Deadline: 31-May-23
The Wellington City Council is seeking applications for the Waste Minimisation Seed Fund.
This fund supports development of innovative solutions for reducing waste, so that Wellingtonians can be leaders in waste minimisation.
They want to target priority waste streams, reduce harm to the environment and improve efficiency of resource use. They will do this by supporting new initiatives that complement and enhance existing programmes or address gaps or opportunities.
Funding Information
- funding for small projects – $2000 and under
Where the funds come from
- When rubbish goes into a New Zealand landfill, a levy of $10 per tonne is collected by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE). A portion of the money is allocated to Wellington City Council from the MfE waste levy, based on population. This money must be spent on promoting or achieving waste minimisation as set out in their Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.
Is your project feasible?
- A feasibility study will help ensure you’ve considered what’s necessary to make your project a success. It is a “healthcheck” on your project to make sure you have the foundations set. As part of your application for funding over $10,000 they ask that you attach the following information and answers to your online application (within the funding portal).
- How much money is needed to start the project and keep it running until it is established? Drill down all your potential costs before you commit yourself to seeing an idea through.
- Who is your target audience/customer? Identify who will be most interested in your product/service, so you can market to them in a direct and cost effective way.
- Who are your main competitors? Understand who may offer similar products/services, and learn about their strengths and weaknesses.
- Assess your long term sustainability. Do you need to forecast income? If you plan to go into business, business.govt.nz can give you advice on how to understand what your market value/income could be.
- What skills do you need to succeed? Seek advice from experienced industry professionals if possible, to be certain about the skills needed.
- Do you have any compliance/legal issues? Research your obligations on business.govt.nz. They are the appropriate agency to provide you with the guidance needed.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications to the under $2000 Waste Minimisation Seed Fund are accepted from individuals, community groups and organisations. This might include businesses, iwi/Māori organisations, early childhood centres, schools, tertiary organisations and other community-based organisations operating in the Wellington City Council area.
- The applicant should provide evidence of sound financial management, good employment practice, clear and detailed planning, clear performance measures, and reporting processes.
- Projects must result in new waste minimisation activity, either by implementing new initiatives, or expansion in the scope or coverage of existing activities.
- Projects must promote or achieve waste minimisation, this covers the reduction of waste, and the reuse and recycling and the recovery of materials or energy for further use or processing.
- The scope of the fund includes educational projects that promote waste minimisation activity only, but not general environmental education programmes.
- Projects will be for a discrete funding timeframe of one year, after which the project objectives should have been achieved and, where appropriate, the initiative has become self-funding.
- Funding can be used for operational or capital expenditure that is required to undertake a project.
- Projects should be Wellington-based and mainly benefits the people of Wellington.
- The project should show evidence of community support, collaboration, and building partnerships with other organisations (eg social media and crowd funding, letters of support from other organisations/leaders). This should also include contribution to the project either in cash or in kind, particularly for larger scale projects requesting grants over $2,000.
- The Council respects mana whenua values and aspirations for the environment, projects should reflect an understanding of Wellington’s history, how to care for the land and resources and an understanding of wāhi tapu.
- Projects requiring more than $10,000 need to refer to Waste Minimisation grants over $10,000.
What they won’t support
- Projects that focus on waste disposal or on the treatment of waste/s for disposal/clean-ups (with the exemption of marine waste clean-ups as an activity when attached to a community education initiative/programme).
- Funding is not for the ongoing financial support of existing activities or for running costs of the existing activities of organisations, individuals or businesses.
- Projects that are inconsistent with Wellington City Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and funding outcome areas.
- Projects that do not involve waste generated from within the Wellington City Council area.
- Retrospective projects where the funding sought is for work already completed or to service debt.
- Activities which duplicate other demonstration projects or pilot studies.
For more information, visit Waste Minimisation Seed Fund.