Partnerships Against Pests Grants Program (Stream 2)

Deadline: 4-Jul-25

The Agriculture Victoria is seeking applications from community-based organisations operating at a local or regional level with an interest in established invasive species management.

These grants will enable groups to deliver place-based and community-led invasive species management activities that meet the program’s objectives and outcomes to build community capacity and capability.

Objectives

Capacity Building – Educational events and resources to boost community awareness and technical knowledge of best practice management options.
Capability Building – Training, educational and/or mentoring opportunities for community leaders and advocates to boost their knowledge and skills in areas such as leadership and project management.
Strategic Planning – Strategic and innovative plans are developed for self-sustaining and accountable action beyond the tenure of the project.
Raising Awareness – Communication tools and products are developed to boost awareness and technical knowledge of best practice management options.
Partnerships & Collaboration – Communities work collaboratively to sustain long term established invasive species management benefits.
Partnerships & Collaboration – Initiatives are designed and delivered that actively connect agencies and community members to act on established invasive species issues.
Partnerships & Collaboration – Community-based organisations build partnerships and work collaboratively with Traditional Owner Corporations (TOCs) and Aboriginal Victorians. Initiatives deliver established invasive species management projects that align with Whole-of-Country plans, respect Traditional Owner expertise, and recognise and implement decisions that Traditional Owners make over traditional lands and resources.

Funding Information

In Round 4, there is a total of $637,000 (excluding GST) of funding available for projects in Stream 2. Groups can apply for project funding of between $10,000 and $50,000 (excluding GST) and chose to complete their projects over either 12 or 24 months.

Expected Outcomes

Improve community capacity, awareness, and technical understanding of established invasive species best practice management.
Communities, their leaders and advocates create cohesive, sustainable and diverse groups or place-based organisations with skills in leadership, governance, strategic thinking, risk management, project management, communications and engagement, and monitoring and evaluation.
Community based organisations have strategic plans in place that describe the groups goals, objectives, and strategic actions for investment.
Innovative solutions for established invasive species management are explored and implemented.
Existing networks and collaborative partnerships are expanded or strengthened and/or new networks and collaborative partnerships are developed.
Increase the number of ongoing, place-based established invasive species projects and solutions through new or expanded community engagement and collaboration initiatives.
Increase the number of community groups working in partnership with Traditional Owners and incorporating strategies from Whole-of-Country plans into project planning and delivery to ensure projects are implemented in a culturally appropriate way.

Eligible Groups

Stream 2 of the grants program is open to organisations operating at a regional or local level with an interest in established invasive species management. This includes, but is not limited to:
- not-for-profit organisations.
- environmental, agricultural, and natural resource management volunteer organisations.
- community service organisations.
- Landcare and Coastcare groups and networks.

Eligible Activities

Funding can be used for items directly related to the delivery of the project, including but not limited to:
- Consultants, facilitators, and/or presenters.
- Project officers time to deliver tangible and quantifiable project activities
- Training and/or educational course fees.
- Publicity, communications, and marketing.
- Advertising, printing, design, and postage.
- Website and app development.
- Photography, videography, and video production.
- Hire of equipment and venues for events.
- Resource materials and consumable items.
- Transport and travel within Victoria required for project delivery.
- Food and non-alcoholic beverages within reason – for example: light event catering.
- Capital items and equipment, including but not limited to, monitoring technology, spray equipment or traps up to the value of $3,000. In cases where the applicant can demonstrate sustained community engagement over a minimum of 2 years, they may apply to purchase capital items with a value up to $10,000:
  - Capital items must become a registered asset of the applicant group or auspice organisation.
  - Capital items used for demonstration, education and community lending purposes must be considered as part of best practice management for that species.
  - Applicants must describe a clear need and community benefit for capital items, including details of how capital items will contribute towards sustained community action.
  - Applications proposing purchase of capital items over $3,000 and up to $10,000 must provide clear evidence of a minimum of 2 years of sustained community engagement regarding the relevant target specie/s.
- Project management and administration costs that do not exceed 15% of the total funding requested. For example:
  - Recruitment, engagement, and management of project officers, contractors, and consultants.
  - Communications technology, hardware and software or licenses.
  - Staff on-costs

Ineligible Activities

Funding provided by the program cannot be used for the following activities:
- On-ground works and equipment related to:
  - Weed management – for example: contractor spraying, mulching or physical removal works on private land, purchase of herbicides.
  - Pest animal management – for example: contractor shooting, fumigation, baiting or ripping works on private land, purchase of baits or fumigants.
- Research activities where the only product is a report or paper interpreting the results.
- Activities (or components) funded through another organisation, program, or fund source. A project may build on the success of past or existing projects but must be new work.
- Positions such as facilitators, staff or project managers that are already funded through other funding sources.
- Purchase of goods for competitions, raffles, and/or prizes.
- Alcohol.
- Projects that are unlikely to deliver practical outcomes within the grant timeframes.
- Capital items or equipment over $3,000, or $10,000 in the case of demonstrated, sustained community engagement.
- Insurance.
- Project management or administration costs that collectively total more than 15% of total funding requested.
- Routine or ongoing maintenance activities.
- Activities that have already started and/or expenses that have already been incurred.
- Recurrent operating costs, for example rent and utility costs, and/or activities establishing expectations of ongoing funding

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must be one of the following:
- an incorporated association registered through Consumer Affairs Victoria.
- a registered company with the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC).
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
- Applicants must also hold sufficient insurance to safeguard volunteers and participants involved in the funded activities, including public liability insurance of at least $20 million and personal accident insurance.
- Organisations that have previously applied for Partnerships Against Pests grant funding are welcome to submit new or revised applications.

Ineligibility Criteria

Stream 2 of the program is not accepting applications from government organisations. The following, but not limited to, groups are not eligible to apply:
- Victorian Government departments and agencies, public entities.
- Councils and Local Government.
- Commercial operations where the business will benefit financially from the project.
- if a previously funded group has failed to complete all conditions of their grant agreement, they will not be considered for further funding until all outstanding conditions have been completed.

For more information, visit Agriculture Victoria.