Better Score grant

Get energy efficiency costs to upgrade your home reimbursed with our Better Score grants.

We are committed to supporting our community to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, as detailed in our Community Climate Action Plan.

We will carry out an energy audit on your home to produce a scorecard assessment.

This process identifies energy efficiency upgrades to consider, including lighting, hot water systems, heating and cooling, insulation and solar systems.

No advance funding is available.

Important dates

  • 1 July 2024: applications open @ 9am
  • 19 July 2024: applications close @ 5pm
  • 7 May 2025: grant acquittal is due by 5pm

You must read the full guidelines(PDF, 408KB) and speak with a Council officer before submitting your application.

Learn more about scorecards



Step-by-step sections

Apply

Applications closed

Cut-off date and time: 5pm on 19 July 2024

As the program was oversubscribed, applications received are assessed and then selected by ballot.

All applicants will be contacted about the outcome of their application by the end of July 2024.

Assessment and upgrade

Step 1.Home assessment

The first step is an energy audit on your home, which produces scorecard assessment. The scorecard identifies energy efficiency upgrades that are relevant to your home – considering areas such as lighting, hot water systems, heating and cooling, insulation and solar systems.

We will provide your contact details to our assessors so you arrange to visit your home for the scorecard assessment.

This takes approximately 2 hours.

Step 2.Discuss the results

After your scorecard assessment is complete, discuss your current star rating and the identified upgrades with the assessor.

Step 3.Do your homework

Learn about what is available in the market. Find trusted, licensed and accredited trades. Organise quotes.

Compare and choose what is right for your home and budget.

Step 4.Upgrades and invoices

It's time for action. You must hire licensed contractors to complete the upgrade(s).

Keep copies of all invoices.

Reimbursement funding is only available to upgrades on your primary residence.

Step 5.Variation assessment

Your upgrade(s) must be formally recognised. To do this, we will carry out a variation assessment of your home.

Once your upgrade is completed, contact the community energy officer or your assessor directly to get your variation assessment.

Step 6.Application outcome

We will assess your application and notify you of the outcome and the next steps to take.

Acquittal

Step 1.Gather documentation

You must gather specific documentation to acquit your grant, including:

  • tax invoice(s) from licensed contractors with upgrade details
  • payment remittance of the paid invoice(s)
  • certificate of compliance for all electrical, plumbing and gas work
  • your most recent rates notice
  • photos of completed upgrade(s)
  • your variation assessment
  • your upgraded star rating.

Step 2.Acquitting your grant

Complete the acquittal form on SmartyGrants.

Step 3.Reimbursement

Approved funding will be reimbursed to you once the acquittal form is completed.

This can take up to 8 weeks to reach your account.

Terms and conditions

You must agree to the following terms and conditions.

  • Only upgrade options recommended in the scorecard assessment are eligible for reimbursement funding.
  • Applicants must supply relevant compliance certificate for all electrical and plumbing work and tax invoices for the completed work as a part of their application.
  • You agree to share your household energy efficiency scorecard assessment result and the variation assessment result.
  • You agree that we may use information from your application for report writing and case studies.
  • Restriction of products with less than 700 GWP consistent with Victorian Government guielines.
  • We may inspect the project when completed to evaluate outcomes.
  • Applicants must ensure all statutory legal and insurance obligations will be in compliance for all funded upgrades.
  • All upgrades are the applicant's property, and we do not take ownership or liability of the funded upgrades.
  • Applicants must take sole responsibility of work and liaise with their own trade professionals for future repair and warranty works.
  • Information we collect from you is required for the delivery of our services in accordance with Council’s powers, functions and purposes under the Local Government Act 1989 and other relevant legislation. Information may also be used to conduct research and customer satisfaction surveys so that we may better understand community needs and can improve service delivery.
  • Understand that we make certain information publicly available in accordance with legislation and our Public Transparency Policy. A listing of donations and grants including the names or persons or bodies that have received grants are made publicly available.

Accessibility

The grants process is open and accessible to everyone, including if:

  • you need a printed copy of the guidelines or a printed copy in large print;
  • you need to discuss these guidelines by phone;
  • you need the guidelines in a captioned video format;
  • you need to discuss the guidelines with us using the services of an Auslan interpreter;
  • your hearing or speech is impaired, you can call us through the National Relay Service on 133 677 (TTY) or 1300 555 727 on an ordinary handset and ask for 9490 4222;
  • you need a language interpreter please contact TIS National on 131 450 and ask to be connected to us on 9490 4222; or
  • you need a printed form and support to enter information into SmartyGrants please contact us for assistance.

If you face any barriers to applying and would like to discuss these or any other ways we can help you, please contact us.

Contact

We are interested in hearing from you. Call our Community Energy Officer on 9242 3451 or at energy.info@banyule.vic.gov.au