Shade suggestions

Cancer Council Victoria's SunSmart program does not provide shade funding. We can provide information about natural and built shade, conducting a shade audit and choosing the most appropriate shade for your setting. Download the booklet Shade for everyone: a practical guide for shade development [pdf 3.4M].

Conduct a shade audit

SunSmart encourages you to firstly plan for effective shade by completing a shade audit. A shade audit will identify the amount and effectiveness of existing shade at your site and whether and where your site needs more shade.

Help with shade audits

• Contact Archicentre (a division of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects) whose accredited auditors can visit your organisation/site and conduct a shade audit
• Use the WebShade software program to do your own audit, available for purchase

Suggestions for funding

• Contact your local council: they may have a community grants program.
• Research possible grants programs, using the list below.
• Work together with other groups or clubs that share your space to pool your resources.
• Approach local charity organisations, such as Rotary or Lions Clubs: they may provide grants for special community projects.
• Approach local businesses: they may sponsor your project.
• Make shade the goal of your fundraising program.
• Contact local nurseries or council parks and gardens department: they may have plants available.

Grant programs

Funding criteria, closing dates and availability of grants are different for each organisation. Use this list as a starting point:

• GrantsLINK: Australian Government grants site
• Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development for Grants@DPCD 
• Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Library: Guide to grants 
• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD)
• VicHealth – Participation in Community Sport and Active Recreation (PICSAR): Active Clubs Grants
• Telstra Foundation, Telstra's Kids Fund
• ANZ Staff Foundation
• The Ian Potter Foundation.

Shade in schools

The Federal Government's Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding initiative for schools provides an unprecedented opportunity to increase or improve the quality of shade in your school. Developing quality shade in schools provides information to help guide the planning and development of shade or outdoor learning area projects in schools.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development's Building Quality Standards Handbook sets the minimum quality criteria for all projects, including new construction and refurbishment. Section 7.5.5 provides information about shade areas.

Building shade structures at secondary schools could play a major role in addressing young people's poor sun protection behaviours, according to Cancer Council Victoria

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