Wild Otways Initiative Community Environment Grants Program

The Australian Government is providing funding through its Wild Otways Initiative (the initiative) to support community groups, local governments and Traditional Owners to undertake on-ground environmental works projects that will protect and restore native plants, wildlife and coastal environments in the Otways region, between Bells Beach and Peterborough, and the Otways hinterlands.

The Australian Government’s Wild Otways Initiative Community Environment Grants Program (Grants Program) will fund projects that demonstrate environmental outcomes through the delivery of the following on-ground works:

• Indigenous revegetation and supporting activities (plant propagation and fencing where directly related to and proportional to the benefits of revegetation activities);
• Weed and pest animal control (except those activities outlined in ‘What will not be funded’ section below)
• Fencing and access track construction or improvement works that protect or manage environmental values; and
• Other habitat improvement works.

A total of $1 million is available over the life of the program, with individual grants of between $3,000 to $20,000 per year (excluding GST) for up to 18 months duration available to eligible groups.

Applications close on 12 November 2021 at 5:00PM.

Grants are open to all community-based groups, Local Government Authorities and Traditional Owners located within the Program Area (see Figure 1) who can demonstrate how they will deliver on-ground environmental improvement works that protect and restore native plants, wildlife and coastal environments.

Applicants must:

• Be an incorporated association registered through Consumer Affairs Victoria, or be incorporated through an incorporated association, e.g. Landcare Victoria Incorporated.
• Hold insurance sufficient to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $10 million. Committees of Management, both incorporated or unincorporated, under Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 are covered by DELWP and do not require additional public liability insurance.
• Have a Covid-safe plan that adheres to the guidance of the Chief Health Officer (www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/).

Groups that do not meet the above requirements can still apply for funding but must operate under the auspices of an organisation that meets these requirements (see ‘Do we need an auspice’ section in Appendix 1).

The Grants Program will fund projects from $3,000 to $20,000 (excluding GST) per year for up to 18 months duration (December 2021 – June 2023). All proposals should contain sufficient detail to allow them to be assessed and the detail is to be commensurate with the level of funding requested.

Projects must:

1. Be delivered within the geographic area shown in Figure 1 below, which stretches from Bells Beach to Peterborough and includes the Otways hinterland.
2. Deliver activities that will protect and restore native plants and vegetation communities, native wildlife and coastal environments including on-ground works listed under section 2 ‘What type of works will be funded’. Please note that conditions apply to some works – see ‘What will not be funded’ below.

Please note:

• More than one project grant application can be submitted by an applicant (e.g. group/network).
• Your budget and value for money will be considered in the assessment process. You will need to demonstrate that all activities and budget items are necessary for the success of the project and that the amounts requested are reasonable.
• Project proposals that can demonstrate greater project outcomes through in-kind contributions or investment have a higher likelihood of attracting funding.

The following activities will not be funded:

1. Amenity and beautification projects without demonstrable benefits for native plants, wildlife or coastal environments.
2. Pest animal control methods including shooting, poisoning, trapping, explosive or fumigation will not be supported. This includes engaging a contractor to undertake these activities.
3. Boundary fencing for the primary purpose of stock management.
4. Barbed wire fencing.
5. Revegetation with non-indigenous plant species (note: all plants should be locally sourced and chosen on the basis of the diversity and structure of the vegetation type (Ecological Vegetation Class) predicted for the site, local environmental conditions, ease of propagation, and the size of the area to be planted).
6. Vegetation corridor less than 10 metres wide.  Minimum project width of 10 metres is required (minimum 10 metres from the top of the bank in riparian areas).
7. Purchase of capital items with a total cost over $2,000 for projects requesting up to $20,000 per year in funding.
8. Project management or administration costs that collectively total more than 10% of total funding requested.
9. Purchase of computers, laptops and smartphones.
10. Purchase of goods for competitions, prizes, giveaways, vouchers or alcohol.
11. Any other action or activity determined by the Grant Assessment Panel through the assessment process to be inconsistent with the Grants Program Objectives.

Projects can be on private or public land within the Community Environment Grants Program Area (see Figure 1 below). Written consent from Public Land Managers must be provided in your application.

Applicants will need to provide a map of the location(s) of the on-ground component of their project and attach the map to their application as a pdf.

Project grant applications will be assessed by a Corangamite CMA Grant Assessment Panel. This Panel will consider the contribution a project makes in terms of:

1. Environmental outcomes, including the protection and restoration of native plants, wildlife and coastal environments
2. Community participation and community benefit
3. Project design and applicant capacity to deliver
4. Budget and value for money (including in-kind contributions).

More details are provided in the Community Environment Grant Program  Guidelines.

Applications are closed