social scale up grant funding guidelines - westpac · pdf file8 our funding principles our...
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Social Scale-up Grant Funding Guidelines
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The Social Scale-up Grant .................................................................................. 5
Who should apply? ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
Eligibility criteria ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
If you are not eligible, consider these alternative sources of funding: ................................................... 5
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 6
How to prepare a strong grant submission ........................................................................................................... 6
How to use this document .......................................................................................................................................... 6
If you have questions or queries after reading these guidelines ................................................................... 7
Our funding principles ....................................................................................... 8
Key Stages and Dates in the Social Scale-up Journey ....................................... 10
Definitions ....................................................................................................... 11
The Business Entity/The Business .................................................................................................................... 11
Jobs ................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Employment pathways ........................................................................................................................................... 11
The target group(s) .................................................................................................................................................. 11
What we look for in a strong submission ......................................................... 12
1. Real jobs for Australians experiencing disadvantage ...................................................................... 12
2. A proven social support model.................................................................................................................. 12
3. A proven commercial model ...................................................................................................................... 13
4. Management team .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Strong submissions should also consider: ........................................................ 14
Measuring the differences you make in the community .......................................................................... 14
Realistic plans and projections ........................................................................................................................... 14
Investing in a long-term relationship ............................................................................................................... 14
Plain English please ................................................................................................................................................. 15
Keep it brief and focused ....................................................................................................................................... 15
How we review your submission ........................................................................................................................... 16
Hints and tips before completing the form ........................................................................................................ 16
Using the SmartyGrants system to complete your submission ................................................................... 16
The Expression of Interest Stage ...................................................................... 17
Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Key steps ................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Files that you will need for upload ................................................................................................................... 17
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The Expression of Interest form questions and tips ......................................... 18
Eligibility .................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Target groups experiencing disadvantage in Australia ....................................................................... 18
Job creation............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Employment pathways ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Financial information ......................................................................................................................................... 19
Applicant Details .................................................................................................................................................. 20
Regional focus ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
Parent organisation ............................................................................................................................................ 21
The Business .......................................................................................................................................................... 21
The social need or problem ............................................................................................................................. 22
About the Grant .................................................................................................................................................... 23
Social impact measurement ............................................................................................................................ 24
The people in the business ............................................................................................................................... 24
Management team ............................................................................................................................................... 25
I’ve submitted my Expression of Interest form – what next? ...................................................................... 26
The Application Stage (by invitation only) ........................................................ 27
Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Key steps in the Application Stage ..................................................................................................................... 27
1. Application Stage ........................................................................................................................................ 27
2. Clarify Details of Application ................................................................................................................. 27
3. Site Visits, Final Decisions and Agree Financial and Non-financial Support .............................. 28
Files that you will need for upload with your Application Form .......................................................... 28
Additional information required to complete the application form ................................................... 28
I’ve submitted my form – what next? .................................................................................................................. 28
The Application Stage form questions and tips ................................................ 29
Mission, vision and history .............................................................................................................................. 29
Jobs and employment pathways .................................................................................................................... 29
Employment Pathway Creation ..................................................................................................................... 30
Business and financial plans ........................................................................................................................... 30
Strategic organisational development goals ............................................................................................ 31
Key Assumptions .................................................................................................................................................. 31
Opportunities......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Key Partnerships .................................................................................................................................................. 32
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Governance .............................................................................................................................................................. 33
Board/Management Team Profiles .............................................................................................................. 34
Risk and regulation ................................................................................................................................................ 34
Outcomes and workplace support ................................................................................................................... 35
FAQs ................................................................................................................ 36
What is a social enterprise? .................................................................................................................................... 36
Can I count an existing job, either within or outside my organisation, if it gets filled with someone
from one of the target groups? ............................................................................................................................. 36
Can I apply if my organisation has previously received a grant from Westpac Foundation? ............ 36
Can I apply if my organisation was previously declined for a grant from Westpac Foundation? .... 36
If I am not successful in this round, can I apply in future rounds? ............................................................. 36
Can I make a ‘late submission’? ............................................................................................................................. 36
How do I troubleshoot issues I am experiencing with Smartygrants? ...................................................... 36
Version Information ......................................................................................... 38
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The Social Scale-up Grant Our Social Scale-up Grants are awarded to organisations that have a proven model for creating jobs
and employment pathways for Australians experiencing disadvantage.
This grant provides funding to help scale up the social impact of your business.
Successful recipients will receive up to $300,000 over three years, as well as non-financial support
such as business mentoring to help improve the sustainability of their organisation.
Who should apply? We aim to award Social Scale-up Grants to:
not-for-profit organisations
that have a proven model for creating jobs and employment pathways for Australians
experiencing disadvantage,
need funding to help grow their business and social impact.
In particular, we are seeking to support those organisations making a measurable difference to:
Indigenous Australians; refugees; women at risk; youth at risk*; people living with disability; or
homeless populations.
Eligibility criteria To be eligible, your organisation:
1. Has Deductible Gift Recipient status (DGR) Item 1 status (if you are unsure, enter your
organisation's details in the ATO ABN lookup website), or is auspiced by an organisation that
has it.
2. Provides jobs and / or employment pathways to one or more of the following groups
experiencing disadvantage within Australia: Indigenous Australians, refugees, women at risk,
youth at risk*, people living with disability or homeless populations.
3. Is registered and operating within Australia.
*Youth at risk refers to children/teenagers over 12 years old. If your target group is children 0-12
years, please refer to the St George Foundation.
If you are not eligible, consider these alternative sources of funding:
Other grant providers; Philanthropy Australia and Our Community are useful resources. Use
them to identify potential grant providers.
Borrowing
Crowdfunding
Venture philanthropy
Attracting Investment
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Introduction
How to prepare a strong grant submission This document has been created to help you to create a strong grant submission for the Westpac
Foundation Social Scale-up Grant. Our intent is to provide you with some insight into how the grant
application process works and what we’re looking for in a strong submission.
We review over one hundred grant applications a year. Consider that each submission is read by at
least two people, over a week-long review period. That’s about 20 submissions a day. While we are
careful and diligent, we want to select the strongest submissions. Anything you can do to make your
submission credible, easy to read and understand will improve your chances of success.
We value your time. Preparing a submission is an investment. The first stage is the Expression of
Interest Stage. For this stage alone, we estimate it will take you approximately;
1-2 days to gather the required materials
1-2 days to discuss, check and refine the materials with your colleagues
You may need additional time to get approval from your management, board or other
stakeholders.
