Funding sources
Commonwealth | State | Local | Other grants| Grant writing assistance | Sponsorship
Funds are available for community-based waterwatch and other groups through a range of organisations including grants from government agencies and sponsorship by industry. They are available to cover a range of waterway monitoring and management activities, community awareness raising events and group administration costs.
Grants
Local, State and Commonwealth Government agencies are a source of funds for community waterway projects. Many of these grants are issued once or twice a year and have specific requirements for applications.
Commonwealth Government
The Commonwealth Government provides grants under various categories which are available for community projects - www.grantslink.gov.au. A few of the main schemes related to waterway monitoring include:
Community Water Grants
The Australian Government's Community Water Grants programme offers grants to help local community organisations save, recycle or improve the health of their local water resources – www.communitywatergrants.gov.au.
Envirofund
The Natural Heritage Trust Envirofund is open to community groups and individuals to apply for grants of up to $50,000 (GST inclusive) to carry out on-ground and other actions to target local problems such as waterway issues – www.nht.gov.au/envirofund.
EMS Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture Program
$3.9 million is available for projects which strengthen the capacity of regional bodies and industry groups to lead the implementation of management systems for producers; and increase on-ground update of EMS approaches. Funding is available for regional bodies and industry group programs. More information is available from the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry –www.daff.gov.au/about/grants_and_assistance.
Queensland Government
Check what grants are available under various categories through the Queensland Government – www.qld.gov.au/grants. Some of the grants listed include:
Community Awareness Grants
The grants are available to community groups involved in natural resource management to strengthen the community's awareness of, and involvement in, sustainable management of Queensland's natural resources –www.nrw.qld.gov.au.
Gambling Community Benefit Fund
For projects which have high community benefit, this fund is for you. Applications close 30th December, March, June and December and further information is available from the Gambling Community Benefit Scheme – www.gcbf.qld.gov.au.
Our Place, Our Future: resourcing rural capacity
This funding initiative aims to help rural and remote communities build and strengthen their capacity to shape their future. This includes enhancing community strengths, such as leadership, networks, organisations and infrastructure, and relationships within communities and with other areas. It will assist projects that develop the social, environmental and economic capacity of rural and remote communities and promote and revitalise rural and remote areas.
This initiative also includes funding for communities to identify and implement local cultural development activities that build social and economic capacity, and cultural development activities that build social and economic capacity. The funding will be offered regularly over the next three years.
Further information is available through the Department of Communities – www.communities.qld.gov.au or 1300 794 611.
Local Government
Check directly with your local government. Contact details for all Queensland local councils are available from the Local Government Association of Queensland – www.lgaq.asn.au.
Other grants
Dilmah Water Quality Funding
The ‘Best Tea, Best Water' Grants Programme is offering a new round of grants to community groups and schools to improve water quality in their local area.
The Grants Programme is an initiative of Landcare
Grants of up to $1,650 (inc GST) are up for grabs. Schools and community groups are able to apply for the following:
- Water quality testing kits for community groups and schools
- Water quality testing training
- Water quality testing kit consumables and additions
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Small Communities Grants
The Small Grants Program for Small Rural Australian communities offer about $300,000 a year in grants given to benefit people in rural and remote communities. Currently, applications that support the following areas of interest will be given preference: community hardship in drought effected areas; retention of young people in Rural and Regional Australia; resettlement of immigrants in rural Australia; and community infrastructure.
There are two rounds of small grants per year. For information visit the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal – www.frrr.org.au, email info@frrr.org.au, or call 1800 170 020.
Breakwater Island Casino Community Benefit Fund
This fund provides assistance for facilities and services which are of obvious community benefit. It is restricted to the local authority areas of Hinchinbrook, Burdekin, Dalrymple, Whitsunday, Bowen,Mirani, Sarina, Nebo, Flinders, Richmond, McKinlay and Cloncurry Shires and the Cities of Thuringowa, Charters Towers, Mount Isa, Mackay and Townsville.
More information is available from the Breakwater Island Casino Community Benefit Fund – www.biccbf.com.au, email admin@biccbf.com.au, or call (07) 4721 1453.
Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund
A pool of $4 million is available from Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund for projects which contribute to the improvement of local communities. No set closing date. Eligible for community groups located in the Southern half of Queensland. Further information is available from the Benefit Fund –www.jccbf.org.au, or call 1800 336 958.
Reef Casino Community Benefit Fund
Eligible for community groups located in the Reef Casino's jurisdiction, and are awarded to projects which have a high level of community involvement and must benefit the community at large – www.cairnscasinocbf.com.
Gambling Community Benefit Fund
The Fund provides one-off grants of up to $30,000 to Queensland based not-for-profit community groups. The closing dates for the grant rounds are: 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December – www.gcbf.qld.gov.au.
Australia Post Landcare Community Development
Australia Post, in partnership with Landcare Australia, provides funds for environmental projects such as awareness raising events. More information on the through Landcare Australia – www.landcareonline.com.
WWF Threatened Species Network Grants
Applications are invited from community groups for funding of up to $50,000 for projects to conserve nationally threatened species and ecological communities. Guidelines and application forms will be available from the World Wildlife Fund for Nature – www.wwf.org.au/tsn, or call 1800 021 551 for more information.
Landcare Australia
Visit the Landcare Australia – www.landcareonline.org.au, and Landcare Queensland – www.landcare.org.au/Grantsfunding.htm for information on other potential grants and funding available.
Grant writing assistance
Once you've found an organisation providing grants, you then need to go through the process of writing a grant application or submission.
Information, tips and instructions on how to write successful submissions is readily available on the internet including:
- Queensland Water and Landcarers Inc (QWALC) – www.landcareqld.org.au
- Landcare Queensland – www.landcare.org.au
- The Community Funding Centre – www.ourcommunity.com.au
- Volunteering Queensland – www.volunteeringqueensland.org.au
- Community Builders (NSW) – www2.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/funding
Sponsorship
Local business, organisations and educational institutions are possible sources of resources to help your community group or school with your Waterwatch project. Examples of the type of support range from being given access to their expertise and advice, to being given excess or old equipment and other resources.
A useful fact sheet Waterwatch—Sponsorship Guidelines is available from the Waterwatch Australia – www.waterwatch.org.au/publications.
Landcare Queensland also have a useful fact sheet—Sponsorship tips for environmental projects – www.landcare.org.au.
Last updated 21 February 2008
