Welcome to our Funding Opportunities Newsletter

Welcome to our new Funding Opportunities Newsletter where you’ll find details of selected grant submissions from around the region.

Our regular newsletter will be along in soon, but this new edition will occur in the middle of the month, every month.

We wish you all the best with the Funding Opportunities below.

Featured Grant: Eco Schools Grants Program (closing 19th June)

Educators and school communities are once again encouraged to apply for an Eco Schools Grant to ignite and nurture their students’ passion to learn about the environment.

Eighty grants of $3,500 each are now available under the NSW Environmental Trust Eco Schools Grants program, which has supported a variety of environmental projects in schools from waste management to worm farms for nearly 20 years.

Office of Environment and Heritage Executive Director Ian Hunter said the grants help provide curriculum-based environmental education for children and the program proudly funded its 1000th project last year.

“Eco Schools Grants recognise the important work of educators in environmental conservation projects and I encourage schools to apply for one of the eighty grants,” Mr Hunter said.

“Research shows that when young people develop an appreciation of the environment early on it influences their behaviours later in life.

“Schools are uniquely placed to teach students about sustainability, why it’s important to take care of our environment and what good environmental citizenship looks like,” Mr Hunter said.

Teachers from Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney’s west used their Eco Schools Grant to bring history and science to life through environmental education with a medieval food garden.

“Students learned about garden functionality, soil health and sustainable living. Science students also used the plants to study photosynthesis and helped their school create a resource to facilitate hands-on learning for years to come,” Mr Hunter said.

“Grants this year will be offered to student-focused environmental management projects, including water and energy conservation, recycling, bush regeneration, habitat improvement and food gardens.

“Schools are also encouraged to develop projects for students with special needs,” Mr Hunter said.

Interested schools in NSW are encouraged to register on the Sustainable Schools NSW website and grant applications can be submitted until Monday 19 June, 2017.

All registered schools in NSW can apply for funding for new projects or a separate additional stage of a previous project. Schools currently delivering an existing Eco Schools Grant funded project are not eligible.

For more information visit: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/schools.htm

Featured Grant: Rural Hero Grant (closing 31st May)

The $50,000 Rural Hero grant is now open giving charities the opportunity to pitch their innovative solution to an issue impacting country Australia – using the power of social media.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to create a short, fun and engaging video about their project, which will be uploaded online. People can vote via social media on the project they think will benefit Australian farming communities most.

The grant of up to $50,000 will be awarded to the project with the most votes!
Keep an eye out on this page for further details and the Aussie Farmers Direct Facebook page for updates – simply follow it here to stay up to date.

Read about last year’s inaugural winner Healthy Kids Bus Stop. For more information contact info@aussiefarmersfoundation.org.au.

Timelines
April 12th: Expressions of Interest applications open (written application)
May 31st: Expressions of Interest applications close
June: Shortlisted projects announced. Shortlisted projects invited to produce a short video showcasing their project and how it will benefit rural Australian
July: Shortlisted organisations develop and submit their video
August: Voting period
September: Winner announced

Note: Organisations that have submitted a grant as part of the Grassroots Grant 2017 grants process are invited to participate in this grant opportunity as well. Please read the relevant paragraph in the Rural Hero Granting Guidelines document for details and submit your Rural Hero Grant Expression of Interest Form if you would like to be considered for this grant opportunity as well.

Grant Application Process and Eligibility Criteria
The same eligibility and process requirements apply for this grant as they do for the Aussie Farmers Foundation Grassroots Grants – see the five steps listed under Grassroots Grants process. Please refer to the documents below if you wish to apply for the Rural Hero grant. Note: Organisations must have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR Item 1) and TCC (Tax Concession Charity) status.

In addition, the following criteria are considered to be specifically important for the Aussie Farmers Rural Hero Grant:

• The maximum grant available is $50,000. The amount awarded may vary based on the requirements of the successful project.
• The project must be a new project that is not currently operating (implementing an existing idea in a new community is acceptable).
• The project must be an innovative solution to an issue or opportunity currently confronting rural/regional Australia.
• The project must be delivered within 2 years of receipt of the funding.
• Projects that focus on current or emerging issues will be well regarded.
• Grassroots organisations are encouraged to apply.

More Information:
www.aussiefarmersfoundation.org.au/grants/aussie-farmers-rural-hero-grant/

Closing in May

Community Grants - Nib Foundation
Closes 31 May 2017
$5,000 - $50,000
Total Pool: Unknown
Available for Not-for-profits who are developing projects around Carers and Young People.

AEI Community Grants
Closes 31 May 2017
Up to $20,000
Total Pool: Unknown
Available for Not-for-profits and charity organisations  that contribute to humanitarian, environmental, and animal welfare efforts in Australia and abroad.

Closing in June

Cadbury Fundraiser Community Grants
Multiple Rounds closing 30 Jun, 15 Sep, 30 Nov
Up to $500
Total Pool: Unknown
Available to Not-for-profits and schools for community projects in the realm of social inclusion and community engagement.

Closing in September

Flying Start Programme
Multiple Rounds closing 30 Sep 2017, 31 Mar 2018
Up to $30,000
Available for Not-for-profit community groups and organisations for projects building or enhancing their local community.

Ongoing

Aboriginal Benefits Foundation Grants
Ongoing
$500 - $5,000
Available to Aboriginal communities and individuals for projects in line with the Foundation’s goals.

Community Development Grants Programme - Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development
Closes 30 June 2017
$9,000 - $13,000,000
Available to Businesses, Not for Profit and Schools for the infrastructure required to promote stable, secure and viable local and regional economies.

Community Led Grants - Australian Government
Ongoing
Amount Undisclosed
Available to Not for Profit organisations or individuals in the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community for projects in the areas of Education, Employment and Economic Development and / or Community Safety.

Google Grants
Ongoing
Up to USD$10,000 per month in kind
Total Pool: Unknown
Available for Not-for-profits to advertise their mission using Google Adwords.

Social Enterprise Development and Investment Funds (SEDIF)
Ongoing
Amount Undisclosed
Available to social enterprises to help them grow their business and impact more people with the result of their work.

Sponsorship Grants - Multicultural NSW
Ongoing
Amount Undisclosed
Available to Not for Profit organisations to support initiatives promoting community cohesion and the benefits of a multicultural society.

Innovation Connections
Ongoing
Up to $50,000
Available to businesses to connect them with an Innovation Facilitator to help identify knowledge gaps and opportunities to grow their business