2-3 hours to fill in the form
And if your submission makes it the next stage, you will need to budget a similar amount of
time for the subsequent Application Stage.
We want you to submit the strongest possible submission.
How to use this document Take some time to read through the document. Pay special attention to our eligibility criteria and
funding principles. Unfortunately we receive many applications that don’t meet our eligibility
criteria and we simply can’t progress them.
If you decide to make a submission, use this document to guide you through the process. It is
important that you adhere to the deadlines set out in this document. We do not accept late
submissions.
Familiarise yourself with the key concepts and definitions, as well as the section ‘What we look for
in a strong submission’.
Once you are ready and have assembled all the relevant information, consider how you will answer
the questions for the appropriate step in the process. We have provided ALL the questions from our
application forms with guidelines on what we’re looking for and how to structure your answers, as
well as some hints and tips to consider whilst planning your submission.
Please note that this document is for reference only. Submissions will only be accepted by via our
online system.
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If you have questions or queries after reading these guidelines Check our website
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1300 851 357
Mail: Westpac Foundation, Westpac Place, Level 20, 275 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000
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Our funding principles Our Social Scale-up Grants are for not-for-profit organisations that have a proven model for creating
jobs and employment pathways for Australians experiencing disadvantage.
In the last ten years we have developed a deep understanding of the numerous challenges that
social enterprises face including; procurement, staffing, governance, social finance, public policy,
scaling and measuring social impact.
We aim to fund not-for-profit organisations that can demonstrate:
A proven model for creating jobs and employment pathways for Australians experiencing
disadvantage; we look for evidence of demand for the jobs and/or employment pathways
that the business creates. We also look for a well-developed workplace support model that
responds to the specific needs of people within the target groups
A proven, viable and sustainable business model
An approach that is uniquely positioned to address the social need or problem. e.g. does it
fill a gap or is it better than a solution that's already available to the target group?
A strong management team with relevant experience in both the core social need or
problem and relevant commercial experience in the industry in which the organisation is
trading
A strong commitment to longitudinal measurement of the organisation's social impact
A need for funding to help grow their business and social impact
Please note that we will NOT consider applications froms, or provide funding to:
Organisations that do not have a Deductible Gift Recipient Item 1 status with the ATO, or are
not auspiced by such an organisation
Charities that work overseas
Hospitals, hospices or medical centres
Medical research, funding for medical equipment or medical treatments
Rescue services
Schools, colleges and universities
Sponsorship or funding towards a marketing appeal/event or fundraising activities
Capital projects, major equipment, appeals and refurbishments
Projects that support animals or to promote animal welfare
Programs promoting religion
Sporting equipment and clubs that do not focus on our target groups
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Examples of funding purposes of our grants include:
Funding wages for a social support role e.g. Trainee Support Manager
Funding Support and Well-being programs to address the workplace needs of disadvantaged
employees
Funding key roles such as a General manager, Human Resources manager or Marketing
manager, to ensure long term financial sustainability
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Key Stages and Dates in the Social Scale-up Journey
Expression of Interest Stage 1st - 28th February
5th February: Grants Introductory and Overview
Webinar
10th February: Managing Business Risks Webinar
17th February: Presenting Financials Webinar
Application Stage (by invitation) 21st March - 26th April
1st April: Teleconference on Submitting A Strong Application
26th April: Application Stage Closes
Clarify Details of Application 30th May - 20th June
30th May - 10th June: Clarifications of application details
20th June: Finalists Advised (closed group announcement)
Site Visits, Final Decisions And Agree Financial and Non-Financial Support Plans 25th June - 9th September
25th June - 29th July: Due diligence and site visits completed
29th August: Approval by Westpac Foundation board
9th September: Final Decision and Grant Recipients Announced
Begin Social Scale-up Program 3rd October
Payment of funds as per funding agreement
Regular checkpoints with Westpac Foundation Advisor and
Business Mentor
Ongoing support from Business Mentor and Skilled Volunteers
OR Receive Non-Financial Development Support
Business mentoring Access to skilled volunteer(s) Advocacy or other forms of
support as appropriate
Post-Program Exit program if:
Extend program for 3 years + up
to $300,000 (by invitation only)
Invitation to enter annual
Employee Choice grant
promotion
Extend and diversify business
mentor and skilled volunteering
relationships
Business becomes financially
sustainable
Mission drift or strategic
misalignment
Relationship becomes poor
Business is wound down or fails
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Definitions
The Business Entity/The Business Throughout this document and our application forms, 'the business entity' or 'the business' means;
The business entity that this submission relates to, i.e. the business entity registered with
the Australian Business Register, that will receive payment of funds either directly or under
the auspices of another organisation and that carries out the business activities leading to
the creation of jobs and/or employment pathways for people within our target groups.
The business entity may also provide targeted support required by people within our target
groups during induction to, participation in, and transition from the entity.
Jobs We have a strong focus on supporting businesses that create jobs or employment pathways for
people in our target groups.
While we define a job as paid employment at a rate equal to or greater than the minimum award
wage, we acknowledge that jobs created through self-employment may not be at the minimum
award wage.
We also acknowledge that a ‘job’ can be created through employment on a permanent full-time,
part-time, contract or casual basis.
If you proceed to the Application Stage, we may ask for clarification on the specifics of the types of
employment created, if we feel that it is useful to understand this in the context of evaluating your
application.
Employment pathways We define an employment pathway as an outcome intended to lead to meaningful and sustainable
employment for people in at least one of the target groups.
An employment pathway can be at least one of the following for people in our target group(s):
improved core employability skills; obtained work experience; and/or obtained a qualification.
The target group(s) 'The target group(s)' means people from at least one of the following groups, experiencing
disadvantage within Australia;
Indigenous Australians
Refugees
Women at risk
Youth at risk
People living with disability
Homeless populations
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What we look for in a strong submission 1. Real jobs for Australians experiencing disadvantage
2. A proven social support model
3. A proven commercial model for the business
4. A strong management team
1. Real jobs for Australians experiencing disadvantage The Westpac Foundation’s strategy is to open doors and help communities to prosper and grow through social and financial inclusion and to increase meaningful pathways to employment and increase the effectiveness and sustainability of the organisations we support to achieve social impact. In Australia, more than 2.55 million Australians (14% of the population) are experiencing disadvantage and the number of Australians experiencing long term unemployment has hit a 16 year high. The wellbeing cost of long term unemployment reached a record $3.9 billion this year with the major economic cost being skills atrophy and those out of work more likely to become socially isolated and suffer illness. Since 2006, Westpac Foundation has been a leader in supporting a range of innovative not-for-profit social enterprises that exist to employ Australians experiencing disadvantage in business, helping people who are often considered to be ‘unemployable’, to become employed. A survey from 16 Social Enterprises supported by the Westpac Foundation confirmed that through our grants, we have helped to create 1,932 pathways to employment and 389 jobs (Westpac 2015). We look for evidence that real jobs and employment pathways will be created for people within one
or more of the following groups experiencing disadvantage within Australia: Indigenous Australians,
refugees, women at risk, youth at risk*, people living with disability or homeless populations. *Youth
at risk refers to children/teenagers over 12 years old. If your target group is children 0-12 years,
please refer to the St George Foundation.
