$8 million Community Action Grants for Community Groups
28 June 2010 at 2:05 pm
The Gillard Government has announced up to $8 million in additional funds to help community groups protect the environment and support sustainable farming.
The funds are part of the 2010-11 Caring for our Country Community Action Grants program, the small grants component of the Australian Government's Caring for our Country initiative that aims to help community groups take action to conserve and protect their natural environment.
The grants are targeted towards established community-based organisations which have sustainable farming and/or protecting and enhancing the natural environment as their principle objective.
Applications for the grants will open on Tuesday, July 6th, and small community groups nationwide are encouraged to apply for grants of $5,000 to $20,000 to help them take action to protect and revitalise the Australian landscape.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke says the additional funds include $4.2 million for Landcare-related activities across Australia.
Minister Burke says the Gillard Government understands the importance of supporting grassroots community groups such as Landcare, Coastcare and Indigenous groups carrying out their vital on-ground work at a local level.
He says these grants take into account small community groups who often get shut out if the grants are only for large projects. This allows Government to support Landcare at the most local level. The funding can be used for a range of purposes, including for Landcare facilitators, removing weeds, planting trees, controlling pests and field days.
The funding builds on the Community Action Grant’s first round which saw more than $7 million being provided for 425 projects undertaking environmental and sustainable agricultural projects.
- Eligible community groups may include:
- Community groups involved in coastal rehabilitation, restoration and conservation;
- Groups of farmers or land managers working on sustainable farming or improving natural resource management;
- Indigenous partnerships involved in protecting or improving the environment;
- Groups involved in biodiversity, environmental protection or managing natural resources.
The guidelines and hard copy application form will be available from the Caring for our Country website at www.nrm.gov.au or by calling 1800 552 008 from Tuesday 6 July 2010. Applications will close in late August.
