Action labs to help build positive council-community relationships for heart-health

Heart-healthy neighbourhood action labs

Heart healthy neighbourhood action labs are a Heart Foundation initiative to inspire, empower and mobilise local communities for practical, action-focused local outcomes. The labs are supported through workshops, Healthy Active by Design tools, small seed funding, and a research/evaluation component to scale-up.

Funding applications open 1 March 2027 - details below.

Community workshops

We're conducting workshops in participating council regions in February. Funding applications will open in March. We would love for you to join our community worjshop, whether you intend to apply for funding or just want to know more about heart healthy neighbourhoods, and share your experience and ideas. You’ll gain the tools, confidence and connections to create meaningful change in your community; and to have positive, collaborative conversations with your local council.

Somerset, Tas DATE | Time | Venue

City of Bunbury, WA DATE | Time | Venue

Session outline:

Introduction to heart healthy neighbourhoods
Ways to get involved and build relationships with your local council
Heart Foundation support
Share your local neighbourhood experience and ideas
Project funding

Project funding

Project funding is open to people who live in Somerset, Tasmania and the City of Bunbury, Western Australia and who:

want to improve their local area
can identify project opportunities using the Heart Foundation’s Community Walkability Checklist
want to receive up to $7,000 to bring a neighbourhood improvement idea to life
can build a strong relationship with the local council
can help inspire others for neighbourhood improvements.

We're interested in projects that provide opportunities to reimagine local neighbourhoods as places for:

communities to connect (social fabric/social infrastructure)
urban nature (green infrastructure).

Social fabric and green infrastructure can help improve heart-health in many ways. You can find out more about these topics and their relationship with heart health:

DELETE THE BUTTON BELOW UNTIL 1 MARCH. Link is: https://forms.clickup.com/9016471382/f/8cprvup-74416/O8DOAFNNEVPQ7ONLY6

APPLY NOW

Project ideas

Whether you’ve already got an idea in mind, are involved in an existing project, part of an organisation, a local business owner or an individual who’s passionate about your local area, we want to hear from you!

Project ideas might include {insert infographic}

The following resources can help inspire project ideas:

Take Local Action, Heart Foundation
50 Quick Wins Guide, and the Book of Doing, Doing Co
Street Remix Guide, RACWA

Please note - These documents provide guidance only.

Not all projects identified in these guides are suitable for action lab funding.

Applications will open on 1 March 2027 and close 7:00pm AEDT | 5:00pm AWST Thursday 25 March 2027.

All applicants must agree to the Heart Foundation’s Funding Application Terms and Conditions including Privacy Collection Notice. All applicants must also review the Successful Offer and Agreement Template prior to applying.

{NEED TO CHECK AND UPDATE SUCCESSFUL OFFER TEMPLATE FOR COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT OR NOT PRIOR TO 1 MARCH}

We're collaborating with researchers from the University of Tasmania Menzies Centre for Medical Research to conduct evaluation of this program. Funding applicants may be contacted to share feedback.

Have a question? Email us: HealthyActivebyDesign@heartfoundation.org.au

Local council collaboration

Your local council is a key supporter and collaborator for this initiative. Council staff will help judge project applications. We encourage you to seek Council support ahead of lodging your application.