Smart City Activations | City of Casey

Opens: Monday 03 October 2022
Closes: Tuesday 31 January 2023, or until funds are exhausted (whichever occurs first)
Amount: Up to $40,000 per application (with 1:1 matched co-funding cash contribution).

Purpose of this fund

With the growing deployment of smart technology in spaces across Casey, there is an opportunity to partner with the development and property sector to co-fund the delivery of smart solutions in new and existing developments and precincts, including new estates and established sites.

This pilot program tests a new approach to partnering with those involved in the ‘building’ of the City of Casey by delivering Smart City activations in projects about to commence or currently underway.

What are the objectives of the fund?

The objectives of the fund are:

To increase the deployment of smart solutions in new/existing developments and precincts that promote public amenity and align with the Smart Casey Launchpad.
To streamline the data capture and management into Casey systems.
To build capability with the development sector to encourage innovation and new approaches.

Who can apply for this fund?

To apply for this fund, you must:

be a developer, builder or property group constructing or operating a site in the City of Casey
have a shovel-ready project or new development underway, or a willingness to retrofit an existing development, that could incorporate a Smart City activation within the next six months
be willing to share the data captured from the Smart City activation with Council (at no additional cost)
provide co-contribution funds with at least 1:1 matched funding (cash only)
have a level of public liability insurance up to $10 million
have WorkCover insurance
obtain a Working With Children Check, if required
submit a detailed project plan with milestones, community benefits, desired impact, and transition plan for ownership of asset/infrastructure
submit an itemised budget detailing how you will spend the funds including the whole of lifecycle costs of the solutions (ongoing management costs)
submit your application and documentation online through our Smarty Grants system

Who cannot apply for this fund?

You cannot apply for this grant if you are:

not a developer, builder or property group constructing or operating a site in the City of Casey
an individual
a non-registered business
a political party and/or group
a government agency, department, or public entity

Funding Requirements

The solution must be shovel-ready and be completed within 6 months of successful notification of the proposal. The project must occur within the City of Casey and be part of an existing development or infrastructure project.

In Scope

We are looking for solutions with tangible output. To ensure that the funds are aligned, each application must include the whole-of-life maintenance and data management costs, including a proposal of who will manage the data and sensor solution post-implementation.

Priority areas include solutions that address pedestrian and vehicle counting, and digital connectivity and inclusivity.

Overall, smart technology solutions that are in scope are:

Smart furniture (with Wi-Fi, charging points, and/or solar)
Sensors (people/vehicle/pedestrian counting, water monitoring, microclimate, flood monitoring, etc)
Digital Wayfinding
Smart BBQs
Smart Bins
Smart lighting with 5G neutral hosting infrastructure
Other smart technology or concepts that solve a defined community challenge

Consider current Council suppliers and link into existing systems wherever possible. The hardware should be solution-agnostic and able to feed data into Council’s open data platform via free APIs.

Out of Scope

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
E-scooters
Sensors and smart technology that do not adhere to vendor due diligence. For example, proprietary software
Smart technology that does not solve a defined community challenge and does not align with Smart Casey Launchpad
Ongoing operational costs such as utilities (electricity, gas, and water), staff wages, rent or insurance (except in the case of start-up costs for new groups).
Grant programs, prizes, awards, donations, or events.

How to Apply

Submit all applications online using the Smart City Activations in New Developments application form on Smarty Grants. Access the form from 03 October 2022.
Applications must include additional information as specified. Supporting documents and attachments must be in electronic format and submitted through the online application process. Submit the application by the due date. We will not accept paper applications, and we will not consider applications submitted outside Smarty Grants. We will not consider late or incomplete applications.

How we decide on successful fund applications

To access the fund, the applicants must be a developer or builder operating in the City of Casey, and must have a solution that:

Aligns to the Smart Casey Launchpad focus areas
Solves a clear community and/or Council challenge
Be ready for implementation in Casey within 6 months of application, or by June 30, 2023
Provide a clear co-funding split between Council and Developers
Show market scanning and procurement readiness of the proposed solutions

If your application is successful

We will notify you by email or phone to organise a project kick-off meeting.
You will need to read Council’s Grants Policy.
If you have any outstanding payments to Council, you must clear these before we can pay the grant.
Please note that some installations may require Council permits and approval. In this case, approval must be obtained before grant funds can be paid.

Useful Information

Conditions of Funding

All successful applicants must adhere to the conditions as outlined in the City of Casey’s Grants Policy (October 2017), which is available from Council’s website. The following conditions also apply:

Successful applicants must enter into a funding and service agreement with the City of Casey, which lists funding conditions. This must be signed, and appropriate documentation provided before funds are issued.
Successful applicants must provide a statement of expenditure or an audited statement at the end of the funding period. If Council’s grant funds are not spent, all remaining funds must be returned to Council.
Please note that a Smart City Activations Funding application will not necessarily result in funding or may result in only a portion of the amount requested being allocated.
Groups must satisfy acquittal requirements for previous Council grants and funding before funds are released.

Reporting and Acquittal

After you complete your project, you must tell us how you spent the funds and what the project outcomes were. This is known as an acquittal process. You must complete the acquittal process online within 60 days of spending the money.

We will provide the reporting format and agreed outputs once the funds are successfully appointed.

Download Guidelines as a PDF