Local Engagement Excellence

The Kooya Local Engagement Excellence Award recognises exemplary initiatives that demonstrate strategic, place-based collaboration between organisations and their local communities. It highlights how local councils, businesses, and not-for-profits work in partnership with grassroots organisations, residents, and community leaders to co-create sustainable, inclusive outcomes.

The Award values cross-sector cooperation, shared ownership, and the ability to navigate complex community dynamics through trusted relationships and innovative local action.

While the broader Corporate Social Impact Award recognises large-scale change or organisation-wide commitments, this award celebrates the quality of collaboration and depth of local engagement. It is for initiatives where success depends not just on resourcing, but on trust, coordination, and authentic partnership at the community level.

Ideal Entrants

• Local councils partnering with grassroots organisations to deliver community-first services or programs.
• Corporates co-developing local initiatives with social enterprises, schools, or advocacy groups.
• Community coalitions of businesses, NFPs and residents addressing shared challenges (e.g. youth disengagement, housing, resilience).
• Joint ventures or alliances that model effective co-governance, shared investment, and mutual accountability.

In preparing entries, organisations should include details of one or more major local engagement initiatives, for example:

• A council, Aboriginal community-controlled organisation, and local TAFE co-creating a youth leadership pathway.
• A regional business chamber partnering with migrant-led groups to grow inclusive entrepreneurship.
• An inter-agency response team addressing food insecurity in partnership with local service providers and volunteers.
• A shared community health initiative between council, local GP clinics, and grassroots cultural associations.

Judging Criteria:

In determining the winner of this Award, judges will consider the extent to which initiatives described:

• Represent leadership excellence in local community engagement 
• Have positively impacted on the organisation and its stakeholders, and
• Demonstrate business leadership for the industry in which the organisation is situated.