We also want to see that there is a sustainable employment market for the people that receive training, obtain a qualification or gain employment experience within or outside the business entity. While it is desirable to see growth in the projected number of jobs and employment pathways, we will look for evidence that this growth is underpinned by a viable employment market, i.e. that there is sufficient demand for people with the skills and experience gained.
2. A proven social support model Compared to conventional businesses, employment-generating social enterprises often have larger
human resources costs, arising from the realities of supporting disadvantaged employees. However,
this workplace support is vital to achieving the mission. In reality, it is not enough to simply create a
training program and offer a job to someone who has experienced significant disadvantage.
We look for:
Formal, documented policies and procedures describing the support provided to people in
the target groups in their journey from their first interactions with the business entity
through to their (assumed) eventual transition into the wider workforce or ongoing
employment within the entity or via self-employment.
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Evidence that this social support model has been tried and tested and ideally, is continually
improved.
3. A proven commercial model If the business cannot generate enough money from the sale of goods or services, to fund the social
support model, the social impact will not be sustainable.
Ideally, the commercial activities of the business should fund the social support model, leaving
surplus to re-invest in growing the business and the social impact.
We acknowledge that it is not always possible.
However, we look for evidence that the business has a viable plan to eliminate or reduce
dependency on funds from:
Government grants
Donations
Fundraising or philanthropic funding
We want to see:
Evidence that there is a sustainable market for the goods and services the business provides.
It’s important to explain who the customers of the business are and how you know that they
will repeatedly buy the goods and services offered.
Evidence of differentiation between competing providers of goods and services. What’s
distinctive about your offering, in the eyes of your customers – so distinctive that they will
come to you not just once, but on a repeat basis?
Realistic plans for growth and long term development. In the likely event that another
competitor enters the market, how would the business respond to ensure at least it’s
survival in the longer term?
Commitment to measuring social impact
4. Management team Business is a team effort. We look for a strong management team, comprising of people who have
relevant experience and expertise in:
The commercial industry the business operates within
The social issue and the needs of the target group(s)
We want to see that these people:
Actively direct the business
Play a vital role in execution
Leverage their networks to grow and develop the business
Have experienced and overcome challenges that are directly relevant to the current
situation and future of the business.
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Strong submissions should also consider:
Measuring the differences you make in the community In addition to mutually agreed measures that are deemed relevant and appropriate, we compare the
differences in the following measures before and after the grant:
1. Gross annual income derived from the sale of goods or services as a percentage of total
revenue (excluding funds received from government grants, donations, fundraising or
philanthropic funding).
2. Number of jobs created.
3. Number of employment pathways created.
We will ask you for this information throughout the Application process. Should you receive a grant,
we will meet with you on an ongoing basis, to track progress against these measures. Our intent in
doing this is to help you to develop a strong case for your business and your social impact going
forward. We are also here to support you in scaling your organisation’s social impact. Agreeing and
checking process against mutually agreeable metrics helps us to work with you to identify
opportunities to develop and grow your business, as well as to develop approaches to manage risks
and overcome issues or barriers to achieving your goals.
Realistic plans and projections We prefer a ‘worst-case’, rather than a ‘best-case’ projection. Please avoid the temptation to
impress us with a ‘best-case’ or overly-optimistic projection for growth (in any aspect of the
business). Doing so, will create misplaced expectations and sets everyone up for failure.
Including some ‘worst-case’, or ‘what-if’ scenario analysis in your business plan demonstrates that
you have thought about some of the potential risks. This better enables you to avoid them or at least
minimise the consequences should they eventuate. It also increases our confidence in your business
plan.
Investing in a long-term relationship We value your mission and commitment. We have purposefully developed this grant as a long-term
commitment (potentially up to six years) because we understand that developing a thriving social
enterprise is a significant undertaking.
Please consider the time taken to complete our Expression of Interest form as an investment in a
long-term relationship. If you are invited to progress into the Application Stage, your answers to
further questions and clarifications are also part of this investment.
We also ask you to be frank and open with us about the risks, obstacles and challenges that your
business faces – our intent in providing this grant is to help you to overcome them by leveraging the
financial AND non-financial support awardable. We cannot help you with your challenges if we do
not know about them.
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Plain English please Your application will be reviewed by several people. If they believe in it strongly enough to take it
forward, they will have to explain it to others. The easier that it is to understand and share, the more
likely this is to happen.
Please bear in mind that we are not necessarily experts in your industry and we may not as deeply
understand the working specifics of the issues that you are tackling or the organisations with whom
you partner.
Assume that we do not know what acronyms and abbreviations mean – it is better to spell them out
and avoid any industry/sector specific jargon.
Pay particular attention to your ‘elevator pitch’. Ask yourself, ‘could the person reading this, play it
back to someone else and have the same understanding?’ If you’re not sure, test it out with others.
Have them read it and ask them to play back to you what it means.
Keep it brief and focused Word counts apply to most of the free text questions in our forms. Please pay attention to these
when you draft your answer. As a rule of thumb, a shorter clear answer is better than a detailed and
potentially off-topic answer.
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How we review your submission Your submission will be reviewed by a team. They will review it independently and provide an initial
‘score’. The answers in your submission will be assessed against the following criteria:
Clarity; is the answer clear, concise, distinctive and memorable after reading?
Relevance; is the answer relevant, distinctive and demonstrating a leading or innovative
position or perspective?
Alignment; does the answer meet our eligibility criteria and is aligned to our strategic
mission?
Credibility; is supporting evidence or research cited and consolidated with direct experience,
expertise and/or insight?
Compelling; does the answer present a well justified position and contribute to the overall
strength of the case for taking this submission forward? Does the answer present a strong
position, tempered with a realistic assessment of the current and future situation?
