Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Total grant value is up to $18.3 million. Individual grant amounts will be between $50,000- $3,000,000 depending on the respective CHP tiers.
- Application opened: 23 September 2024
- Application closed: 18 November 2024, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The program has the following objectives:
- Improve the thermal comfort of tenants in social housing properties by installing reverse cycle air conditioning systems, ceiling fans, ceiling insulation and supporting home improvements such as draught proofing and window shading.
- Reduce tenants’ energy consumption by installing energy efficient equipment such as solar systems and heat pump hot water systems.
- Reduce the financial cost of energy for tenants by improving the energy performance of social housing properties.
- Reduce carbon emissions from social housing properties that contribute to NSW Government emission reduction targets.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Eligibility
Who can apply
All Community Housing Providers (CHPs) that:
- are registered in NSW as approved and compliant with National Regulatory System Community Housing (NRSCH)
- are the legal owner or manager of the property and have the rights to carry out the project in agreement with the owner(s) of the property
- hold and comply with relevant insurances, including:
- public liability insurance ($20 million per claim)
- workers compensation insurance (as required by law)
- comprehensive motor vehicle insurance
- registered for GST
- hold a valid ABN
- is not subject to any insolvency event, including the subject of an order or resolution for winding up or dissolution (other than for the purposes of reconstruction or amalgamation) or the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, administrator or similar
- agree to make the following minimum mandatory contribution as a percentage share of the eligible expenditure (project budget)
- Tier 1: 25%
- Tier 2: 15%
- Tier 3: 10%.
Who the grant is targeted towards
All Community Housing Providers (CHPs) that are registered in NSW as approved and compliant with National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH).
Types of projects funded under this grant
Grant funding must be used to install one or more of the following eligible upgrades:
- solar PV systems
- solar sharing technology
- reverse-cycle air conditioners
- heat pump hot water systems
- ceiling fans
- LED lighting
- window shading
- ceiling insulation
- draught proofing.
These upgrades must be installed on social housing properties owned or managed by CHPs.
If an applicant would like to include any energy upgrade technology that is not listed above, the applicant can request a clarification from the Department.
When the project can start and end
Delivery under this program is from 1 July 2024 until 31 December 2026
The project should be started by 1 July 2024 and the project must be completed by 31 December 2026.
What costs you can apply for
- Actual cost of energy upgrades
- Cost for enabling the energy upgrade. NOTE: Expenditure on enabling works must not exceed 10% of the total project budget ex. GST (grant funding plus co-contribution).
What costs you can't apply for
- Major expenditure on annual maintenance activities on housing properties of the applicant
- Major expenditure on roof replacements or other upgrades to the properties receiving energy upgrades
- Upgrades to communal spaces, except for the installation of solar sharing technology where benefits are distributed to tenants
- Program administration cost
- Staff costs related to the delivery of the program (including administration and project management costs)
Types of projects not funded under this grant
- Batteries
- Energy upgrades on:
- properties located outside of NSW
- properties defined as affordable housing
- public housing properties that are owned and managed by the state government.
What co-contributions are required
TIER 1:
Grant amount available: $500,000 - $3,000,000
Minimum mandatory co-contribution (as % of total cost): 25%
TIER 2:
Grant amount available: $350,000 - $1,750,000
Minimum mandatory co-contribution (as % of total cost): 15%
TIER 3:
Grant amount available: $50,000 - $250,000
Minimum mandatory co-contribution (as % of total cost): 10%
What your application needs to include
Step 1: Read the Community Housing Energy Performance Grant guidelines and agree to the terms and conditions for applying for the grant.
Step 2: Confirm eligibility requirements
Step 3: Have the following organisation-related information available:
- ANZSIC No:
- ABN No:
- NRSCH No:
- Tier registration: 1, 2 or 3
Step 4: Have the following project-related information available:
- Total Project Cost (ex. GST), which includes the cost of upgrades and eligible expenditure as defined in the grant guidelines
- Total Grant Amount Requested (ex. GST), aligned with the range allocated for each tier
- Total number of unique properties identified for energy performance improvements funded through this application.
