Health promotion grants

The University is committed to supporting student health and wellbeing from a holistic approach and improving their experience, inclusiveness and belonging at university. The Health Promotion Grant Scheme aims to enhance learning, working and living environments for students that inform, promote and support a holistic approach to health, wellbeing and social connectedness.

The UoM Health Promotion Program's allocation of funds will directly address health and wellbeing through the funding of non-academic, student focused on-campus events, activities, and projects.

Health Promotion Grant applicants can apply for up to $10,000 to be spent during 2024. Applications Open 9AM, 4 March and Close 11.59PM 24 March 2024.

Download the Health Promotion Grant Guidelines
Apply Here

Successful student applicants can be considered towards a Melbourne Plus capability recognition.

What is the Health Promotion Grant?

The Health Promotion Grant (HPG) is provided by the Health Promotions Program to fund activities and programs throughout the University of Melbourne that address the health and wellbeing of students.

Objectives of the Health Promotion Grant:

  • Increase health and wellbeing opportunities for students
  • Inform, promote and support the engagement of positive health behaviours and practices among students
  • Increase awareness of support services available and reduce barriers to access (such as stigma around help-seeking), so students utilise services and make informed choices
  • Create sustainable and health-promoting environments that optimise social connection and belonging
  • Engage with a range of student cohorts in various settings to increase reach and address issues affecting diverse and vulnerable groups, taking greater account of intersectional factors
  • Promote integration of health and wellbeing within the university’s plans and policies.

For more information, please visit the University of Melbourne’s Health Promotion Program page.

What is the HPP vision?

The Health Promotion Program provides students at the University of Melbourne with the information, resources and support required to engage in healthy behaviours, maintain a healthy lifestyle and make informed choices related to their health and wellbeing.

The HPG is supported and funded through the University of Melbourne’s partnership with Bupa. You can read the Health Promotion Program 2023-2025 Action Plan here.

What can Health Promotion Grants be used for?

Applications must address at least one of the Health Promotion Programs pillars:

Pillars

Summary

Healthier Minds

Focuses on building mental health and wellbeing across the student population. Mental health is an asset and a resource for daily living, shaped by a range of social, structural, and commercial determinants of health and health literacy.

Healthier Bodies

Focuses on improving equity of experience in nutrition, physical activity, food security and improve behaviours towards alcohol and other drugs across the student population.

Healthier Relationships

Focuses on building safer experiences and practices among the student population with respect to sex, sexuality, relationships and sexual and reproductive health.

Healthier Communities

Focuses on facilitating students’ awareness and knowledge about how equity, diversity, and social justice shape health outcomes. This area will create opportunities to address inequities among the student population and target action.

Proposals can be used for a range of activities including events, activities, programs, resources, and initiatives that:

  1. Educate, promote and support the engagement in positive health behaviors and practices among students e.g. healthy eating, food insecurity, physical activity, safer relationships/intimacies, safe behaviors around alcohol and other drugs.
  2. Increase awareness of support services available and reduce barriers to access (such as stigma around help-seeking), so students utilise services and make informed choices.
  3. Build sustainable and health-promoting environments that optimise social connection and belonging.
  4. Engage with a range of student cohorts in various settings to increase reach and address issues affecting diverse and vulnerable groups, taking greater account of intersectional factors (First nations, LGBTIQA+, CALD, student with disabilities).

Dates

Monday 4 March 2024
9AM

Applications Open

Sunday 24 March 2024
11.59PM

Application close

Monday 29 April 2024

Outcomes

Friday 25 October 2024
11.59PM

Acquittal and Project Deadlines

Eligibility

Application eligibility

  • Applicants must be either a current University staff member or student.
  • Staff applications must have the support from their manager or an appropriate colleague.
  • Applicants may or may not be affiliated with or be a representative of a student organisation or other University associated organisation.
  • Applications that are similar in nature to a prior project/activity must be explained in the application.
  • Applicants must be able to complete the project/activity by the end of Semester 2, 2024.

Project Eligibility

  • The project/activity cannot be already completed when applying for grant funds. Funds will only be awarded to an activity in progress or yet to commence.
  • The applicant(s) must demonstrate their capacity to successfully undertake the activity and student applicants must be able to finalise acquittal prior to completing their degree otherwise sanctions may be imposed on their student records.
  • Projects must have a complete application, address one or more of the Health Promotion Programs’ pillars and all the Key Selection Criteria detailed in the guidelines.
  • Where a project involves an external partner organisation, details of the partner organisation’s agreement and financial or in-kind support must be provided. A Partner Organisation Support Letter must be provided, if applicable
  • The project/activity must not count towards academic credit; or be undertaken as part of assessment for a subject or course (including research).

