Deadline: 09-Aug-21
The Queensland Government has announced the applications for Looking after Country Grant program to build community capacity to deliver these projects, and to develop strong partnerships in caring for country.
The Looking after Country Grant Program (LACGP) provides funding to First Nations communities to conserve and manage environmental and cultural heritage on country. The program supports the delivery of on-ground conservation projects.
It aims to build First Nations communities’ capacity to deliver projects and encourage collaborative partnerships in caring for country.
The LACGP complements the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program, which provides longer-term funding to employ Indigenous rangers. The LACGP enables groups that do not receive ranger funding to carry out land and sea management activities.
Funding Information
- Project funding of up to $75,000 (GST exclusive) is available.
- The project expenditure can include:
- project administration (includes phone, postage, stationery, printing, bookkeeping, audit costs)
- wages and on-costs and/or some contractor costs
- incidental expenses
- materials and equipment
- training.
What projects and activities are eligible for funding?
- Projects that increase the capacity of First Nations communities to achieve environmental and cultural conservation outcomes through delivering on-ground activities, will be considered for funding. Projects can include a wide range of on-ground conservation activities. These can include (but are not limited to):
- cultural heritage site management (including recording, protection and training)
- habitat restoration
- fire management
- protected species monitoring and conservation
- feral animal management (including exclusion fencing)
- erosion control
- weed control.
- Projects to develop country plans or management plans, aimed at improving the effectiveness of future on-groundmanagement of environmental and cultural heritage, will also be considered for funding.
What will not be funded?
Project expenditure that will not be considered for funding includes:
- infrastructure costs of more than 20 per cent of the total project value (including contributions from other sources)
- infrastructure costs, where the infrastructure would require significant ongoing maintenance
- assets of more than $15,000 in value
- long term lease or purchase of motor vehicles
- management and meeting fees
- overseas or interstate travel
- conference or seminar attendance
- administration fees of more than 15 per cent of total project costs.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organisations are eligible to apply for funding under the LACGP:
- Not-for-profit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 1981, Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, Corporations Act 2001, or other legislation.
- Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) community councils or Aboriginal Shire Councils that are applying on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, or a group representing these bodies.
- Incorporated, not-for-profit organisations applying on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups that are able to demonstrate that they have the authority of, and will work in partnership with, the Traditional Owners for areas on which they intend to undertake activities with the grant funds.
Ineligible
The following organisations are not eligible to apply for funding through the LACGP:
- Organisations that receive funding for the employment of Indigenous rangers under the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program, or the Indigenous Ranger Program funded through the National Indigenous Australians Agency, unless they can demonstrate that the application is made on behalf of Traditional Owner groups that are not engaged in the organisation’s existing ranger program.
- Organisations that currently have overdue acquittals or reports in relation to any grant funding provided by the Department of Environment and Science (DES).
For more information, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/conservation/community/land-sea-rangers/grants-program