The team then meets to discuss and compare notes, eventually arriving at an agreed selection to
take forward to the next stage in the process, potentially with some further questions or
clarifications. In making the selection, we consider each individual submission and its overall fit
within our grant portfolio.
Hints and tips before completing the form
Draft your answers in our Word template first
We strongly recommend that you prepare the content of your submission in our MS Word template.
This will simplify the process of drafting, checking and finalising your submission. It will also make it
easier to collaborate with colleagues or to get approval from your board, management, partners etc.
How much time will this take?
Although information we ask for should be readily available within your organisation, it's important
to have a realistic plan to allow enough time to collate, draft, review and finalise. Allow at least 2-3
hours to complete the online form with an internet connection. It may well take less time than that,
if you are well prepared but it is best to avoid rushing. Refer to section ‘How to prepare a strong
grant submission’.
Using the SmartyGrants system to complete your submission You will need to complete an online form, using the SmartyGrants system. Using SmartyGrants
means that:
You can save your progress and return to complete your application at a later time or date
Your application is stored online, therefore there is nothing for you to save to your own
computer
You can be certain that we have received your application when you submit it.
If you have not used SmartyGrants before, it is worthwhile to take the time to familiarise yourself
with the SmartyGrants Help Guide For Applicants. This guide will explain the essential steps you
need to take to complete and submit your form.
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The Expression of Interest Stage
Purpose
The purpose of the Expression of Interest Stage is to enable you to make the best possible case for
progressing into the next stage in the journey; the Application Stage.
The intent is to gauge the potential for establishing a long-term funding relationship, without
imposing detailed and comprehensive due diligence.
Key steps
1. Expressions of Interest are submitted online.
2. Westpac Foundation assesses all submissions.
3. You will be notified by email as to whether your submission has been selected (or not) to
progress to the Application Stage.
Please refer to the Key Stages and Dates diagram for dates of these key steps.
Files that you will need for upload
For the Expression of Interest Stage, you will need the following documents and files;
The current ABN and DGR information from the Australian Business register for the business
entity that this expression of interest relates to.
o If you are applying under the auspices of an organisation with Deductible Gift
Recipient (DGR) Item 1 status, you will need the same information for that
organisation. You will also need evidence of the auspicing agreement, with contact
details for a person in that organisation.
Links to LinkedIn profiles for the management team
OPTIONAL: A link to an existing video that describes what your business does and why it's
important.
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The Expression of Interest form questions and tips This section presents the questions asked in the Expression of Interest form with hints and tips on
providing strong answers.
For definitions of key terms which appear in the following questions, please refer to ‘Definitions’.
Eligibility
Deductible Gift Recipient status
1. Does the business entity that this expression of interest relates to have Deductible Gift
Recipient (DGR) Item 1 Status or, if it does not, is it auspiced by an organisation with DGR
status?
2. Enter the ABN for the business entity that this expression of interest relates to OR the
auspicing organisation (whichever has DHR Item 1 Status).
Tip: Attach EITHER the current ABN and DGR information from the Australian Business Register for
the business entity that this expression of interest relates to, OR evidence of an Auspice agreement.
The auspice agreement must include the ABN and DGR information for the auspicing organisation
AND a key contact person with current contact details (for verification).
The Business Entity
3. Is the business entity that this expression of interest relates to registered and operating in
Australia?
Tip: Check our eligibility criteria; the business entity must be registered and operating within
Australia.
Target groups experiencing disadvantage in Australia
4. Who is the main target group of the business entity?
Tip: Check our eligibility criteria. The business entity must provide jobs and / or employment
pathways to one or more of the following groups experiencing disadvantage within Australia:
Indigenous Australians, refugees, women at risk, youth at risk*, people living with disability or
homeless populations.
5. What other target groups are supported by the business entity?
Tip: Check our eligibility criteria. The business entity must provide jobs and / or employment
pathways to one or more of the following groups experiencing disadvantage within Australia:
Indigenous Australians, refugees, women at risk, youth at risk*, people living with disability or
homeless populations.
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Job creation
We have a strong focus on supporting businesses that create jobs or employment pathways for
people in our target groups.
6. Does the business entity create jobs for people from at least one of the target groups?
a) Via direct employment within the business?
b) Via placements with external organisations, i.e. into another entity?
c) Via self-employment?
d) Other? Must be no more than 150 characters.
Employment pathways
7. Does the business entity create employment pathways for people from at least one of the
target groups?
a) In the form of transferable core employability skills?
b) In the form of work experience?
c) In the form of a qualification?
d) Other? Must be no more than 150 characters.
Tip: Core employability skills are transferrable. Examples include:
Self-management
Planning and Organising
Problem solving
Literacy and numeracy
Communication
Teamwork
Workplace-related expectations and
behaviours
Health and safety
Technology
Learning
Initiative and Enterprise
Financial information
For the business entity
8. What is the forecast gross annual income for the current financial year (FY 15/16)?
Tip: INCLUDE funds from government grants, donations, fundraising or philanthropic funding AND
the sale of goods and services.
9. What is the forecast gross annual income derived from the sale of goods or services for the
current financial year (FY 15/16)?
Tip: DO NOT INCLUDE funds from government grants, donations, fundraising or philanthropic
funding.
10. What is the forecasted gross income at the end of the financial year 2018/19?
Tip: INCLUDE funds from government grants, donations, fundraising or philanthropic funding AND
the sale of goods and services.
11. What is the forecasted gross income that will come from the sale of goods or services at
the end of the financial year 2018/19?
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Tip: DO NOT INCLUDE funds from government grants, donations, fundraising or philanthropic
funding.
Applicant Details
12. Primary contact details of Applicant (First name, Last name, Role, Email, Phone number,
Mobile number).
Tip: Provide contact details for the person who would most likely own the day-to-day relationship
with the Westpac Foundation, should your organisation receive a grant. We ask for this information,
should we need to clarify or discuss your submission. We work to firm deadlines and do not accept
late submissions. Therefore, it is important that this person is well-versed in the contents of the
submission and they can quickly respond to clarifications and questions.
13. What is the registered legal name of the business entity?
Tip: Exactly as it appears on your ABN – refer to the Australian Business Register.
14. What is the trading name of the business entity? (+ Business address, phone, email,
website, business industry/type)
Tip: If your organisation is more commonly known by a trading name, please check that it is
registered with the Australian Business Register.
Tip: Please select the business / industry type that best fits the industry your business operates
within.
Regional focus
15. Where does the business entity operate from? Must be no more than 150 characters.
16. Where does the business entity provide its goods or services? Must be no more than 150
characters.
