campus.
- Only one project per school or school cluster will be considered under this round.
- Schools involved in a cluster application cannot submit a separate individual application.
- If your school has received funding and support through our previous Partnership Round (including Partnership Invitation), Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards or Fair Education programs your project must be acquitted by 23 August to apply. This includes any cluster schools involved in a project. Please contact us if you are unsure.
- Schools aligned with a not-for-profit body which holds Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status are ineligible to apply.
Schools Plus is seeking applications through either a Single Year Partnership or our Multi Year Partnership. Both Partnerships include:
- Single-year (1 year) or Multi-year (3 years) funding for schools to facilitate the delivery of a strategic project.
- Provision of coaching for the project leadership teams providing guidance and support to successfully deliver, evaluate and create a sustainable model for future strategic projects.
- Project management and evaluation support using tools and resources to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate projects. Helping schools to achieve their objectives and assess the success of their projects.
All successful applicants will receive this wholistic support for the successful implementation of your school project.
Single Year: Initiatives that aim to improve outcomes for children and young people in specific subject areas or address specific challenges for targeted groups. These might be short term focussed but with a significant impact within this timeframe. See Guidelines for further information on a Single Year Partnership.
Multi Year: Initiatives that require an extended implementation phase to effectively lead to deeper, longer-term change for children and young people and the school community. See Guidelines for further information on a Multi-Year Partnership.
- Round opens: Monday, 5 August (9:00am AEST)
- Round closes: Monday, 9 September (12:00 midnight AEST)
- September: Schools will be notified late September if they are shortlisted for further assessment.
- October: Shortlisted schools will be notified in October of the outcome of the assessment. A select number of schools that proceed to the final stage will participate in a short online interview to provide further details and insights of the project.
- December: Interviewed and finalist schools will be notified early December the outcome of their application.
- Term 1, 2025: First coaching session aims to take place in Term 1, 2025.
We have several ways we can support you in submitting a quality application and encourage you to access all that is available.
Application Guidelines:
We have developed Guidelines that include eligibility requirements, guiding questions and other important information to help your submission. Please read these guidelines carefully before applying for a Partnership opportunity with Schools Plus.
Single Year Partnership guidelines
Multi Year Partnership guidelines
Project design support:
- If you would like to speak to an education professional prior to submitting your application to help guide your project design, please email schools@schoolsplus.org.au to arrange a time to connect. This support is available between Monday 22 July and Friday 30 August. After that, a Schools Plus team member is happy to assist.
Application support video:
- This short video has key information about the two Partnership opportunities as well as tips for submitting a strong application. We highly recommend viewing before beginning your application. Watch either the Single Year or Multi-Year video.
Examples of other initiatives:
- Our website provides some examples of initiatives other schools have implemented Stories of impact – Australian Schools Plus
Single Year Partnership opportunity
Schools have the opportunity to apply for a one-year project that is short-term, focussing on clear outcomes enabling schools to make meaningful impact.
All successful applicants will receive:
Funding:
- Up to $30,000 for an individual school project for one year
- Up to $60,000 for projects by a cluster of schools for one year
Coaching:
Schools will partner with a coach from our team of education professionals and will offer independent support for school leaders and teachers. Each school will receive up to 12 hours of coaching over the project’s implementation period (up to 12 months).
Program Management Support and Evaluation:
With their coach’s help, schools will use a Project Planning Tool to create rubrics for activities, beneficiaries, achievements, and evidence to effectively measure project results.
Types of projects:
Single Year Partnership projects will be:
- Projects that start in Term 1, 2025 and run for one year. Align with your long-term strategic school plan and be supported by the school leadership team
- Initiatives that aim to improve outcomes for children and young people in specific subject areas or address specific challenges for targeted groups. These might be short term focussed but with a significant impact within this timeframe.
This might include:
- Innovative projects that trial new designs or strategies that have a sound research base and the potential for significant transformational change within a defined timeframe.
- Extending an existing school initiative that is having a proven impact, or it could replicate projects where existing strategies are being tried in a new location or with a new group.
Please read the Guidelines for further information about what can be supported and the type of information we are seeking in your application.
Multi Year Partnership opportunity
Schools have the opportunity to apply for a three-year project that leads to deeper, longer-term change for children and young people and the school community.
All successful applicants will receive:
Funding:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
| Single school | $30,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Cluster of schools | $75,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
Coaching:
Schools will be paired with a coach from our team of education professionals to help leaders develop innovative strategies and systems to enhance learning and community connection. Schools will receive up to 12 hours of coaching per year over the duration of the project implementation, starting with a 3.5-hour workshop for deeper project co-design.
Program Management Support and Evaluation:
With their coach’s help, schools will use a Project Planning Tool to create rubrics for activities, beneficiaries, achievements, and evidence to effectively measure project results.
Types of projects:
Multi Year Partnership projects will be:
- Projects that start in Term 1, 2025 and run over a three-year period. Align with your long-term strategic school plan and are supported by the school leadership team.
- Projects that require an extended implementation phase to effectively embed sustainable change.
This might include:
- Projects that seek to contribute new thinking and learning to the wider educational discourse.
- New projects that support the delivery of a strategy based on evidence, data analysis or research.
- Replication or extension of projects where existing strategies are being tried in a new location or with a new target group.
Please read the Guidelines for further information about what can be supported and the type of information we are seeking in your application.
Please read the Guidelines for further information including the key questions that will be asked. We have provided some supporting information and guide to answer the questions – we encourage you to read this prior to submitting an application.
Single Year Partnership guidelines
Multi Year Partnership guidelines
The application link for each Partnership opportunity will be live 9am AEST on Monday 5 August 2024.