CFAs: Rural Regeneration Grant Program (Australia)

The Greater Bendigo Rural Regeneration Grants program aims to assist farmers and lifestyle property owners to implement best practice sustainable land management that benefits the farm, community and the environment.

Objectives

• The objectives of the program are to:
  • Support and promote the adoption of sustainable and regenerative land management practices.
  • Assist farmers and other land custodians to prepare their properties to be ‘climate ready’ and resilient in the face of climatic changes.
  • Increase biodiversity and improve water quality and soil health on-farms

Funding Information

• Grant recipients can request up to $2,000 per year for a project that meets the Program Objectives.
• Grant recipients need to co-contribute 50% of the total project cost. For example, an applicant might request $1,000 funding for a $2,000 project, or $2,000 for a $4,000 project.
• Total project costs can be greater than $4,000, but the maximum funding for the grant available is $2,000.

Eligible Projects

• Examples of eligible projects may include, but are not limited to:
  • Installation of fencing to address land degradation concerns or improve water quality, livestock health and biodiversity, such as:
    • Investment in movable fencing to support rotational grazing practices or restrict livestock to restore degraded areas
    • Animal exclusion fencing for high biodiversity areas
    • Animal exclusion fencing for riparian zones
  • Installation of reticulated watering systems in order to restrict animal access to dams
  • Emission reduction projects such as solar pumps that replace existing petrol or diesel pumps
  • Revegetation of paddocks, dams and other areas using indigenous and/or beneficial pollinator plants to provide a wildlife corridor or to develop a riparian zone.
  • Release of beneficial organisms such as dung beetles, predatory organisms or other biological controls
  • Control of declared noxious weeds or high threat environmental weeds.
  • Control of declared pest animals such as rabbits and foxes
  • Monitoring and evaluation (i.e. soil tests and water testing)

Ineligible Projects

• Examples of projects that will not be funded include:
  • Projects that occur outside the City municipal boundary
  • Applications seeking retrospective funding and projects that have already been completed before submitting the application
  • Projects where the applicant is contributing less than 50% of the project cost (an exception will be considered for applications from First Nations community members)
  • Projects cannot be used to purchase inventory items such as livestock and machinery (i.e. things that can be on-sold for a profit)
  • Projects cannot be used to create/progress a native garden
  • Projects that do not progress sustainable land management outcomes, such as removal of native trees or native vegetation or the planting of non-indigenous plants
  • Natural disaster preparedness works i.e. fire breaks

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be a landholder, or a group of landholders
• located in the City of Greater Bendigo in one of the following planning zones:
  • Farming zone
  • Rural conservation zone
  • Rural living zone
• Eligible property types may be:
  • Farming enterprises (i.e. operated for commercial primary production), such as:
    • Livestock, including sheep, cattle, alpaca etc,
    • Cropping and horticultural enterprise
    • Artisanal agricultural enterprises i.e. small scale production of a boutique product (honey, garlic, olives, wine etc.)
    • Properties that are managed for hobby/lifestyle purposes, or for environmental purposes, such as equestrian enterprises, hobby farms and bush blocks

Ineligibility Criteria

• Community groups or organisations, or any individual with an overdue acquittal from a previous City grant.

Assessment Criteria

• Funding decisions will be informed by:
  • The co-contribution proposed. Applications with a high contribution will be highly regarded, as this demonstrates high value for money.
  • The longevity of the project outcome. Projects that support long term sustainable land management outcomes will be highly regarded.
  • If the project applicant is actively farming, these will be prioritised. Farming enterprises may include livestock, cropping and horticultural enterprises, and artisanal agricultural enterprises i.e. small scale production of a boutique product (honey, garlic, olives, wine etc).
  • If the project applicant identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or culturally and linguistically diverse, preference may be given.

For more information, visit City of Greater Bendigo.