Tip: This question is about the commercial reach of the business. We want to understand where you
currently provide your goods and services.
Tip: Please do not feel obliged to ‘overstate’ the reach of your business. We are not judging your
distribution. We just want to understand it.
17. What region(s) does the business target, with respect to the people in our target groups?
Must be no more than 150 characters.
Tip: These questions are about the regional focus with respect to the jobs or employment pathways
that your business provides.
Tip: Please do not feel obliged to ‘overstate’ the answer. We are not judging the reach of your social
impact.
18. Do you intend to scale beyond this? (Yes or No)
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19. If so, outline where you intend to expand to, including target dates for expansion? Must
be no more than 150 characters.
Tip: Please do not ‘overstate’ the answer. We prefer conservative estimates, rather than targets that
set everybody up for misplaced expectations and failure.
Tip: While we are ambitious in our vision, we believe that it is more important to deliver sustainable
focus in say one region, rather than to attempt to scale at a rate that would put the entire business
and therefore the social impact, at risk.
Parent organisation
20. Is the business entity that this expression of interest relates to, a subsidiary or offshoot of
an established organisation? (Yes or No)
21. If yes, what is the name of the parent organisation?
Tip: Exactly as it appears on the ABN – refer to the Australian Business Register.
The Business
The Elevator Pitch
22. If you had to explain to someone, in 30 seconds, what the business entity does and why
that's important; what would you say? Must be no longer than 250 words.
Tips:
Ask yourself, ‘could the person reading this, play it back to someone else and have the same
understanding?’ If you’re not sure, test it with others. Have them read it and ask them to
play back to you what it means.
Be matter of fact and answer these questions quickly and concisely:
o What does your business do (what goods / services does it provide)?
o Who is the target customer?
o For whom does your business create jobs and employment pathways?
o What kinds of jobs / employment pathways does it create?
o Why is the business important to your customers, the people in the target groups
and the broader community?
Be brief; better to leave us wanting more than to attempt to describe the minutae and
subtleties of your business. If we are hooked by your elevator pitch, we will WANT to read
more to uncover that.
23. If you have an existing video that you feel showcases the purpose and activities of the
business entity, please provide a link.
Tip: This is OPTIONAL. If you have something that adds to your elevator pitch or brings it to life,
please include it but if it’s not directly relevant or useful in explaining what your business does and
what’s unique about it, please don’t.
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24. Briefly describe the market testing or validation activities and outcomes that demonstrate
the commercial viability of the business? Must be no more than 250 words.
Tip: We’re looking for:
Evidence that there is a sufficient market for the goods and services your company provides.
Not just once but on a repeat basis.
Evidence that what you’re offering is unique, valuable and desirable in the eyes of your
customer(s).
We want to see that you have gathered this evidence through direct interaction with your
customer base. Please describe your key sources of evidence including information gathered
directly from customer interviews, surveys, sales and service and /or secondary sources such
as broad market data, competitor analysis, etc.
25. How does the business entity create jobs and/or employment pathways for people in our
target group(s)? Must be no longer than 250 words.
Tip: We’re looking for a brief description of:
The kinds of jobs and / or employment pathways created?
Whether they are directly within your business or via outplacement?
The nature of the employment; full-time, part-time, contract etc.?
Are the jobs skilled or unskilled?
26. Briefly describe any market testing or validation activities and outcomes that demonstrate
ongoing demand for the jobs and / or employment pathways the business creates? Must
be no more than 250 words.
Tip: We’re looking for:
Evidence that there is a sustainable employment market for the people who gain work
experience or employment skills – whether directly within your business or via external
placement(s).
Evidence that they are competitive candidates in the job market.
Please describe your key sources of evidence.
The social need or problem
27. Describe the social need or problem that the business entity addresses. Must be no more
than 250 words.
Tip: Please describe, as simply, clearly and briefly as possible, what the social need is that the
business addresses. What is the social problem that your business seeks to solve – for the people in
our target groups and within the wider community (assuming there are broader impacts)?
28. What is the scale and urgency of the social need or problem? Please provide references to
relevant supporting research or information sources in your answer to this question. Must
be no more than 250 words.
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Tips:
We want to understand why it’s important to address the particular social need or problem
that your business has adopted as a focus.
We’re looking for evidence that describes why it’s a pressing issue.
29. How is the approach adopted by the business entity uniquely positioned to address the
social need or problem? e.g. does it fill a gap or is it a better solution than one that's
already available to people in the target group? Must be more than 250 words.
Tip: We want to understand:
If there is an alternative solution (or not).
If not, perhaps why not? Why has no-body else attempted to resolve this problem before, or
if they have, what did they try and why is your approach more likely to succeed?
If there is an alternative, by what measure does your approach favourably compare and
what evidence do you have to validate that it is a good comparison point or benchmark?
Tip: We want to support businesses that contribute to, rather than compete with a bigger overall
(and ideally, orchestrated) effort to resolve complex social problems. To that end, we want to see
either evidence that there are no other alternative solutions to the problem, or where they exist,
that your business fits into and complements a broader ecosystem.
Tip: It’s important that you can briefly explain the alternative solutions and where your approach fits
in.
30. Nothing is perfect. What weaknesses or threats to the business entity have been identified
and what actions have been taken to address them? Must be more than 250 words.
Tips:
We want to see that you’re aware of potential weaknesses and threats to your business, and
ideally, some thoughts on how to overcome them.
If we can see obstacles to your idea that you don’t seem to have considered, our confidence
in your submission is reduced.
It is better to disclose weaknesses or threats than to try to conceal them.
About the Grant
31. Why does the business entity need this grant? Be as specific as possible. e.g. If it is used to
hire someone, what will they do and why are they needed? If it is used to support people
in the target group, what kind of support and why is it needed? Must be no more than 250
words.
Tips:
In the first five to ten years of trading, social enterprises often struggle to secure funding and
capital required to cover the costs associated with necessary social support programs for
their clients/employees.
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We want to understand how the funds will be used to address this challenge and/or
contribute to the journey towards financially sustainability, break-even point and possible
investment-readiness.
32. What will the grant fund? Refer to our guidelines before you answer this question. Must
be no more than 250 words.
Tips:
We don’t want you to waste your time preparing a submission that has no chance of going
forward. Please check our funding principles and ensure that your submission is aligned to
them.
Help us to understand why your submission is aligned to our funding principles.
