Land Management Incentive Program in Australia

Deadline: 31-May-23

Applications for Nillumbik Shire Council’s Land Management Incentive Program (LMIP) grants are now open.

The program offers residents and community groups with financial support (and advice) for sustainable land management activities that have positive environmental and/or sustainable land management outcomes. 

The program has a priority focus on encouraging and supporting the adoption and enhancement of best practice land managment – by new and longer term residents of the Shire.

Funding Information

• There is a recurring annual LMIP grant pool of around $60,000 per year.
• A maximum grant of up to $2,000 is available per single property, or up to $10,000 for a community led cross-tenure or landscape-scale initiative, per financial year.

Eligible Activities

• To be eligible, activities are required to provide:
• Positive environmental or sustainable agriculture outcomes at the project site; and
• Positive environmental, social or community outcomes that extend beyond the property  boundary

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants  
  • Private landowners or landholders
  • Community groups including, for example: Landcare; rabbit, fox or deer action groups; environment groups, other community clubs and groups.
• The applicant must display a commitment to ongoing good land management practices in order to be eligible for funding.
• Eligible properties
  • To be eligible, your property must be:
    • Located within the Shire of Nillumbik; and
    • Located within the Green Wedge Zone, Rural Conservation Zone, or have an
    • Environmental Significance Overlay  Other locations by exception, for example at sites with cultural heritage significance

Assessment Criteria

• Each application is assessed against the LMIP eligibility criteria specified in Sections 2-5 above (i.e. whether the project activity and applicant and property is eligible).
• Applications that meet those eligibility criteria are then assessed to determine their level of a) environment benefit and b) community/social benefit. This determines whether the application is graded as being of Category A, B, C or D benefit, and the associated level of funding support that the grant program can provide.
• Category A. High environment and very high community benefit: 100% Council LMIP contribution, up to $2,000 (single property) or up to $10,000 (community-scale initiative)
• Category B. High environment and high community benefit: 50% Council LMIP contribution, up to $2,000 (single property) or up to $10,000 (community-scale initiative)
• Category C. Medium environment and community benefit: 50% Council LMIP contribution, up to $500
• Category D. Low environment and community benefit: ineligable
• The funding category that each eligible project will fall within is determined according to:
  • Level of environment benefit
    • The types of matters considered when assessing the level of environmental benefit include: Biodiversity or agricultural values of the property and its surrounding area
    • Presence of threatened species or habitat
    • Weed species and location
    • Water quality outcomes
    • Soil conservation outcomes
    • Sustainable agricultural / improved pasture management outcomes
    • The degree to which the positive project outcomes extend beyond any single property
    • The likely environmental consequences of inaction
  • Level of community / social benefit
    • The types of matters considered when assessing the level of community benefit include:  Possession of a valid Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card – If applicants with such a card (who are not able to make a co-contribution) propose works that will provide high or very high environment benefit, they can be funded under Category A.
    • Community support and involvement
    • Whether the community benefit matches / outweighs the private benefit
    • What the community benefit is, e.g. improved amenity, reduced pest animal harbour /
    • weed spread, community safety impacts, increased knowledge  The consequences to the broader community/landscape of inaction.

For more information, visit Nillumbik Shire Council.

For more information, visit https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/Explore/Environment/Grants-rebates-and-incentives/Land-Management-Incentive-Program-Grants