Deadline: 7 May 2020
The Coastcare Victoria Community Grants program supports community organizations to protect and enhance the coastal and near-shore marine environment.
The grants program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Sustainability Fund which seeks to build community capacity, support community adaptation and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change.
The Grants Program aims to support the three pillars in the Coastcare Victoria Strategy 2020-2025:
- Marine and Coastal Stewardship – conservation, rehabilitation, restoration and preventative actions for Victoria’s coastal and marine ecosystems.
- Thriving Marine and Coastal Community Groups and Networks – Supporting community organizations to diversify, plan for the future and be responsive to change.
- Victorians Valuing the Coast – supporting community participation, engagement and education to enhance community knowledge and understanding of coastal and marine management.
Categories
- Stewardship and Education
- To build community capacity, support community adaptation and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change through actions which:
- Conserve, rehabilitate, restore and protect Victoria’s coastal and marine ecosystems
- Support community participation, engagement and education to enhance community knowledge and understanding of coastal and marine management
- To build community capacity, support community adaptation and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change through actions which:
- Strengthening Volunteer Groups Grants:
- To build community capacity and support community adaptation to climate change through actions which:
- Expand, diversify and increase inclusivity of volunteer bases (e.g. encourage participation of volunteers from different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities, abilities and youth).
- “Reimagine volunteering” to attract more/ different volunteers e.g. flexible, casual, event-based or shortterm volunteering.
- Improve volunteer recruitment and retention.
- Succession planning for your group Project must focus primarily on marine and coastal volunteering in Victoria.
- To build community capacity and support community adaptation to climate change through actions which:
Funding Information
- The Victorian government is providing funding up to $495,000 for the 2020 Coastcare Victoria Community Grants program.
- Eligible applicants can apply for grants of up to $30,000 per project.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following community groups and organizations with a focus on marine and coastal environs are eligible for funding:
- Coastcare Victoria groups
- Landcare groups
- ‘Friends of’ groups
- Field naturalist groups
- Coastal Committees of Management
- Non-government community organizations
- Community service organizations and clubs
- Aboriginal groups and organizations, land councils, trusts and co-operatives working on-country
- Educational institutions including schools and universities.
- To be eligible for funding applicants must be:
- an incorporated association registered through Consumer Affairs Victoria or be incorporated through an umbrella group such as Landcare Victoria Inc; or
- registered as a not-for-profit organization with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC); or
- coastal Committee of Management incorporated under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 AND
- hold sufficient insurance to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $10 million and personal accident insurance. Groups and networks that do not meet the above requirements can still apply for funding but must operate under the auspices of a sponsor organization. You will be required to supply written approval (such as supporting letter) from your auspice (sponsor) as part of your application
Who can sponsor an applicant?
A sponsoring group or organization must:
- be either incorporated, a State Government/ statutory bodies/authority or registered as a not-for-profit with ACNC;
- hold insurance sufficient to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $10 million and personal accident insurance;
- agree to take responsibility for the management and safety of the group’s volunteers and participants; and
- sign the funding agreement, receive the grant payment and be accountable for the delivery and reporting of the project.
Ineligible Applicants
- Commonwealth Government agencies
- Private companies or trusts
- Private individuals
- Catchment Management Authorities
- Industry bodies
- State Government statutory bodies/authorities
- Water Authorities
- Local government Previous recipients of a Coastcare Victoria Community Grant with outstanding project completion reports are ineligible for further funding until reporting requirements are met.
For more information, visit https://www.marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-programs/Coastcare-Victoria/coastcare-victoria-community-grants