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The Community Energy Upgrades Fund Round 2 will provide matched funding of up to $2.5 million of eligible expenditure for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades for local governments to deliver reduced energy bills and emissions from local government-owned and/or operated facilities. The program will also support the Commonwealth led National Energy Performance Strategy (NEPS).

The objectives of the program are to support:

• the Government’s broader efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy performance, and contribute to Australia meeting its emission reduction targets of 43 percent by 2030, Net-Zero emissions by 2050, and 82% renewable electricity generation by 2030
• local governments to decarbonise their operations and reduce energy bills through energy efficiency and load flexibility upgrades, and electrification of their existing facilities
• the improvement in energy performance necessary to more easily utilise renewable electricity and improve system reliability.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• reduced energy bills and emissions from local government-owned and/or operated facilities
• installed energy efficiency, load flexibility and electrification technology that is commercially available
• improved capability of local governments and the wider community to implement energy upgrades and electrification projects in their existing facilities
• increased capacity of domestic supply chains and labour force to support significant future investment in energy efficiency upgrades
• improved workforce skills in delivering and operating energy transition projects.

The program will deliver $100 million over 2 funding rounds and will run over 4 years from 2024-2025 to 2027-28.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)

And are one of the following entities:

• a local government body
• a joint local government body (as defined in section 14 of the guidelines).

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth) the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) can sell annual water allocations (temporary water). The proceeds of these sales can be used to fund environmental activities, which must be consistent with the CEWH Environmental Activities Framework (CEAF).

This grant opportunity enables the CEWH to provide funding for environmental activities that help to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental water delivery in the Murray-Darling Basin.

There are a range of projects that could be considered environmental activities, such as:

• infrastructure upgrades that improve the efficiency of environmental water delivery
• projects that help restore and protect native flora and fauna populations and habitat
• research that improves scientific and cultural knowledge to help inform the delivery of environmental water
• projects that incorporate Traditional Owners knowledge into environmental watering planning, that will produce both environmental and cultural outcomes.

The CEWH encourages projects:

• that contribute to the achievement of the ecological outcomes sought under the Basin Plan, including the protection and restoration of populations of threatened and migratory species and internationally significant wetlands.
• that have strong linkages to First Nations communities and have environmental and cultural value, and lead to greater participation of First Nations in the management of the Commonwealth environmental water holdings and ensure Traditional Owner knowledge of land and water management can be realised.
• in areas where projects have not been implemented to date is encouraged. Proposals for projects in all basin valleys where the CEWH holds a water entitlement are eligible to be received and considered for funding.
• that are 'shovel ready' with a short completion timeframe.
• with co-funding and/or in-kind contributions.

Eligibility:

To be eligible, you must have your project proposal approved by the CEWH and have received a letter of acceptance, including a unique identification code, with an invitation to apply through GrantConnect.

The waters of the Murray-Darling Basin are a vital to the connection to culture and country for over 50 First Nations communities. The impacts of colonisation have deeply affected access to water for these communities, First Nations people currently own less than 0.2% of surface water entitlements.

The program provides funding directly to Basin First Nations to conduct cultural flows planning, develop sustainable business models and governance structures required to securely hold water.

The program will:

• support Basin First Nations to develop detailed cultural flows plans, quantifying their water needs and aspirations
• facilitate the development of water-reliant cultural economies in the Basin
• empower self-determination by Basin First Nations, to make decisions regarding water ownership and management.

 You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN), unless you are not entitled to one
• and are one of the following:
  • an entity, incorporated in Australia (this includes Indigenous land management organisations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations)
  • a registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land council
  • an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • an incorporated not for profit association or cooperative
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  • a partnership.

You must also be a First Nations group or organisation recognised as a Basin Traditional Owner(s) or able to demonstrate a traditional connection to the relevant area for which you are applying.

We can only accept applications where Traditional Owner status can be verified using one of the methods below:

• Native title determination (search National Native Title Register)
• Registered Aboriginal Party (Victoria's Registered Aboriginal Parties | aboriginalheritagecouncil.vic.gov.au)
• Land rights agreements
• ORIC (Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations)
• Office of the Registrar Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983
• Relevant Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• New South Wales Aboriginal Land Councils
• Relevant Elders councils
• Declaration of Connection to Country.

If you are a First Nations group without an ABN, you must have an arrangement with an organisation that is able and agrees to auspice funds on your behalf. See grant opportunity guidelines for more information.

The objective of the grant opportunity is to provide co-funding for dealerships and repairers to install EV chargers.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• increase in the number of EV charging stations throughout the country including remote and regional areas
• increase the number of EVs on the roads.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• have an account with an Australian financial institution
• are an entity, incorporated in Australia.

You must also be one of the following:

• a licenced motor dealer/trader
• a service centre associated with a licenced motor dealer/trader
• an automotive repair business, compliant with Australian Standards 5732:202 2 (EV operations – maintenance and repair) and which has at least one current member of staff suitable qualified to undertake work on EVs.

To be eligible for a rebate, you must have purchased and installed at least one eligible smart EV charger(s) at an eligible site (listed in section 4.2 of the grant opportunity Guidelines) on or after 26 March 2024.

Eligible smart EV chargers include:

• AC plugs with 7 kW charging speed (single phase)
• AC plugs with 11-22 kW charging speed
• DC plugs with 50 kW or less charging speed.

The Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program (the RRWIP)  builds on and replaces the Off-farm Efficiency Program and is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to recover water for the environment. It aims to provide a more flexible approach for investment than in previous efficiency measures programs for achieving the 450 GL water recovery target.

The RRWIP invests in a range of projects and arrangements to improve and modernise water delivery infrastructure to reduce water loss in the Murray–Darling Basin. 

Improving water use and water management efficiency will provide long term benefits to irrigators by improving infrastructure and help Basin communities adapt to climate change, manage the impact of greater variation in water availability and reliability and support the ongoing viability of production into the future.

On 7 June 2024, the Minister for Environment and Water approved an extension of time for elements of the program. The below information includes the revised timeframes. 

For RRWIP Streams A-C that have full and complete project proposals:

• applications will be assessed when received.
• no further applications will be accepted after 28 March 2025 (subject to available funding).

For Stream D applications to fund feasibility studies, project preliminaries or proposal developments:

• applications will be assessed when received.
• no further applications will be accepted after 30 August 2024.
• successful applications must be finalised by 28 March 2025.