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Natural Heritage Trust

Envirofund

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• Envirofund
  • Planning your project
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Planning your project

There is generally one round of the Envirofund each year. In April 2007, a 'general' round of the Envirofund (Round 9) attracted 2,159 seeking over $47 million. On 2 October 2007, 947 successful projects worth $20 million were announced.

In addition to the general round of the Envirofund, 564 proposals worth $14.4 million were received in July 2007 for a special additional 'Coastal and Marine' round (Round 10). 167 successful projects worth $4 million were announced on 14 October 2007.

Whose land? What permits?

If you are thinking of doing a project on public land or several private land holdings, find out who owns the land you propose to work on.

Preparation:

• List the land owner or land manager at each site.
• List the permits needed for activities. You may need a permit from your local council or the State, Territory or Australian Government. For example, a permit to work in a riparian area, to spray herbicide, to work in a marine park or national park, or to collect native plant seed.

Before you submit your application:

• You will need the land owner or manager for each site to sign your application and agree to allow the work you are proposing on their land.

Before accepting funding:

• If you are offered funding and permits are required, you are advised to obtain these permits before you accept funding.

What work? Where?

Most proposed Envirofund projects are for on-ground works.

Preparation:

Visit the sites. What do you want to achieve? What work is needed? How wide should vegetation corridors be? Can remnant vegetation and wetlands be linked? Is fencing required? Can areas regenerate naturally? Is revegetation needed? What tree, understorey and groundcover species are native to the area? Will you collect seed locally or is it available in seed banks? Will you propagate plants? Can more than one nursery provide you with the plants you need or grow the plants from your seed? What ground preparation is needed? Are stakes and guards needed? What other works are required?

Seek advice on the work that is needed and how to carry it out. Ask your local natural resource management facilitator such as a Landcare, Bushcare, Rivercare or Coastcare facilitator. Contact your regional facilitator and make sure your project is not inconsistent with the regional natural resource management plan. Seek advice on your project from State departments and universities.

Find out from your local Indigenous community if there are sites of significance in the area and how you could protect the sites during your project.

• Sketch a detailed site map for each site.
  Show the property boundaries, roads and tracks, creeks and gullies, the location and length of any existing and proposed fencing, the location and width of any remnant vegetation and proposed regeneration or revegetation areas, and the location and extent of any other proposed works. Annotate with the name of the property owner(s) at each site.
• Prepare your plant species list.
  List the species that you propose to purchase or propagate for your revegetation activities. For each, indicate the growth form and species origin.
  

What materials? What cost? What timing?

A well planned and realistically costed project is more likely to be funded. Find out what materials you need and the quantity of each. Do some suppliers offer better value? Find out when you will need to order plants and other materials.

Preparation:

• List the materials for each site.
  List the type and quantity of materials, the unit cost and the total cost. Itemise plants, guards, stakes and mulch separately. Make sure quotes for fencing specify materials including gates and accessories, transport and labour.
• Identify equipment needed for the project.
• Identify proposed contracted labour.
  Where contracted labour is a significant part of your project, consider getting two or three quotes to ensure that the costing is reasonable.
• Identify volunteer skills and time.
• Identify project management and administration time.

Before you submit your application:

• Check the Envirofund Guide to find out which items are eligible for funding, eligible as a matching contribution or neither.

Community support? Long-term benefits?

We value projects that build community capacity and are strategic. Will your project involve new people, teach new skills or raise awareness? Will you form a working partnership with other community groups, businesses, schools, the local council or your local Indigenous community? Are you working with your catchment or regional authority, State or Territory departments, a cooperative research institution or a university to plan your strategy? If you are on a property do you have a whole farm plan or landscape plan for biodiversity, land and water?

Preparation:

• Contact your local Indigenous community
  They will welcome your invitation to identify and protect sites of significance in your project area. Freecall 1800 003 562 or see the "Ask First" guide at the Australian Heritage Council .
• Check your strategy
  Check local, regional, state, territory and national environmental and natural resource management strategies. Does your project support any of these? Does it conflict with any of these?
• List expert advice
  Who have you contacted? What was the advice about?
• List new skills and awareness
  What will your members and the community learn?
• List project partners
  Who are the people and organisations that will contribute labour, materials, equipment, funding or substantial advice to your project?

Before you submit your application:

• You will need your project partners to sign your application and state the support they will provide.
• Ask for letters of support from experts, your local community and your regional authority. Attach these to your application.

More applications are received than can be funded, so when you submit your application make sure you give us the information we need to establish the full merit of your project.