33. What will happen if you don't receive this grant? Must be no more than 250 words.
Tip: We want to support businesses that pro-actively strive to achieve financial self-sustainability to
grow their business and social impact. We do not want to create a dependency on our grant. We
want to understand that receiving this grant will help to bring your plans forward, rather than be a
critical element in your plan.
Social impact measurement
34. What methodology is in place to measure the impact on the lives of people in the target
groups, as a result of their interaction with the business entity? Must be no more than 250
words.
Tip: We want to see a robust methodology that captures the difference that your business makes to
people in our target group: (In answering this question, it’s important to describe how you
developed the methodology).
What is measured?
How is it measured?
When is it measured?
Who does the work of measuring and reporting?
How much data have you collected (i.e. for how long, how many data points, etc.)
35. What is the purpose of capturing these social impact measures? Must be no more than 250
words.
Tip: We want to understand why you capture the impact measures outlined above; who uses them
and to what end? How are they used?
The people in the business
Paid staff
36. How many paid staff work in the business entity?
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Tip: This is the total number of people – which may be different to the number or ‘roles’ that work in
the organisation as employees. e.g. if 2 people work in a job-share arrangement, count 2 people, as
opposed to 1 role.
Volunteer staff
37. How many volunteers work in the business entity?
Tips:
This is the total number of people who work on a voluntary basis, which may be different to
the number or ‘roles’ that work in voluntary roles. e.g. if 2 people volunteer in a job-share
arrangement, count 2 people, as opposed to 1 role.
A volunteer who receives reimbursement for expenses such as travel or similar, is
considered to be a volunteer.
38. How important are the volunteers to the viability and sustainability of the business entity?
Must be no more than 150 words.
Tips:
We want to understand if the volunteers are critical to the function and sustainability of the
commercial activities, social support model or activities or any other function of the
business.
It may be the case that volunteers play a critical role – however, dependency on volunteers
to execute critical functions may be unsustainable. If there is a dependency on volunteers to
execute a critical task or function, then please provide details on how continuity and
sustainability of key activities, to desired levels of quality is maintained.
Management team
39. Does at least one person in the management team have relevant experience in addressing
the core social need or problem, that this business entity sets out to address, within the
target group(s)? (Please provide their name, role and URL/Link to their LinkedIn Profile).
40. Is this person a volunteer or are they paid? A volunteer who receives reimbursement for
expenses such as travel or similar, is considered to be a volunteer.
41. Briefly describe 2-3 relevant social need challenges this person has faced, with the target
group(s): what was the core social need or issue, who was the target group that
experienced this issue, what was this person's response and what were the outcomes?
Must be no more than 250 words.
Tips:
Refer to ‘Management team’, within the ‘What we look for in a strong submission’.
You can add as many people as you feel relevant and that will support your submission.
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42. Does at least one person in the organisation have industry experience that is directly
relevant to the business entity that this expression of interest relates to? (Please provide
their name, role and URL/Link to their LinkedIn Profile).
43. Is this person a volunteer or are they paid? A volunteer who receives reimbursement for
expenses such as travel or similar, is considered to be a volunteer.
44. Briefly describe 2-3 relevant challenging business situations or scenarios that this person
has faced; what was the core business problem, how did this person respond and what
were the outcomes? Must be no more than 250 words.
Tips:
Refer to ‘Management team’, within the ‘What we look for in a strong submission’.
You can add as many people as you feel relevant and that will support your submission.
I’ve submitted my Expression of Interest form – what next? You will be notified by email as to whether your submission has been selected (or not) to progress to
the Application Stage. Please refer to ‘Key Stages and Dates’.
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The Application Stage (by invitation only) For successful Expression of Interest submissions.
Purpose The purpose of the Application Stage is to enable you to present a detailed understanding of your
business plans and operating context; the challenges and opportunities facing your business.
The intent is to determine the opportunities for collaboration and the best, mutually agreeable
financial and non-financial arrangement that can be developed to deliver our desired social impact.
Key steps in the Application Stage
1. Application Stage
Pending the outcome of the Expression of Interest Stage, formal applications are requested on an
invitation-only basis as part of a shortlisted group of applicants.
You will have approximately 3-4 weeks to complete and submit the application online in Application
Stage. There are strict closing dates for applications which can be found in our Key Stages and Dates
diagram.
We have a limited intake. Invitation into the Application Stage does not imply that a grant will be
provided. In some situations, we may offer non-financial support to help you to develop in specific,
agreed focus areas. This will be proposed and agreed on a per-case basis and may include:
Support in participating in targeted skills / business development programs.
The opportunity to work with business mentors and / or domain experts on a pro-bono
basis.
Introductions / referrals to our helpful people or organisations within our network with a
view to providing further support.
Business Mentor Matching
We will match you with a business mentor; a Westpac Group Employee with a breadth and depth of
business experience, who can act as a sounding board and advisor in helping you to develop your
submission and broader business plans. We work with our mentors to ensure that they have some
understanding of social enterprise; some may have direct experience in working with social
enterprises, not-for-profit groups or intermediaries. We will also check in with you, to determine the
health of the mentoring relationship and if appropriate, to take steps to ensure that it is a productive
and mutually beneficial arrangement.
Skilled volunteering
In some cases, we may also offer the opportunity to work with skilled volunteers with specialist skills
or expertise beneficial to your business, E.g. Legal, risk, finance, marketing, design or human
resources.
2. Clarify Details of Application
Further discussion and clarifications are likely, following our review of your application. At the end of
this stage, we will advise finalists that they will proceed to the next step in the process.
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3. Site Visits, Final Decisions and Agree Financial and Non-financial Support
Site visits may then be required to help us to better understand your organisation and to agree on
the best financial and non-financial package of support.
Finalists will be presented for consideration to the Westpac Foundation Board of Trustees. The
Board meets four times a year. You will be notified of the decision at the earliest opportunity,
following the meeting.
Files that you will need for upload with your Application Form You will need the following files:
The current financial position, including a Profit & Loss statement, a Balance Sheet and
detailed monthly cash flows for the most recent period. All financial information should be
in Microsoft Excel (or Microsoft Excel compatible file format).
A copy of the latest Annual Report for the business entity (if one is available).
A document with profiles of the current Board members (if a Board exists).
Employee support policy document.
Risk management document.
Additional information required to complete the application form You will also need:
Information about the number of jobs and/or employment pathways created by the
business to date.
Forecast estimates for the number of jobs and/or employment pathways the business will
create in the next 3, 5 and 10 year horizon.
A current 3-5 year business plan, with supporting financials, including monthly cash flow
projections.
