Deadline: 15-Dec-21
The Indigo Shire Council has announced Community Sustainability Grants Program to provide financial assistance to community groups and organisations to implement and build capacity for renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste and climate change related projects.
Projects that contribute to sustainable communities through biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and resilience, and water efficiency will also be considered.
Objectives
The intention of the funding is to support:
- Projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the community and work towards a zero emissions future through; improved sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and supporting emerging emissions reduction technology.
- Capital projects that reduce the energy costs for community facilities and strengthen their long term financial sustainability and climate adaptation.
- Building capacity of community groups working towards sustainability outcomes aligned to Indigo Shire’s policies, plans and strategies.
- Events and engagement activities that increase awareness and education within the community that promote a transition towards increased energy efficiency and sustainability, and a zero emissions future, including:
- Raising community awareness of the relevance of climate change, the impacts it will have on the environment and way of life, and the opportunities it will present.
- Encouraging participation in sustainability activities and events that enable a transition towards a zero emissions future.
- Enabling community members to acquire or develop new skills in relation to increased sustainability and emissions reduction to promote continued action across the communities.
Funding Information
- You can apply for a grant ranging from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000. Grants are a competitive process and applications that meet the assessment criteria are not guaranteed funding.
- Applications exceeding $5,000 require a cash co-contribution from the applicant. In order to strengthen your application, it is recommended that you clearly and thoroughly articulate all aspects of the project planning and delivery for consideration by the Grant assessment team.
- Non-capital applications (such as events, capacity building and content creation) will be capped at a maximum of $1000 per application, with a maximum of five such applications to be successful each grant round.
Eligible Projects
Projects eligible for funding under this grant stream must either:
- Contribute to climate change mitigation by either directly reducing, or transitioning community greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include energy efficiency measures, installation of renewable energy or emissions reduction technology or alternative lower emissions technology.
- Contribute directly to at least one goal outlined in Indigo Shire Council Plan 2021-2025 (multiple goals can be addressed by the same project). Projects that support the core themes.
- Undertake events that educate and promote knowledge of mitigation and adaptation opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria
- To participate in the grant program, the Applicant must be an Eligible Organisation. To be eligible, the organisation must meet all of the following criteria:
- be located within Indigo Shire
- be a registered non-profit organisation or community group
- be an incorporated group, or auspiced by another incorporated group
- demonstrate support for the project from relevant Committees of Management, user groups and/or building owners.
- If the applicant is applying for funding to support capital upgrades to facilities, buildings or assets, the applicants must additionally:
- be user groups of facilities, buildings or assets that have broad community use and benefit
- own or lease community facilities (including Council or DELWP facilities)
- pay the electricity or relevant utilities account.
For more information, visit https://www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/Community/Grants/Community-Sustainability-Grants-Program