Community environment projects to share in grant allocation worth $150,000

23 Jul 2020

Posted August 11, 2019

Environment groups across Mayo can now approach their Federal Member Rebekha Sharkie and apply for a share of $150,000 in grant funding for local on-ground projects.

The grants are available under the Communities Environment Program, a $22.65 million national funding stream that seeks to support community groups to address smaller scale local environmental priorities.

Applications opened on Monday, August 12.

“We have so many dedicated environmental groups and organisations in our community who do the hard yards when it comes to caring for our bushlands, reserves, wetlands and waterways,” Rebekha said.

“Our Government is yet to adopt effective policies on climate change and so the leadership for action in this area has largely fallen to our local community environment groups, but they need ongoing funding in order to do their important work.

“The Communities Environment Program provides $150,000 in grant funding to each of Australia’s 151 electorates.

“Grant applications can range from $2,500 to $20,000 per project and the majority of funding must be directed to on-ground activities within the electorate

“In Mayo we will be establishing our own independent committee of local experts to assess and shortlist up to 20 community-led projects among the applications we receive.

“The successful applicants will be sent to the Department of Environment for final endorsement and announcement later in the year.”

Eligible activities are defined in the program’s grant guidelines which can be accessed online here.

Potential projects that may be suitable for a grant includes:

  • monitoring local flora, fauna, water quality or marine debris
  • supporting the recovery of threatened species and/or threatened ecological communities
  • seed collection, propagation and planting of trees and understorey to control erosion and/or rehabilitate degraded natural habitats, riverbanks, wetlands and/or coasts
  • improving or increasing the extent of suitable habitat, vegetation linkages and available food sources for native animals, including in urban areas
  • reducing the impact of invasive weeds, pest animals, diseases and erosion on threatened species and natural habitats
  • installing infrastructure (such as boardwalks) or fencing to manage access to sensitive natural habitats
  • reducing the impact of waste and litter on natural habitats (e.g. litter clean-up events, marine debris collection or litter management infrastructure)
  • workshops to increase community skills in monitoring, conserving, and/or protecting threatened species, ecological communities or other important environmental assets.

“No matter where you live in Mayo, the environment is always a top concern that is raised with me, so I am excited by this opportunity to support our community-led environment projects,” Rebekha said.

Ms Sharkie invites community groups to lodge expressions of interest to her office by 5pm Monday, 2 September 2019. All applicants are required to complete and return an expressions of interest form which can be obtained from the program co-ordinator Michael Cornish via email at michael.cornish@aph.gov.au or by phone 8398 5566.

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