I’ve submitted my form – what next? You will be notified by email as to whether your submission has been selected (or not) to progress to
the final stage.
Please refer to the Key Stages and Dates diagram for these dates.
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The Application Stage form questions and tips This section presents all the questions asked in the Application form, with hints on tips on providing
strong answers.
Mission, vision and history
Vision and Mission
1. What is the mission of the business entity? Why does it exist, what does it do, for whom,
how and where? Must be no more than 150 words.
2. What is the vision for the business entity? What desired end state does the entity work
towards achieving? Must be no more than 150 words.
Outcomes Delivered to Date
3. Describe the top 3 social outcomes delivered by the business entity within the previous
12-24 months. Must be no more than 250 words.
4. Describe the top 3 commercial outcomes delivered by business entity within the previous
12-24 months. Must be no more than 250 words.
Jobs and employment pathways
Job Creation
We want to capture a snapshot of jobs created to date and an understanding of the estimated
growth in job creation.
Jobs Created to Date
5. How many jobs has the business entity created for people from at least one of the target
groups, to date?
a. Via direct employment within the business?
b. Via placements with external organisations, i.e. into another entity?
c. Via self-employment?
d. Other?
Tip: We want to help create sustainable jobs. Realistic and conservative estimates carry more weight
than overly-optimistic and potentially unachievable targets that set everyone up for failure.
Estimated Growth in Job Creation
6.
How many jobs does the business entity estimate will be created for people from at least one of the target groups?
By end of July 2019 (Cumulative 3 year total)
By end of July 2021 (Cumulative 5 year total)
By end of July 2026 (Cumulative 10 year total)
Via direct employment within the business
Via placement with external organisations
Via self-employment
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Other
Total: Total: Total:
Employment Pathway Creation
We want to capture a snapshot of employment pathways created to date and an understanding of
the planned growth in employment pathway creation. An employment pathway can be at least one
of the following: improved core employability skills; obtained work experience; and/or obtained a
qualification.
Employment Pathways Created to Date
7. How many employment pathways has the business entity created for people from at least
one of the target groups, to date?
a. Improved core employability skills?
b. Via placements with external organisations? i.e. into another entity
c. Obtained work experience?
d. Obtained a qualification?
Tip: We want to help create sustainable jobs. Realistic and conservative estimates carry more weight
than overly-optimistic and potentially unachievable targets that set everyone up for failure.
Estimated Growth in Employment Pathway Creation
8.
How many employment pathways does the business entity plan to create for people from at least one of the target groups?
By end of July 2019 (Cumulative 3 year total)
By end of July 2021 (Cumulative 5 year total)
By end of July 2026 (Cumulative 10 year total)
Improved core employability skills
Via placement with external organisations
Obtained work experience
Obtained a qualification
Total: Total: Total:
Business and financial plans
Business Plan
9. Attach the current 3-5 year business plan, with supporting financial plans.
Tips:
Clearly highlight, as separate line items, income from government grants, donations,
fundraising or philanthropic funding, investments or other non-trading income.
Include a detailed market and competitor analysis, highlighting the unique strategic
advantages that your business has over key competitors.
Include notes and assumptions on your business plan, especially with respect to financials.
Highlight operating or other costs specifically arising from support provided to people from
the target groups.
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Financial Position
10. Attach the current financial position for the business entity.
Tips:
This should include Profit & Loss statement, a Balance Sheet, and detailed monthly cash
flows for the most recent period.
Clearly highlight, as separate line items, income from government grants, donations,
fundraising or philanthropic funding, investments or other non-trading income.
Highlight operating or other costs specifically arising from support provided to people from
the target groups.
Include notes to your financial documentation, to support understanding of the
documentation.
Please provide CONSERVATIVE financial estimates. We would rather see realistic, achievable
projections than an optimistic plan that sets everyone up for failure.
11. Please attach a copy of your latest Annual Report (if one is available).
12. Are your organisation’s financial reports audited? (Yes or No)
Strategic organisational development goals
13. Briefly outline any major development goals critical to the longer term success and
sustainability of the commercial and social impact of the business, with estimated
timelines. Examples might include acquisition of equipment or premises, signing critical
contracts/agreements, achieving certification, hiring key people or longer-term
product/service development. Must be no more than 250 words.
Tips:
We want to understand what the business is planning to do, to achieve the outcomes that
are set out in your business plan.
If you believe that this information is already described in either your Annual Report or
business plan documents, you can either copy and paste it into this form field, or simply
reference the relevant sections & page numbers.
Key Assumptions
14. Describe current known assumptions, critical to the success of the business entity. Must be
no more than 500 words.
Tips:
All plans require us to make reasonable assumptions about factors that influence or drive
business growth and performance. Examples include:
o The inflation rate, which determines the year on year rise in operating costs
o A known or likely change in government policy or industry regulation
o Likely new entrants/competitors in the marketplace
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o Changes in the demographic make-up of a region could drive demand for products
and services.
Understanding the assumptions that influence your business plan helps us to understand the
robustness of your planning. This increases our confidence.
15. What actions have been taken to validate them and what were the outcomes? Must be no
more than 500 words.
Tips:
It is reasonable to make assumptions when planning. Demonstrating that some form of
testing has been carried out to determine if the assumptions are realistic and appropriate
for the industry and environment that the business operates within is important.
We want to understand that steps have been taken to ensure that this is the case. If sources
external to the business have been used to validate or test the assumptions, it’s very useful
to know what those sources were.
Opportunities
16. Briefly outline significant opportunities to grow the business and / or the social impact,
describing why the business is well-placed to take action that delivers a benefit. Must be
no more than 500 words.
Tips:
Examples of opportunities that enable growth include:
o Potential significant contracts or sales
o Partnerships that enable the business to grow or operate more efficiently.
o Sponsorship or support from an influential figure or organisation
It’s important that the opportunities are well aligned to the overall mission and vision of the
business, as well as our funding principles.
Key Partnerships
17. Describe any partnerships critical to business operations or growth for the next 3-5 years:
what partnerships are in place and why? Must be no more than 500 words.
Tips:
You may have partnership agreements – formal or otherwise - with several organizations.
Not all of these relationships will be key to the effectiveness or efficiency of your business.
We are interested ONLY in partnerships that are critical to your business.
What advantage or benefit do the partnerships bring with respect to either the commercial
or social impact aspects of the business?
