Focus on one key partnership and the program that has been developed with this partnership that:

• can show evidence of improved students outcomes (Impact Award)
• has anticipated outcomes for students (Seed Funding Award)
• helps promote student-led ideas about 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.

Members of a school-community partnership work collaboratively, sharing expertise and resources, to improve educational outcomes for students and provide benefits for the school and the community.

The NAB Schools First Awards program is designed to encourage stronger links between schools and community partners. Your school-community partnership needs to be between your school and a non-school organisation which is outside the school.

Partnerships with parent groups, school councils 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.

The NAB Schools First team will be travelling to metropolitan and regional centres across Australia in March 2012 to conduct 20 Application Forums.

The Forums aim to provide important information about the awards criteria and the application process, answer your questions about the NAB Schools First program and showcase our previous award winners. There will also be networking opportunities.  Registrations are essential.

Information Sessions will also be held in a number of regional centres around Australia throughout April and May 2012. These sessions aim to provide an introduction to the NAB Schools First program and discuss the question 'What is a school-community partnership?'

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.

Applications open online at 9.00am (AEST) on Monday, 5 March 2012 and close at 5.00pm (AEST) on Friday, 29 June 2012.

Our Toolkit is a great place to begin and start preparing for your 2012 NAB Schools First Award application.

To make it fair for all 2012 award applicants, strict criteria have been developed that you are required to address carefully. To assist in understanding these criteria, and what evidence and/or data might be useful, we have published an Application Pack to help with Impact and Seed Funding Award applications, as well as a Student Award version. Both packs are an invaluable resource and include:

• 2012 Application Guidelines
• 2012 Application Terms and Conditions

The NAB Schools First team are available to provide support throughout the application period and can be contacted a number of ways:

• email us: info@schoolsfirst.edu.au
• call us: 1800 649 141 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, AEST)
• Online Discussion Forum

The Online Discussion Forum will be open throughout the application period with a response guaranteed within a few hours of question submission, allowing up to 48 hours on weekends. Answers to all questions will remain on the forum to assist applicants who have similar issues.

Also check if your question has already 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 your school-community partnership has been directly responsible for improved outcomes for students.

An Impact Award application should:

• very clearly show the difference the program has made to students
• 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

For further information relating to providing sound evidence for the Impact and Seed Funding Awards, download the 2012 Application Guidelines.

We also recommend you attend an Application Forum or Information Session during 2012.

To keep updated on all NAB Schools First news, including details on our upcoming Information Sessions, 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)
• the best Student Award applications demonstrated 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.

Impact and Seed Funding Awards

• Have you provided a response in each section of the application form?
• Have you provided a response for each of the dot points under each criterion?
• 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 outlined in the application? The judges will not read beyond the prescribed word limit.
• 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?

Student Award

• Have you provided a response in each section of the application form?
• Have you considered the word limits?
• Are all your details correct?
• Has a teacher checked your application?
• If you are in Year 6 or 12, have you applied with a student from a lower year level?

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