Deadline: 1-Jun-22
The Victorian Government has launched the Nature-led Community Recovery Grants Program to support both the recovery of Victoria’s biodiversity and communities recovering from the Victorian 2019-20 fires.
There is a strong desire within the broader Victorian community to assist nature and community to recover. Community groups within fire impacted areas can apply for funding through this program to design and deliver projects that benefit local wildlife and biodiversity.
Objectives
The objective, based on the recognised benefits of people’s connectedness to nature, is to facilitate people’s recovery within 2019-20 fire-affected communities through meaningful activities consistent with biodiversity conservation, and which allow witnessing of nature recovery. Intended benefits include:
- increased understanding of environmental fire recovery in currently affected communities. Improved community understanding of succession and threats to natural recovery
- people contributing to meaningful, effective actions to support local, place-based natural values recovery
- increased visitation and boost to regional economies in fire-affected areas through volunteering opportunities.
- improved advocacy for nature by all Victorians
- people’s recovery along with their environment’s recovery.
Funding Information
- The total funding available for this program is $90,000.
- Applicants will be able to apply for grants up to $5,000.
Eligible Projects
Examples of projects that could be supported include:
- A Municipal Recovery group seek funding to conduct an activity to elicit possible naturebased community recovery. Regular Recovery Walks through nature which are accessible to various/all sectors of the community, becoming embedded in regular community events; establishing interpretive trails that tell a story of community and forest recovery.
- A local community hub /group wishing to advance a project to protect native species or environments: creating artwork to raise awareness or sponsoring a specific activity to reduce threats (nest boxes, fencing, captive release, insurance population, etc).
- A local community wishing to create spaces for individual reflection, connection and appreciation of native wildlife or natural environments:
- A local group wants to establish meaningful citizen science to track recovery of local species and share the results with the wider community.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible, an organisation must be either:
- A community, not for profit or Aboriginal organisation that is an incorporated legal entity under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), or the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2001 (Vic) or the Corporation (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth).
- A social enterprise with a clearly stated purpose or mission related specifically to supporting bushfire recovery.
- And you must have:
- A current Australian Business Number (ABN)
- No outstanding final reports or final reports required for any previous government grant programs.
- They strongly encourage applications from:
- New and emerging community organisations
- Not for profit community organisations,
- Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, and
- Local organisations that are based in bushfire impacted areas
For more information, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/nature-led-community-recovery-grants