- Identify the number of properties to be upgraded by each Climate Zones (1 through 8)
- Identify the number of properties built before the introduction of BASIX in 2004
- Identify the number of property upgrades to be completed every 6 months beginning 1 July 2024 – 31 December 2026
- Dates for project milestones and key deliverables, based on the following, noting the project delivery for this grant is from 1 July 2024 – 31 December 2026:
- Milestone 1: Execution of Funding Agreement
- Milestone 2: Complete upgrades on 20% of unique properties identified/selected for this application
- Milestone 3: Complete upgrades on 40% of unique properties identified/selected for this application
- Milestone 4: Complete upgrades on 60% of unique properties identified/selected for this application
- Milestone 5: Complete upgrades on 80% of unique properties identified/selected for this application
- Milestone 6: Complete upgrades on 100% of unique properties identified/selected for this application
- Number of proposed energy upgrades by categories:
- Solar system
- Solar sharing
- Reverse cycle air-conditioner
- Heat pump hot water system
- Ceiling fans
- LED lighting
- Ceiling insulation
- Window shading
- Draught proofing
Step 5: Have the following documents available for submission:
- Most recent Annual Report or recent Financial Statements
- Insurance – at least Public liability insurance ($20 million per claim)
- Bank statement of the account that will be used to receive grant funding, if successful
- Evidence of similar project delivery experience in the last 5 years (if available)
- Project implementation plan
- Evidence showing source(s) to support applicant co-contribution funding commitment
- Evidence to support indicative expenditure (Actual cost of energy upgrades and Cost for enabling the energy upgrade*) *Expenditure on the cost for enabling the energy upgrade works must not exceed 10% of the total project budget ex. GST (grant funding plus co-contribution).
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
MERIT CRITERIA
Applicants will only be assessed against other applications within their relevant tier. The highest-scoring applicants within each tier will be awarded grant funding, up to their requested amount, until grant funding allocations are exhausted.
Merit criterion 1: CHP co-contribution (30%)
Each applicant must agree to contribute the minimum contribution percentage relevant to their tier but may choose to contribute at a higher rate. Applicants that contribute more than the minimum co-contribution will be scored more highly. There is no limit on the maximum co-contribution percentage in each tier.
Merit criterion 2: Project effectiveness – property age (25%)
The program prioritises the installation of energy upgrades in properties that were built before the introduction of BASIX (in 2004).
Merit criterion 3: Project effectiveness – property location (25%)
The program prioritises the installation of energy upgrades in climate zones where extreme heat and cold are experienced (climate zones 4, 6, 7 and 8).
Merit criterion 4: Value for money (10%)
This grant program aims to increase the energy efficiency of NSW housing properties. The applicants should justify how the funding requested from the NSW Government is essential for their project to install energy upgrades and achieve thermal comfort and energy savings for social housing tenants.
Merit criterion 5: Project delivery (10%)
The application must demonstrate:
- the applicant’s experience in successfully delivering similar projects in the last 5 years.
- capacity and capability to undertake the proposed project, including:
- a project implementation plan
- how the applicant will manage delivery
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Deputy Secretary, Energy, Climate Change & Sustainability, NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
An assessment panel will be established to assess your application. Applications must be assessed as satisfying all eligibility criteria. Only eligible applications will be assessed against the merit criteria.
The assessment panel will make recommendations regarding which applications best meet the criteria and objectives of the program.
Due diligence
The Department may undertake due diligence on an application at any time during the assessment process. Due diligence undertaken by the Department may include, but is not limited to:
- contacting applicants
- disclosing information by applicants to a third party with respect to the eligibility criteria and merit criteria.
The Department will assess the applicant, including conducting due diligence checks to confirm the project eligibility requirements and merit criteria. You must comply with any request for information as part of these due diligence checks. As a result of the due diligence, the Department may, in its discretion, require that the applicant provide additional information (for example, confirmation of co-contribution).
Final decision
The Deputy Secretary, Energy, Climate Change & Sustainability, within the Department is the delegated decision maker and their decision is final in all matters, including the:
- approval of applications for funding
- amount of funding awarded
- terms and conditions of funding.
Resubmission of applications, or requests to re-evaluate, will not be accepted unless otherwise decided by the Department.
The Department will advise you in writing about the outcomes of the assessment of your application.
Anticipated assessment outcome date is 16/12/2024 to 17/01/2025
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is Funding Agreement to be signed within 20 business day
Support and contact
Brooke Collins
A/Manager, Energy Programs
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW Government