Project Robin Hood 6

After many years of great projects and a review of the way Project Robin Hood is delivered, there will be a slight change to how school P&C submissions are processed in round 6. 

We know schools are at the heart of many communities and we also know school-based groups are able to generate a lot of support during the voting stage of Project Robin Hood. This can mean smaller community groups have to work really hard to compete and sometimes miss out on funding. The number of school-based projects that have been funded as part of Project Robin Hood has been increasing since the program began in 2013.  In the most recent round, 75% of the $100,000 funding pool went to projects on school grounds.   
 
We want every great community idea to have the opportunity to succeed so for Project Robin Hood 6 we are splitting the funding into two streams. School based projects will be eligible to receive up to $40,000 of the total funding pool with other groups having $60,000 up for grabs.  Both can still apply for up to $20,000 for individual projects.
 
Remember, schools can’t directly apply for Robin Hood Funding, but P&C’s and other community groups connected to schools can.  And any projects on school grounds must be publicly accessible outside of school hours, see FAQs for more details.
 
Everyone has an opportunity to make their neighbourhood even better by working together.

No unfortunately not. In the past we’ve seen some groups burn out by taking too much on.  This meant they had unfinished projects and returned funds.  We want Project Robin Hood to be a positive experience…who needs more stress in their lives?! So, it’s better to stick with one project you can manage and complete within the 2 year timeframe.

Easy, just start small! Break the project into steps and set your targets for half or a quarter of whatever your ideal might be. Then apply for funds accordingly.
 
You’ll be amazed at what can happen once you get started. People show up out of nowhere to help.  Someone will have exactly what you need lying unused in their garage and they’ll be delighted to give it to you.
 
One Project Robin Hood group generated so much momentum in the planning of their idea that they didn’t even need community funding at all!
 

We sure can.  Just visit www.melvillecity.com.au/project-robin-hood to see what kind of projects have been funded in the past.  We can also put you in touch with previous grant recipients and you can have a chat to one of them.  You can also contact us anytime to discuss any ideas you might have.

The short answer is no, schools can’t apply for Project Robin Hood Funding…but community groups like P&C’s that are connected to schools can.  The main thing to remember is that any projects happening on school grounds are for the community, not just school students, their families and staff and whatever happens at the school has to be accessible. 
 
For example, if you’re thinking of a nature play area or bush tucker garden at your local school, everyone in the community needs to be able to access it outside of school hours, so it can’t be fenced off or locked up, or out of site.

Submissions have now closed via the online form.

All submissions are considered at a City of Melville staff roundtable meeting before going to the public voting stage. If your project is in keeping with the ethos of Project Robin Hood and ticks these boxes: safe, legal and in the spirit of the project, then YES your project will be put up for public voting.  If we need to contact you for more information or clarity, we will do this prior to the project going up for community voting.

Voting has now close but was open to residents, school communities, not for profit agencies, community groups and business owners in the City of Melville.

Visit www.melvilletalks.com.au/projectrobinhood6 to get all the information you need about voting. And remember, it will be one vote per person.  We encourage young people to vote too! So get the whole family involved. 
 
Due to the ‘Budget Allocator’ being an online tool, we do not have any paper voting slips but one of our friendly Libraries would be more than happy to help you access the site so you can still vote.

The voting results will be published at www.melvilletalks.com.au/projectrobinhood6. If your group is still keen to pursue the project, contact us and we can provide information about other funding options.

If your Robin Hood project is something that needs to be built, installed, or may pose some kind of risk to the community eg. falling over a shovel while installing a nature play space, tripping over a cable at an event etc. insurance is something you need to be aware of.  If you’re thinking of doing something at your local public school, this will likely be Department of Education land.  In this instance, any associated risk is the responsibility of the Department, so have a conversation with the school and P&C before making a Robin Hood submission.
 
Things are a little different if the project is built or takes place on City of Melville land.  If you want to build or install a project, we strongly advise you include an amount in your budget to cover public liability insurance in case anything unexpected happens before the project is complete.  There are a number of insurers that can provide basic public liability cover and it’s not as expensive as you might think. Once complete, the project will then be covered by the City of Melville’s insurance. 

Ongoing maintenance is an important factor to remember. It’s your responsibility to make sure the project is designed and planned well so it’s safe, secure and is looked after once it’s complete.  Including an amount in your budget for maintenance before you hit ‘submit’ is a really good idea. We also have a small maintenance grant you can apply for further down the track if things are starting to look a little tired. It’s easy and helps if you need to do things like replace plants, apply a fresh coat of paint etc. Find more out about the maintenance grant here.

We can sometimes offer limited technical advice but it’s far better if you think of ways to use (or expand) your own networks to solve the problem.
 
Let’s say you’re having trouble with your community garden. Maybe there’s someone else nearby who’s worked in a community project like yours before? Could you approach the local Men’s Shed or a nearby carpenter for offcuts to use as stakes? Is there an internet forum you could join?  Maybe you could ask someone at the local nursery about how to get rid of cabbage moths?  Questions like that will win the day for your garden and they’ll build the long lasting, deep rooted connections that make a community strong.

What would happen if the garden or gazebo were in your backyard?  You’d make a decision about whether to replant the garden or repair the gazebo.  You’d find your own funds and you’d press on. If you decided not to go ahead you’d simply pull out the dead plants or pull down the gazebo so it was safe. You wouldn’t call the City!
 
But maybe the setback is just the challenge you need? One of the most inspiring Project Robin Hood moments was watching a group bounce back from the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of crucial supplies. These folks asked themselves questions like: “How can we turn this around? How can we use this incident?” and almost all of the stolen goods were replaced in no time. They can be just as proud of their resilience as they are of their finished project.

The real goal of Project Robin Hood is stronger communities.  In the same way that lifting weights for your friend in the gym would not make your friend stronger, the City undermines community spirit if it puts money into every idea that needs help. 
 
It’s good to think about it this way - “What can we do to make the idea work? Are there some local businesses that can help? What about we hold our own small fundraising event? Are there ways we can obtain our supplies cheaper?” You’ll be amazed at how effective these simple questions are.
 
These are important things to think about you’re planning your project and before you put your submission in.
 

Easy, just give back what’s left and we will put it in the pool for the next round of Project Robin Hood so more people in the community can benefit.

Groups have 2 years (24 months) to finish their projects.  We know you are all volunteers and have busy lives so if you’re finding it challenging to make sure your project is finished on time just let us know and we can talk about your options.