18. What approach is taken to managing key partnerships? Must be no more than 250 words.
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Tips:
We want to understand:
o The nature of key partnership agreements: are they formal or informal, are clear,
documented and legally defined partnership agreements in place?
o Expectation management: how are expectations communicated with your partners
and vice versa?
o Impact on your customers and/or people in our target group(s): how does the
partnership benefit the customer and/or people in our target groups?
o Benefit realisation and measurement: For a partnership to be healthy and
sustainable, there must to be visible gains for all parties. What are the mutual
benefits and how are they tracked?
o Selecting partnerships: how are key partners selected to ensure the best fit and to
avoid waste of resources, or poor outcomes.
Governance
Legal Structure
19. What legal structure does the business entity operate within e.g. Company Limited By
Guarantee, Incorporated Association, PTY LTD or Other? Must be no more than 150 words.
Governance Practices
20. Describe key governance practices or processes that enable good oversight of the overall
growth, development and sustainability of the business entity, whether milestones are
being delivered by the business entity, reputational and operational risk, financial
management. Must be no more than 500 words
Tips:
We’re looking for:
o Clarity of responsibilities and expectations of board members, the CEO and other
key people.
o How the Board sets the vision, purpose and strategies for the business and how the
performance of the business is monitored accordingly.
o The role of the Board and key people in putting in place systems and controls to
manage risk.
o Evidence of key performance indicators for the business, with respect to commercial
and social impact.
o Evidence of any ongoing external stakeholder engagement
o An understanding of forward planning for Board-related activities and support
process for running efficient board meetings, e.g. standing agendas/key decisions.
21. Describe the limits of financial and non-financial authority delegated to the CEO (or
equivalent). What payments can the CEO make and what level of decision(s) and/or
approval(s) can they make without having to seek board approval? Must be no more than
500 words.
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Board/Management Team Profiles
22. Attach a document with profiles of the current board or management team members for
the business entity, with short description of their relevant background and expertise.
Tips:
We want to understand how the backgrounds, skills and experience of the board members
forms a collective capability that’s effective in directing and developing the business.
See also ‘Management team, in the section ‘What we look for in a strong submission,’
Risk and regulation
Key risks and issues
23. Briefly outline likely risks and barriers to achieving intended outcomes as well as plans or
actions to address them. Must be no more than 500 words.
Tips:
Different risks and barriers can affect your enterprise in different ways. Risks are threats, or
likely events, that if could have a negative effect on your commercial or social impact
activities or outcomes. They may: cost money, cause your business to fail or be less
successful or damage your reputation.
Examples include; loss of key customers or key staff, workplace accidents, changes in
economic conditions, legislation or policies or availability of raw materials or resources, loss
of licenses or regulatory approvals.
Having a realistic, diligent approach to identifying risks that are appropriate to your industry
type and operating environment reduces the likelihood of catastrophic outcomes for your
business. This improves the overall resilience and long-term sustainability of the business.
We’re looking for evidence that the most appropriate risks have been identified and that a
plan exists to deal with them should the events unfold.
Industry Regulations
24. What relevant industry regulatory approvals are in place in the business entity? Must be
no more than 250 words.
Tips:
We’re looking for evidence of compliance with respect to appropriate industry regulations,
licensing, codes of conduct or standards applicable to the industry that the business
operates within.
This may also include any relevant standards, regulations or codes of conduct applicable to
the workplace support model for people within our target group(s).
25. Describe any relevant ongoing activities that ensure ongoing compliance with these
regulatory approvals. Must be no more than 500 words.
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Tips:
We’re looking for evidence of due diligence with respect consistently meeting or exceeding
the requirements outlined above.
Outcomes and workplace support
Support model for people in our target groups
26. Please describe the support model, with particular emphasis on the target group(s), i.e.
how does the business entity support them through recruitment, induction, employment
or training programs, and transition to employment within and/or outside the entity.
Must be no more than 500 words.
a. Attach relevant policy/procedure documentation.
b. Attach the job description(s) for the person(s) responsible for this function.
c. Attach the profile/CV for the person(s) responsible for this function, to include
their qualifications and link(s) to their LinkedIn profile(s).
Tips:
Compared to conventional businesses, employment-generating social enterprises often have
larger human resources costs, arising from the realities of supporting disadvantaged
employees. However, this workplace support is vital to achieving the mission. In reality, it is
not enough to simply create a training program and offer a job to someone who has
experienced significant disadvantage.
We look for:
o Formal, documented policies and procedures describing the support provided to
people in the target groups in their journey from their first interactions with the
business entity through to their (assumed) eventual transition into the wider
workforce.
o Evidence that the model has been tried and tested and ideally, is in continual
improvement.
o Evidence that the people who fulfil this function have appropriate experience and
qualifications.
o Evidence that the model is embedded into the culture of the organisation.
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FAQs
What is a social enterprise? Where possible, we avoid using the term ‘social enterprise’ because there is no universally agreed,
consistent definition. However, when we use the term, this is what it means…
In essence, social enterprise is about tackling old problems in new ways – through innovation,
entrepreneurial flair and financial self-sufficiency. It is about borrowing the best from business and
traditional not-for-profit organisations to achieve maximum social impact.
Can I count an existing job, either within or outside my organisation, if it gets
filled with someone from one of the target groups? Yes
Can I apply if my organisation has previously received a grant from Westpac
Foundation? In most cases, you can apply. If you have previously received a grant from the Westpac Foundation
however, we strongly recommend that you contact us before lodging your expression of interest, or
submitting your application.
You must meet our eligibility criteria and align to our funding principles. You can email
[email protected] to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates and alerts
when our next round of grants opens.
Can I apply if my organisation was previously declined for a grant from
Westpac Foundation? Yes, as long as you meet our eligibility criteria and are aligned to our funding principles. You can
email [email protected] to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates and
alerts when our next round of grants opens.
If I am not successful in this round, can I apply in future rounds? Yes, as long as you meet our eligibility criteria and are aligned to our funding principles. You can
email [email protected] to subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates and
alerts when our next round of grants opens.
Can I make a ‘late submission’? No, we do not accept late submissions.
How do I troubleshoot issues I am experiencing with Smartygrants? Visit the SmartyGrants Help Guide For Applicants on the Smartygrants website. This guide will
explain the essential steps you need to take to complete and submit your form and should assist you
with any technical queries.
It is also helpful to remember:
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You can save your progress and return to complete your application at a later time or date
Your application is stored online, therefore there is nothing for you to save to your own
computer
You can be certain that we have received your application when you submit it.
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Version Information Version 1.0
Date 28 January 2016