Focus on one clear key partnership and program that:

• has made a difference to your students’ outcomes (Impact Award)
• will make a difference to your students’ outcomes (Seed Funding Award), or
• helps promote student-led ideas around school-community partnerships (Student Award)

Don’t include a big list of providers or a range of programs that don’t clearly link together.

Also, don’t seek funding for a service that your school is paying to have delivered. Service delivery is not considered a partnership under the terms of these awards.

The NAB Schools First Awards program is designed to encourage stronger links between schools and potential community partners. Your partnership needs to be between a school and an organisation outside the immediate school. Partnerships with parents or neighbouring schools, no matter how wonderful, are outside the scope of these awards.

If you’re looking to set up a school-community partnership but don’t have a partner, go to the Partnership Matching Service.

Each year we run a series of Partnership Forums across Australia. Conducted around the openning of award applications, the forums include important background information on NAB Schools First, the awards criteria, what constitutes a school-community partnership and how to apply for an award. For those who can’t make it to a Partnership Forum, you’ll be able to watch a condensed version online.

Join our mailing list to stay up to date on when and where the Partnership Forums will take place.

This is one of the simplest things you can do but it could make all the difference to the quality of your application. Don’t leave your application until the last minute. In 2011, some applications suffered through being rushed or incomplete.

Preparing your application early means you can take time gathering all the evidence you need and review and refine your application thoroughly before submitting.

To make it fair for all 2012 award applicants, strict criteria will exist that is required to be closely followed. To assist in understanding these criteria, and what the judges' expectations are, we will be publishing a 2012 Application Pack in the first half of the year. This will prove to be an invaluable resource and will include:

• Application Guidelines
• Application Terms and Conditions
• Judging Process document, and
• Application forms for all three awards categories (Impact, Seed Funding and Student)

Join our mailing list to be informed when the 2012 Application Pack is available.

The NAB Schools First team can be contacted a number of ways:

• email us: info@schoolsfirst.edu.au
• call us: 1800 649 141 (our toll-free NAB Schools First hotline open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, AEST/Melb. time).

Also check if your question has been answered in our General FAQs.

For the Impact and Seed Funding Award categories there are five evidence-based criteria. In 2011, what separated the very best applications from the very good, commendable or promising ones was the nature and quality of the evidence provided to support each criterion.

Evidence can be quantitative and/or qualitative. It should show the need or opportunity that led to the partnership or program being set up in the first place, as well as how the school-community partnership has led to improved outcomes for students.

An Impact Award application should:

• very clearly show the difference the program has made to students, and
• demonstrate how the school knows the program has contributed to this difference.

A Seed Funding Award application should:

• clearly show the difference the program is expected to make to students, and
• present any research the school has done to explain why it is confident about this outcome.

Download the What is sound evidence? fact sheet for further information relating to Impact and Seed Funding Awards.

We also recommend you attend a Partnership Forum during 2012 or watch the online version.

To keep updated on all NAB Schools First news, including details on our upcoming Partnership Forums, please join our mailing list.

NAB Schools First is about encouraging stronger school-community partnerships.

In 2011:

• the best Impact Award applications clearly identified the benefits gained by the students and partner(s)
• the best Seed Funding Award applications clearly identified the expected benefits to be gained by the students and partner(s), and
• the best Student Award applications demonstrate the impact the partnership will have on the students, school and the partner(s)

Find out more about all of our 2011 winners.

Make sure you explain how the award funding will be used to strengthen your existing partnership, develop a new partnership and/or promote good practice in school-community partnerships to benefit students. Keep your description simple and clear, with adequate detail.

While this section is not scored, it will be read by the judges.

• Have you provided a response in each section of the application form?
• Do you have the evidence you need? Have you used sound data to support your case for improved outcomes?
• Have you stayed within the word and page limits outlined in the application? The judges will not reaad beyond the prescribed word or page limit.
• Have you restricted your supporting material to an online document?  The judges will not look at CDs, DVDs or any supporting material that can’t be contained within three (3) A4 pages and printed off. The judges also won’t consider letters of support from the Minister for Education as this is unfair on all other schools in that particular state or territory.
• Have you completed the cover sheet?
• Is all cover sheet information correct? If you win an award, information such as your school name and that of your partner(s) is used in all published material including the official certificates.
• If you use acronyms, have you indicated what they stand for?

To be notified of any updates, join our mailing list.