More information

  • Key Selection Criteria

    Eligible applications will be assessed based on the following Key Selection Criteria:

    • Alignment of the initiative with one or more of the Health Promotion Program’s pillars (Healthier minds, Healthier bodies, Healthier intimacies, Healthier communities)
    • How the initiative serves a student community need. Demonstration of student leadership and/or co-designed approaches will be highly regarded
    • The reach and benefit of the initiative on the student population

    The following activities and projects will not be funded:

    • An existing project/activity or day-to-day operations of a work unit, student club or group.
    • A staff led project unable to demonstrate student participation in the project design or needs analysis
    • A project/activity that is primarily partisan or religious in nature.
    • The project/activity must not count towards academic credit or be undertaken as part of the assessment for a subject or course (including research).
    • Projects that are solely virtual
    • Projects that will not be completed by the conclusion of Semester 2, 2023
    • Projects that are easily and primarily funded through other suitable sources.
  • Alignment with the key principles of the HPP and other UoM strategies

    Projects must align with the University's HPP pillars and objectives (PDF 2.2 MB).

    Projects that demonstrate the following attributes will be viewed favourably by the selection panel:

    • Commitment to consultation with student-related groups and engagement of students as partners in decision making.
    • Commitment to addressing the University's equity and diversity goals.
    • Commitment to representation of student groups, cohorts and campuses.
    • Commitment to addressing the University's sustainability goals.
  • Application process and outcome notification
    • Students and staff may submit applications as individuals or in teams. If submitted as a team, a Project/Activity Leader must be nominated.
    • Applications may require endorsement from relevant stakeholders that have strategic relevance to the project. E.g Contacting IT or Business Services or Grounds for space permissions etc.
    • Applications are submitted and managed online via Smarty Grants. The HPP Grants Program Application Form can be accessed from the website and must be submitted prior to the deadline advertised.
    • Applicants will receive an email acknowledging receipt of their submission.
    • Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.
    • Following the recommendations of the Selection Committee, applicants will be notified in writing of the result of their application.
    • The Selection Committee may impose additional conditions on the grant where it is considered warranted.
    • Applicants are required to complete the compulsory online briefing module on Smarty Grants prior to receiving the awarded HPP Grants Program funds. Details of the online briefing module will be made available to successful applicants after receiving notification of a successful HPP Grants Program application outcome.
    • Funding will be distributed within four weeks following notification of a successful application outcome. Please see payment and receipts section for further details.
  • Proposed budget

    Applicants can apply for up to $10,000 per project (maximum $3000 for catering) and should accurately reflect the scope of application with relevant quotes obtained in the budget.

    You can use the Health Promotion Grant budget template to demonstrate your proposed budget in your application.

    The budget should include as much detail as possible and must include:

    • The overall project/activity budget
    • The specific grant sum you are requesting
    • Other funding sources, if applicable (e.g., other University funding, partner organisation(s) contributions, other grants). This could include quotes from service providers. All prices should be quoted including GST.

    Unspent funds of more than $100 must be refunded to the University at the conclusion of the project and within the funding year and should be highlighted via the Acquittal Report. If for any reason, an expenditure is unaccounted for with a receipt, a completed and witnessed statutory declaration must be provided. The University reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings regarding any unspent funds.

  • Payments

    Student Applications, affiliated student associations and Student Clubs: All successful student applicants will be asked to provide the Project Leader’s individual Australian bank account and local contact address details to enable release of grant funds. Student applicants must be based in Australia and have Australian bank account and must ensure their details are updated correctly in the my.unimelb student portal. Student clubs and association (with ABNs) grant applications may either raise an invoice to be sent to health-promotion@unimelb.edu.au OR provide the project leader’s Australian bank account as reflected in their student portal.

    Staff: All successful staff applications will be asked for the details of their nominated Themis Account String/s to enable release of grant funds. If successful staff will need to have this when submitting the briefing module.

    UMSU/GSA: For staff as part of a student club/association without a Themis string account, you will be asked to raise an invoice once the Heath Promotion Team has provided a Purchase Order.

    Original itemised and dated receipts are required to support the financial acquittal of the grant. Expenditure without receipts must be accounted for with a completed and witnessed statutory declaration. Unspent funds of >$100 will either need to be reallocated or returned to the University.

  • Reporting requirements

    Reporting requirements for successful Grant applications will typically include:

    • Briefing Module: All successful applicants will need to read through and agree to all terms of the briefing module as well as provide some further information before payment can be finalised.
    • Acquittal Report: All Grant recipients must have all project deliverables completed by 25 October 2024 and encompass an evaluation report on the final activities delivered alongside a financial expenditure report, including contract/wage details (if any).
      • To acquit salaries and wages relating to a grant project, a statutory declaration must be completed by the project leader detailing hourly rate and a description of services/activities of the staff to support the use of funds for salaries/wages.
    • Receipts: Original itemised and dated receipts are required to support the financial acquittal of the grant. Expenditure without receipts must be accounted for with a completed and witnessed statutory declaration. Unspent funds of >$100 will either need to be reallocated or returned to the University.
  • Previous recipients
  • Resources
  • Contact and Accessibility Queries

    For any further clarification, assistance and/or advice on the current SSAF Grant rounds, application support; please contact the Student Engagement Team: health-promotion@unimelb.edu.au